Faded Realms

by C. R. Jane

  There are tears in my eyes since I’m laughing so hard, and I almost choke on the water that I try to drink. The food and the conversation couldn’t get any better and it’s a bittersweet reminder that life is not always hard. After dinner, and the best dessert crepe that I’ve ever eaten, Mason holds me in his arms as we stare out at the glittering city.

  “This is my new favorite place,” I whisper. “Can we come back here someday?”

  “We can move here if you want,” he says nonchalantly, as if we were just discussing the weather.

  I glance up at him quickly, but he looks totally serious. “Someday I want to travel everywhere, but I want to finish school first,” I tell him.

  “Why do you feel the need to do that so badly?” he asks. “With everything we’ve discovered about who you really are, doesn’t it feel a little insignificant now? Damon would drop football in a second if you asked him to, and Beckham and I could schedule our projects to be wherever in the world we were visiting.”

  Knowing he’s talking about the fact that we’ve just discovered that I’m actually a queen, I ponder his question, trying to pick the right words for how I feel about Rothmore.

  “I want to finish school because getting into Rothmore changed my life,” I tell him haltingly, feeling emotional thinking about the first time I looked at the Rothmore pamphlet that I had pulled out of the Anderson’s trash. “I was in agony before I escaped. Rothmore represents every hope and dream that I had, but never thought would come true. It was such a gift, it brought so much to my life that I want to see it through. It’s almost like I owe the school for what it has done for me.”

  I look into Mason’s eyes, eyes that are gentle and full of understanding. I continue on. “I was so close to giving up at their house,” I whisper, watching his eyes darken with rage as he thinks about the Andersons and how they treated me. “Finding that Rothmore pamphlet saved my life.”

  Mason kisses me softly, gently wiping away the tears that are falling down my face. “We’ll stay in New York City for as long as you want to,” he says, “But I do think we need to finally talk about what everything means.”

  I know he’s talking about everything that we learned after Aiden took me into his dream world. The fact that I’m a queen, that I was once Aiden’s wife. I’ve tried not to let Aiden invade my thoughts since we’ve been back, but he has succeeded in haunting all of my dreams. I’ve spoken about it a little with Mason last night, the fact that a part of me misses the Aiden that I thought I knew. Although he turned out to be a monster, in his dream world he pushed me towards discovering my past and who I really am. Sometimes Damon, Mason, and Beckham are so protective that I feel like I’m forever stuck in the role of the victim. Aiden helped me to discover that there’s more to me than that. Thinking back to that last horrific day when I trapped Aiden with my powers, allowing us to escape, sometimes I wonder if he let me do that, if he was secretly proud of me using my powers.

  I feel a kiss on my forehead and I come back to the sparkling decadence of the Eiffel Tower.

  “A flower for your thoughts?” he asks, handing me a solitary peony.

  I smile at him and go back to admiring the skyline, avoiding the question. I don’t want talk of Aiden to ruin this beautiful, perfect night.

  Mason comes up behind me, leaning over me and putting his arms on either side of me. His lips start to whisper across my shoulders and neck, reminding me of what else is hopefully in store for us tonight.

  “Is it too soon for us to leave?” he asks me, leaning against me so that I can feel how hard he is already.

  “No,” I say back, my voice thick with desire. Mason takes my hand, and leads me back towards the elevators, thanking the waiter profusely as we pass by. I wonder at the fact that Mason was able to reserve the Eiffel Tower exclusively for our dinner. My mind can’t comprehend having that kind of fame and power. I tell Mason that and he winks cockily, telling me that he was able to pull in a favor from the mayor of Paris due to the fact that the mayor’s wife and daughter are obsessed with his music. Before the show started tonight Mason had taken a few pictures with the wife and daughter.

  “His wife may or may not have grabbed my ass,” he said with a laugh. “I think I earned tonight’s dinner.”

  I laugh, but thinking of someone touching him without his permission reminds me of the dreams that I’ve had of him, dreams where he was constantly touched without his permission. It makes me angry and I can feel a slight spark creep into my fingers.

  “Shit!” Mason exclaims, pulling his hand out of mine and shaking it.

  “I’m so sorry,” I yelp, feeling terrible at the fact that I just shocked him with my out of control emotions. “Are you alright?” I reach out to touch him and then pull my hands away quickly, worried that I’m going to hurt him again.

  “I’m okay, love. It just surprised me. I barely felt anything,” he tells me, trying for nonchalance. I can see the worry in his eyes though. We both know I still have no idea how to control or really use my powers. A problem I’ve always seemed to have if my dreams are correct.

  I wrap my arms around myself, cursing the power that I still have so far to go in learning to control. Mason pulls my hands away from my body and holds both of them in his.

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper again. I search his eyes to see any hint of disgust. He’s already suffered so much lately because of me. And now, he’s suffering actually from me.

  “It’s nothing,” he says firmly, as we go down the elevator and then back out to the limo.

  Mason pulls me onto his lap in the limo, gently stroking my hair and humming the tune of the song he had played tonight. As usual, I’m caught in his spell, his magic spinning around me and heightening the already richly sensual evening. Considering Mason has told me that my reaction to his incubus powers are almost non-existent, I can’t comprehend what it feels like for everyone else that is actually affected by his power. I hum along to the song and our voices blend together, creating our own special brand of music that seems to have a power all of its own.

  By the time we get back to the hotel, I’m well past the point he took me to before the Eiffel Tower. I’m desperate for his touch, his kiss, for him. He doesn’t seem to be in a hurry though since he leads me to the couch and casually sits us both down, turning on the television like we have all the time in the world. I give a small pleading moan when his hands start to once again dance across my body. After what seems like hours, but is probably only minutes, he finally takes pity on me.

  Standing, he takes my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before pulling me up. I follow him willingly towards the master bedroom of the suite-I would follow him anywhere I realize. Particularly right now, if it’s to assuage this yearning I have for him.

  Releasing my hand as we enter the bedroom, he leans back against the doorframe. His stare is intense, weakening my knees in their flash of desire-the magnetic pull between us stretching and churning.

  Walking predatorily in my direction, he stops before me, lowering his head to slowly capture my mouth. His kiss is heartwarmingly soft as he cups my jaw in his hands, tilting my head slightly to deepen it.

  I’m lost in him, completely swept up in him and his ability to render me speechless. I absolutely love that he makes me lose all thought with his kisses, all my insecurities of not being enough completely obliterated once more, every kiss feeling like the first.

  He walks me backwards towards the bed, through the embrace of our lips and tongues. Pulling away, he lifts me gently, searching my eyes before laying me down softly on the bed. I reach for him in unspoken need, his body molding over me as he seeks my lips for another passionate kiss.

  I love that Mason wants me as much as he does. That he needs me as much as I need him. It’s a visceral feeling. We’re enthralled in each other, in the sensations of our kisses as our coming together imparts.

  Feeling him hardening beneath me, I moan into his kiss, my desire and need clear in my pursuit to speed t
hings up. It’s all for naught, as he takes his sweet time, gently nipping along my jaw and down my neck. I remain still, taking my cues from him as he proceeds to undress me in slow measures. Pulling my dress down until it pools on the floor at my feet, he rains gentle kisses along my stomach before worshiping my chest.

  “I don’t want anything between us,” he whispers, slowly removing the last remaining layer of my clothes, my overheated skin relishing the air-conditioned airflow of the room.

  Leaning forward, I assist in the removal of his jacket, and then his dress shirt. Unbuttoning it to showcase his chiseled, inked skin. It’s like unwrapping the most cherished and wanted present.

  Lost in our silent fantasy, he stares lovingly into my eyes as we unfasten and remove his pants, dropping them and his briefs to the floor. Completely bare, nothing between us, just as he wanted.

  The anticipation of feeling him on me, in me, overtakes my body and I shudder in his arms, his position sheltering me and making me feel safe and cherished.

  Suddenly I see a wave of vulnerability pass over his features. “Do you love me?” he asks, his voice achingly sad and filled with wanting. “Do you wish it were one of them holding you right now?”

  My eyes cloud with tears. I’m the most selfish girl in the world to have made this strong, perfect man feel this way. Taking his face in mine gently, I suddenly feel the urge to see if my power can help make him feel the depth of my love. Trying to forget how out of control it got earlier, I focus on the feeling of my passion for him, letting it flow through my fingertips into him. A look of awe passes over his face and a tear trails down his cheek. I’m lost in the moment, lost in our love.

  My burst of power must give him the assurance he needs because the hesitance fades from his gaze. It’s replaced by raw lust that speaks to the heavy hunger within me that’s been building all night.

  I pull his face down to mine to devour his mouth, sliding my tongue along his, gently nipping his lower lip. I’m lost to the sensations of his skin against mine. He kisses me back like he has all the time in the world. And I hope we do. If this is what I have to look forward to for the rest of my life, a lifetime wouldn’t be enough.

  5

  Mason

  I’m out for perfection tonight, nothing else will do. I come down on top of her, resting my hands on either side of her exquisite face.

  “How are you doing?” I whisper, my voice shaking from how much I’m trying to hold myself back.

  “Never better,” she answers breathlessly.

  “Are you sure about this?” I ask, hoping desperately that the answer is yes.

  She puts a finger against my lips and raises her hips, letting me know exactly what she wants from me. I want to take my time, but I can’t wait any longer.

  Sliding into her, it’s all I can do not to come when I feel her heat for the first time. I bite my bottom lip and pray for mercy as I begin to move, going slowly and watching her reaction intently.

  Her face is flushed with pleasure. Her eyes widen and her lips part, and I push in deeper, wanting all of her. She’s so tight and hot, it’s as if I’ve died and gone to heaven.

  “Talk to me love, tell me how it feels.”

  “So good,” she says breathlessly. “Don’t stop.”

  “I’m never going to stop loving you. Never.” I tell her.

  I hold back for as long as I can, giving her time to adjust, and taking it as easy as I possibly can without losing my mind. I rock into her, slowly, insistently, wanting to remember this moment forever.

  As we move it’s as if a piece of my soul clicks into place, a piece that I didn’t even know I was missing. As I stare into her eyes, I see my destiny laid out before me, and it’s beautiful.

  Her hands slide down my back to cup my ass, and I’m lost. Absolutely gone. I break out in a cold sweat and pick up the pace, wanting to feel her clamp down on me more than I want my next breath. Propping myself up on one arm, I reach down between us, wanting to make this as good as possible for her. The second I touch her I’m rewarded with a tight contraction that nearly finishes me off.

  “Eva….this feels so fucking good. I love you so much. Come for me sweetheart.” I continue to caress her until I feel her lift off, the tight squeeze of her muscles more than I can take after living on the razor’s edge of desire for the months since I’ve met her.

  She cries out as she comes, her fingers digging into my ass and pulling me deeper into her. She takes me with her in an orgasm that seems to come from the very marrow of my bones.

  It feels like it lasts forever, the pleasure so intense and profound, unlike anything else has ever been. I come out of it gasping for air, throbbing with the aftershocks and surrounded by her sweet softness. In that moment, I know if I never lived another day I would have felt that I lived a perfect life.

  Slowly, I lift my head off her chest to find her eyes closed and her lips curled into a small smile. The relief that hammers through me is so significant that I’m left light headed. She’s happy. She’s satisfied. She’s smiling.

  I kiss that sweet smile, and her eyes open to gaze at me. “Wow,” she whispers. For a moment I wonder how it compared to her experience with Beckham, but I push it away. Those thoughts won’t get me anywhere. I felt the purity and strength of her love when she gifted it to me with her power. It’s beyond what I could have comprehended, it’s beyond what I deserve. Right now, right here, she’s with me, and that’s all that matters.

  “That describes it perfectly,“ I whisper roughly. “How do you feel?”

  “I feel…perfect,” she says. “You?”

  I kiss her neck and throat savoring the way she smells and the soft smoothness of her skin. “Same. Never better. Best night of my life, hands down.” I kiss her again. “And just in case you were wondering, this was the best part of the night,” I tell her with another kiss.

  Her smile warms and sustains me. She’s everything, the only thing I see. Please let me have her forever, I think to myself as I gaze down at her stunning amethyst eyes.

  Curling up to her warm, naked body, I relive every second of the evening. My life has changed tonight, it will never be the same.

  Eva

  Lying next to Mason in the darkened room, sleep evades me. I listen to his steady breaths, relishing his masculine scent that’s all around me as I breathe. I lightly slide my fingers along the soft skin of his arm that’s leisurely wrapped around my waist. How easily he, Damon, and Beckham have come to feel like home. I’m enthralled with the bliss I find myself in.

  The moonlight highlights his beautiful face as he serenely slumbers. I can’t help but admire every perfect detail. I wrap myself in his love before finally succumbing to sleep.

  “Bitch,” Aiden cries, gnashing his teeth in a tortured expression as he stalks towards me. I know I must be sleeping, that this is only a dream and so he can’t really hurt me, but I shrink back from him all the same.

  When he sees my fear, he stops in his tracks, pulling on his thick black hair in frustration. He looks like the normal Aiden tonight, no sign of the sharp teeth or the sunken, haunted skin that he possessed when I last saw him.

  “Why are you doing this? It’s only making it worse for them you know,” he says, bitterness and anger laced throughout his words.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tell him. “What have I done?”

  “You let that monstrous slave touch you,” he seeths. “You belong to me. You are mine. I literally die a thousand deaths when they touch you.” He lets out a frustrated whimper as if he’s reliving Mason and I making love.

  “Then stop watching me,” I tell him, trying to act like his anger doesn’t scare me.

  He takes a step towards me, his arm outstretched like he desperately wants to touch me.

  “I’m going to take everything and everyone away from you that you’ve ever loved,” he says menacingly. “And when the world is burning around you, and you’re holding your dead men in your arms like yo
u have before, you’ll know this was all your fault.”

  His smile is wicked and cold and I wonder what I did in my past lives to have inspired such an ugly, all-encompassing obsession.

  I look at him and a childish urge to push him rises up inside of me. Like we’ve done this same song and dance a million times before with the same results. “You can burn the rest of the world down,” I tell him softly. “But you’ll never touch my men again.”

  It’s a promise that I feel deep inside of me. I’m reminded of the darkness that lurks inside of me, the darkness that strains to escape so that I can protect the ones I love. For the millionth time I wonder what happened in the end. I haven’t told the others, but a part of me wonders if I destroyed Fairie trying to protect them, and if the same fate awaits my current world.

  I wake with a start, the last image in my mind one of Aiden inches away from my face. His hand transformed into a menacing claw. I’m sweating and shaking so violently that it rouses Mason from his deep sleep.

  “Everything alright?” he asks sleepily, pulling me closer to his body.

  “Everything is fine, just a dream,” I whisper, taking comfort in his warmth.

  “Yeah? What in particular were you dreaming about?” he says, beginning to kiss and nip along my jaw and neck, taking his time down my body.

  My breath catches when he gets to a particularly sensitive spot. “This, everything,” I lie, not wanting to interrupt the moment.

  “Did you dream about this?” he asks, licking and kissing a path down my abdomen. A tremor surges through my body

  “Yes,” I moan and he smiles.

  “Here?” My breath fans out as he gives me a long lick.