Wanted by the Fae: A Fated Mates Romantic Fantasy: Magic Bound Book 2 (Magic Bound Series)

by Allie Santos

I lifted my face toward the sprinkle of the shower. The hot water stung my flesh, but I craved the heat. I couldn’t believe what had come out of my mouth. I meant it, but I still couldn’t believe it.

  A shaky breath fell from my lips. God, how was Annie? I recognized that I’d been seeking comfort from the adrenaline rush of having her taken, but I was coming down hard. I rubbed my eyes with my fists. I hoped she was okay. She hadn’t even gotten to eat. My lips trembled, and I slid to the floor of the shower, sniffling. I pressed my hand over my mouth to stifle my cries, but he heard me. Of course, he heard me.

  “Rae?” The door to the bathroom slammed open, and Roark strode in.

  I glared up at him through the fog in the bathroom. His eyebrows furrowed when he saw me on the floor. He disappeared and I thought that was the end of it until the shower door slid open, and he cut off the water.

  He stepped over the ledge and dipped to wrap me in the towel, easily lifting me. I pressed my lips together and swallowed hard as he strode out of the restroom. He tucked me in like yesterday, his brow creased in concentration. My eyes flooded with tears and spilled over, blinding me.

  “What is it?” he said gently, brushing the wetness from my face.

  “I’m worried about Annie.”

  He continued brushing a thumb across my cheek. I leaned into the touch and took comfort from it. “Gargoyles are known to kidnap women who they think may be their mate. They don’t mistreat them. In fact, they try to woo them.”

  My entire body tensed. Mate? Hell no was my sister going to be mated to the thing that attacked us. Frustration overtook my fear. I hoped Roark was right, and I didn’t have anything to worry about. I thought back to the attack and realized he could have thrown the dagger I’d buried in his leg back at me… but he hadn’t. The tightness in my shoulders loosened. I knew Annie was okay. Call it sisterly intuition or Fae intuition. I just knew it. I couldn’t help but worry, though.

  I woke up with a scream lodged in my throat. The bed springs bounced as Roark shot up next to me. I could barely see his outline in the darkness, but I could tell he held a dagger at the ready with a defensive posture.

  “It was a nightmare,” I rushed to reassure him as I scraped my hair back from my face, blinking into the dark room.

  He set the blade aside and fell back on the bed. I gnawed on my lip. He was way too close. I wiggled to put space between us, but the friction of the bedding only brushed across my overly sensitize skin. I clenched my legs together as Roark’s eyes flared, and he looked over at me with hunger.

  His arousal scented the air, and I swallowed hard. My core pulsated with need, and in an explosion of movement, we were at each other’s lips. Fisting his hair, I moaned into his mouth as he flicked his tongue out.

  In the next instant, he ripped himself away from my hold—chest heaving.

  My own breathing erratic, I fiddled with the corner of the bedding. “Look, you’ll go your way, and I’ll go mine once Rian comes back to get me. No harm, no foul.” I paused and looked over at him. I wished I could read his expression. When he said nothing, I threw my hands up, frustrated. “Never mind, I know I’m not tall, blonde, or a psychopath, which seems to be your cup of tea. I’m sure I can find someone else.” I curled my lip and flopped to my side.

  Suddenly, all the air expelled from my lungs as Roark’s large body loomed over me.

  “I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my long, tiring existence.” He bit out the words, anger sharpening the lines of his body. In the next instant, Roark’s mouth clashed with mine, and the touch sent heat through my body. I groaned at the touch, curving my body up to his. “And you will not find anyone else ever, as long as there is blood flowing through my body. I don’t want to hear those words again.”

  I groaned at the possessive bite to my neck. Roark gripped my waist and ripped the blankets off me, baring me to his eyes.

  He growled at the sight of my naked body, and warmth flushed through me. His head dipped, tongue scraping over my breast. I tried to hold back my whimper. Pulling back, he sat on his haunches and tugged his long-sleeved shirt off. I ran my hands down the hard muscles, wishing I could see more than his outline in the dark room.

  “You’re maddening.” He grunted and bent his head. The tips of his hair trailed down my body as he made his way down.

  My eyes closed of their own accord, and I arched at the sensation of his tongue lapping at my sensitive flesh. I startled when I felt him move lower. “W-what are you doing?”

  “Something I’ve craved since the moment I saw you.”

  Roark’s fingers settled at my hips, raising goosebumps with the gentle press as he held my restless hips still. His breath kissed my wet core and I couldn’t help but wiggle at the sensation. Roark chuckled and his hand spanned me, forcing me still. My heart stuttered as my chest rose sharply in anticipation. Nerves fluttered in my stomach as his dark hair dipped. A slick flick of his tongue trailed up my slit and I ceased breathing. My head fell back when he did it again and a needy whimper escaped my lips. His tongue flattened and flicked out with more force. I ached for more pressure, but his hold on me didn’t relent. The way he held me down made me tremble more, and my eyes crossed. Why had I been so scared to do this? It was delicious.

  He lifted his mouth from tonguing my bud of nerves and licked his way up my body—tasting me until he hovered over me. “You are more than I could have ever hoped.”

  The words sent a sensation to my heart, and I ignored it by grabbing his head and bringing his lips to mine. My legs curled around his waist, and his thickness rubbed against my heat. I reached down and cupped him.

  “I want you now,” he said, the words guttural.

  “What about protection?” I huffed breathlessly when I felt him nudge my entrance.

  “What?” he growled and stifled my next words with his mouth.

  “You know, condoms,” I mumbled between kisses, barely able to speak when his hand coasted down my body.

  “Ah, human things. Unnatural beings do not get diseases, and no children are possible without magic,” he grunted. I nodded and gripped him, pulling him to me. “I do not want to hurt you.”

  I looked up at his earnest expression and melted. I was angry at myself for my softening emotions. “Now,” I ordered.

  Roark growled, digging his fingers into my hair as he pushed into me. I tensed as he stopped with his length halfway in me as he waited for my cue. I was so wet and hot for him that there was no pain. There was only a sensation of fullness, and I dug my fingers into his hips. Going slowly at first, he pumped in and out of me in short bursts. I groaned, my head tossing from side to side as the familiar warmth built at my core. I trailed my hands down his smooth back and settled on his waist, urging him to go faster.

  With a moan, he quickened his speed. My heartbeat picked up, and the pleasure mounted as I reached for the sensation that would make me tingle all over.

  Roark shoved himself deeper than he had been, setting me off. His hands gripped my hair in a harsh tug as he came, pounding into me so hard that the bed rattled. The deep thrust made my breath hitch, each slide of him sending pinpricks of shivers down my body.

  As limp as a noodle, I let my arms fall to the sides. I wanted to do nothing more than turn into Roark, but instead, I pushed him off and turned my back to him, wrapping myself in my blankets at the other end of the bed.

  “Thanks,” I rasped and squeezed my eyes shut.

  It was the last thing I wanted to do, especially since I’d just given myself to him so wholly, but the twisting in my chest freaked me out. God, I hoped this one act hadn’t sent me down a path I couldn’t return from.

  I rubbed my face into the silkiness beneath my cheek. A warm caress skimmed up my spine, incrementally coaxing me from sleep. Smiling, I stretched, reveling in the pop of my joints as I arched my back toward the delightful touch.

  A chuckle roused me from incoherence. My muscles tensed, and I froze. Recognizing Roark’s scent, I wa
nted to pull away, but I couldn’t help but give in to the pleasure of just being near him. His very touch sent shivers through me.

  Last night was out of this world. A self-satisfied grin played at my lips. I didn’t regret giving myself to him. No, not giving myself to him, taking my pleasure from him. The only shitty thing was that I wanted him again.

  I’d hoped that pesky desire would subside once we’d done the deed, but it seemed it only intensified. My conscience battled with the little demon on my shoulder. Why Roark? After everything he’d done to me, why give him something I’d withheld for so long?

  Shut up, conscience.

  The caresses continued up and down my spine, softening me into goo. That’s why.

  He electrified me and needed only to be near for me to be ready to jump his bones. Even now, I struggled to contain my desire. True desire, nothing like it had been with Ty, where all I’d wanted was to chase away the desolate feelings inside of me.

  Roark did me wrong. That was undeniable. But what was also undeniable was how badly I wanted him… and he didn’t have to use any magic to get me going. Maybe this would help me eventually move on and be with whoever I wanted without the memory of him pulling at me. I ignored the pinch of pain in the vicinity of my heart at the thought of being with someone else.

  “We must leave soon,” he rumbled, drawing out of my mental grappling.

  I slid out of bed with a groan, pulling away from his touch. I looked between my legs, expecting to find stuff smeared on my thighs, but there wasn’t. He was sprawled on his side, his hand resting where I had been. He must have cleaned me off. Considering he had his clothes on and there was a towel at the end of the bed, it was a good theory. I pushed away the warmth that seeped into my chest.

  Quickly looking away so he didn’t see the desire shinning in my gaze, I rushed around until I found my clothes and shoes, donning everything with a little more force than necessary.

  “Let’s get going.” I strode out the door, stopping at the sink to rinse out my mouth. When I emerged, he was already waiting at the door. I looked around to make sure I hadn’t left anything and saw Annie’s backpack beside the couch, where we’d been bonding just hours ago. Before everything had gone to shit.

  “Will we be back?” I asked Roark.

  “Yes.”

  Despite his answer, I grabbed my dagger and slipped it into the backpack before slinging the bag over my shoulders. That knowing sensation urged me to take it with me.

  Guilt for the disarray of the hotel room prickled at me. I didn’t want to be the staff who had to clean up this mess. A cart full of food sat outside the door, letting me know room service order had shown up at some point.

  When we stepped outdoors, wind whipped my loose, dark hair into my eyes and around my face, making me feel like Medusa. I sputtered some hair out of my mouth and reached up to put it into a loose ponytail. If the force of the wind was any indication, it was on the freezing side of chilly.

  Roark watched me deftly pull back my hair, his eyebrows furrowed. His hand stretched forward and tucked a loose strand behind my ear. The pad of his fingers trailed over my cheek, but I didn’t let myself enjoy it before I moved away from his touch. Roark’s mouth tightened, and he glanced away.

  “Where are we heading?” I tried to break the awkward silence, making my tone as upbeat as I could.

  “Arizona.”

  23

  Thankfully, Roark had sensed a portal just as we’d began walking, and we got to Arizona as the sun set.

  “How do you know where we’re going?” I asked.

  “I have a photographic memory.”

  “Really?” That was neat. Maybe it was a Fae thing, and I—

  “No,” he cut off my thoughts, and I scowled up at him. His lip quirked. “It’s not a bad memory, but that’s not why I remembered. The dragon we are going to see is one of the most powerful in the Unnatural community. I told you about working my entire life to figure out how to free magic. That includes knowing who is powerful.”

  “Oh. So how many debts have you collected?” I said, referencing his earlier comment to Rian.

  Roark’s eyebrow went up, and he shook his head. “Many.”

  My lips tightened. I was reminded of our first journey together. Getting him to talk was still like pulling teeth. Roark gave me a little smile as if he was reminded as well. That train of thought took me to Sabine.

  “Why weren’t you able to track down Sabine?”

  “She had help,” Roark replied grimly.

  “Emily?”

  “Yes, and other Fae. When I noticed how she evaded me, I changed course and went after Hag, but it was like she also disappeared into thin air,” he explained. My hand fisted. I hoped those two eventually got what was coming for them. “Let’s hurry, we need to get back while the moon is still out so we can speak to the goblins.”

  I ran beside him as we sped through the desert. “Are we close?” I huffed, actually getting tired. I hadn’t run this long before, and I was coming to find that Fae did tire out. “Couldn’t the damn portal have dropped us off closer?”

  “Just a little longer. As to your question, not only are portals fickle, but while they get you near to the desired location they always have to appear within deep forestation. It doesn’t help matters that humans have destroyed may forests.”

  Touché.

  A little longer turned out to be a lot longer. It also involved going into the dryland of Arizona. At long last, Roark slowed as we stepped into the boundary of lush green trees. Considering everything had been dried up so far, I would take a guess these were planted.

  Roark held out an arm to catch me before I went barreling through the breaking of the trees. I oomphed and peeked through. “We have to evade the cameras and get inside. From there, we find Lucian. And Rae? Do as I say, we can’t be caught.”

  I nodded, and he cocked an eyebrow. I rolled my eyes and waved him forward. The darkness of night hid us from obvious sight as he led me closer to the gate. He put his arm out, and I halted as a camera rounded and then returned the other way. After making sure it couldn’t see us, we kept going until we reached the tall gate. Roark gripped the thick, dark bars and pulled them open. They screeched as he bent them to make a passageway.

  “Let me make sure there aren’t any traps.” Roark maneuvered his way through the door he’d made and disappeared. I shuffled from foot to foot, waiting for him to appear again. I gnawed on my lip when a rustle sounded behind me. I whirled and eyed the dark forest as my neck crawled.

  “Fuck this,” I muttered and hopped to the other side. As I stepped forward, a hand gripped my backpack and tugged me back sharply. A scream built, but before it could escape, a hand covered my mouth.

  “Do you ever listen?”

  I deflated like a balloon at Roark’s words. I smacked his arms and pushed him off me. “You scared me, you jerk.”

  “I wouldn’t have scared you if you’d listen,” he said, exasperated. I stuck out my tongue at him. “I found an open window.”

  Roark guided me through the yard. Who needed these many statues, anyway? They littered the lawn obnoxiously. The only perk was that we slinked behind them for coverage to get closer to the elegant mansion. A light in one of the highest windows flickered on, and a form was outlined. I froze. Moments later, it moved away. I squinted at it and rubbed my hands together, feeling like a ninja.

  I had to do a double take when I realized Roark was already at the cracked window.

  “Shit,” I mouthed and scurried after him as he slid it open. “You’re way to good at this ninja stuff.”

  He pressed his hand over my mouth. Right. Unnaturals had super hearing. I climbed through the window after him and blinked as my sight adjusted to the darkness. I could see the outlines of furniture and the way the room extended. Wait a minute… We were in a hallway.

  I stepped forward and kept my voice down. “I mean, he’s a freaking dragon. I expect minion dragons to circle us any second.�
��

  I grunted as something hit me and I tumbled to the side. Light flooded the room, blinding me. When something cold touched my neck, I froze. My vision quickly adjusted to the light, and I gaped when I was able to make out who had me in the hold with a knife to my throat. The green hair was very much a dye job, unlike the mermaid youngling I’d met, but it was awesome, nonetheless. Her petite face was way adorable with her delicate features. Dark eyebrows winged her caramel face. I pressed my lips together and tried to force the billowing in my chest down. It would be so awkward if I just imploded under her. And after my first break-in.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  My eyes flicked to the side where Roark lay on the ground, a feather sticking out of his neck. My chest rose in fear. I made to move, but the sting of the blade on my skin froze me in place. Iron. “Oh, God, tell me you didn’t kill him.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I—we just—” I swallowed hard. Dammit! I needed to talk. The knife pressed into my neck threateningly. I wondered if I would have enough time to toss her off before she cut me. “We don’t mean any harm!”

  She rolled her eyes. “That’s what they all say.”

  “Now, Rita, let’s not be hasty,” a deep male voice said. I barely stopped myself from turning his way. It would have been a sure-fire way to put a knife in my throat. “Get off the girl.”

  Rita pushed off me and said, “No quick movements,” as she waved the knife at me. I got up slowly. I’d been right. We’d stepped through a hallway. My eyes were automatically drawn to the beast of a man with his arms and legs splayed. He was dressed elegantly, with a vest, too. While I could tell she was human, I could tell this man was not. The threat to Roark pressed on my shoulders.

  “Speak,” he ordered.

  I pressed my lips together, shooting a look at the unconscious Roark. “Is he okay?”

  “My uncle asked you a question.” Rita kicked my shoe. My eye twitched.

  “We came to steal some type of powder,” I admitted honestly. Rita started laughing. I narrowed my eyes at her. She was starting to piss me off. “What’s so funny?”