by Emily Dawn
“Can I jump with this?”
“Yes, you can. I’ll let Alek explain everything to you.” He pulls me flush against his body, “ready?”
“Yep. Let’s get out of here.” I try to ignore my urge to tilt my head up and kiss him. Then he gives me his sexiest smile, the one that makes all his chiseled features relax with happiness. He leans down, and I can’t resist. I tilt my head to meet him. It’s just a teasing, playful kiss and leaves me wanting so much more. I am so screwed. I close my eyes and hold onto Vance tight.
When I open my eyes, I recognize Vance’s room. It’s enormous with an en suite bathroom, walk-in closet, and sitting area with a giant TV mounted on the wall. He lets go of me and grabs two cutlasses and sheaths them on his hips. He’s wearing black jeans, a black thermal shirt with the sleeves pulled up on his sexy forearms. He walks to his closet and grabs a leather jacket. “Mi’lady,” he opens his door and sweeps his arm out gesturing for me to lead the way.
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We meet everyone in the training room. Aleksandr looks like some 16th century fallen angel with his blonde hair and blue eyes. He has his shashka on his right hip and his khanjali on his left. He’s wearing black pants and a black shirt with a long black leather coat on.
Ross is wearing black jeans like Vance but with a forest green t-shirt that makes his already beautiful eyes even more stunning. His red hair is disheveled as usual. He appears to be carrying some sort of staff on his back. I’ll have to talk to him about that later; I don’t recognize what it is. He sees me checking him out and blushes. After what seemed to be an internal debate with himself, he walks over to me. “How are you after everything that happened last night? It was a lot to take in,” he runs his fingers along my cheek, just the slightest touch, but it sends a delicious tremble inside me.
“I’m okay,” I surprise myself by turning my lips to his wrist and feathering a light kiss to it. I have to do better trying to control these impulses to be affectionate with these men, especially when they think we’re fated to be together. “Thank you.”
Aleksandr laughs and I when I look over at him I see Hayes laughing. Holy shit. The cranky asshole shows happiness and 161
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mirth. How unexpected. Hayes is, as usual, all in black. It looks like he’s wearing black tactical pants, a shirt that looks several sizes-small from the way it stretches over his chest and biceps. I don’t see any weapons but he’s an elemental, everything is a weapon for him.
I walk over toward Aleksandr and Hayes; anxious to get going to where ever it is we’re going. Hayes sees me coming, and a scowl replaces the smile. Awww, there’s our cranky elemental. “Ready to get going?” I ask.
“Yeah,” Aleksandr reaches into his pocket and pulls out a charm. “Here’s the charm we’ll have to use to get to the shadow realm.”
“Oh,” I look at it. “We won’t need those. One of my gifts as a fae is creating portals. I can create veil crossings in any location.” I confess to them. Aleksandr looks surprised and impressed. Hayes seems pissed.
“Why didn’t you tell us before?” He stares me down, “those charms were difficult to come by.”
“I didn’t know if I could trust you with my true identity until last night, remember?” I roll my eyes at him, “I still don’t 162
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know with what I can trust you. What I can trust anyone with?
He’s a solid wall of muscle all up in my space.
“You can trust us with everything, amica mea. Your secrets, your life, your happiness are safe with us and always will be. I guess now we know how you’re so successful at seeking out magical artifacts — a little magical Indiana Jones. Creating your own portals helps with timing. Can you create a portal right here so it will open in this location in the Shadow Realm?”
“Yeah, not a problem. You aren’t worried about having a portal in the middle of your house?” I look up at him, “I will seal it as best I can, but I can’t promise no one will find it and come through.
He and Hayes share a smile, and he responds, “I’m not worried about it.”
I hold my hands out and start whispering the spell. I can feel the cool breeze that always gently blows when I access my fae magic. A pale lavender mist floats around me, although I’m not sure anyone else can see it. It settles against the veil between the realms much like a sheet hanging on a drying line. I flick my wrist, and a circular portal opens. I step through with no hesitation and wait for the guys to walk through. They can only 163
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come through one at a time, starting with Aleksandr and ending with Hayes. The latter of which stands uncomfortably close and watches me close the portal. He inhales deeply as my magic dissipates and says, “Your magic smells like lavender and rosemary. I’ve never seen a mist like that.”
“Did anyone else see the mist? As far as I know, you are the first ever to see it,” I said tilting my head all the back because he’s still standing so close.
“I don’t think so,” he reaches out to finger a piece of my hair, “it’s mesmerizing, and I doubt they’d be able to look away.” He seems to realize how close we are and what he’s doing and takes a big step back. As he turns, I finally look around and gasp at what I see.
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Twenty-Four
Lenna
There is a castle towering over me; I’m not sure how I missed it when I came through the portal. It’s gothic in appearance with two towers on each side of the gatehouse, battlements running around the top. Aleksandr leads us to the gate, which starts lifting as we approach. He leads us through a large courtyard and into the keep. Torches and sconces light the way past a grand staircase and into a long hallway. We turn to the left and go into a parlor. There’s contemporary furniture set around a fireplace. “Where are we?” I walk around turning in a circle, amazed to be inside an actual castle.
“My home in the shadow realm,” Aleksandr says in an amused tone. “I’ve owned this castle since the mid-fifteenth century,” he squints, “or so. It’s been so long, and I’ve acquired so much real estate I’ve forgotten dates. The grounds are all warded, so you don’t have to worry about the portal. This castle is located in the same place on this plane as the house is in the human realm.” He walks to a bell attached to a string and pulls.
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“I sequestered myself here after my clan went after the fae realms. We can stay here tonight while I await news from my operatives in the realm.”
A small horned demon walks into the room, “Welcome back, sir. We have all the rooms ready for the guests. Lunch will be ready in the Great Hall shortly.” He stands pin-straight and waits for Aleksandr's direction.
“Thank you, Devlin.” He nods at the demon who turns with a head bow and leaves as quickly as he arrived. “Shall we discuss the strategy for the coming days?”
We all sit on the couches and begin discussing plans and strategies, back up strategies, and roles. It’s clear to me that they don’t want me leading the mission. I agree with their belief that I should keep my fae magic mostly hidden, but Hayes just suggested that I don’t even go with them. “Oh, fuck no. Just nope,” I shake my head at him. “If you are suggesting I just sit around a castle waiting for you guys to go off into danger without me you haven’t been paying attention.” I point my finger at all of them, “Do not forget why you sought me out. You do not know what type of protection will be on the amulet once you get past the demon guards.”
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“They sought you out because they think you are their fated mate,” Hayes says scornfully. “I know we can do this without your help. We operate best as a team of four, and you are a lone wolf.”
“Do you want me to leave? I can open that portal right back up and never see you again if that’d make you happy.” I start to walk toward the door. He gets under my skin like no one ever has. I want to send him crashing into the wall but that’d be a reckless releas
e of my magic. Then I realize he’s probably trying to chase me away and I’ll be damned if I let him. I turn around,
“Actually making you happy is the last thing I’d want to do.” I sit back down next to Ross who reaches over to squeeze my knee.
Hayes clenches his jaw and tightens his fists before storming out of the room. The rest each look at each other and wait for someone to say something. “I won’t slow us down tomorrow and contrary to his low opinion of me I’m not a weak link,” I say sullenly. “Where is the room I’ll be staying? I want some time to myself, please.”
Aleksandr stands up from his spot on the arm of the couch and holds his hand out. I place mine in it before I realize what I’m doing, but I can’t bring myself to pull free. I need the 167
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comfort he’s offering. Hayes’ hot and cold treatment of me is as infuriating as it is confusing. One minute I feel like he’s warming up to me, then the next he’s back to being a cold bastard. The most frustrating thing is that I shouldn’t care as much as I do.
His opinion should mean next to nothing for me, but it does. I care way more than I want to let on. I’m wondering if there isn’t something to this fated mate thing. Crazy talk, Lenna.
He leads me up the staircase we passed on entering. At the top of the stairs, he stops and points to the left, “staff quarters are down that wing. Our rooms are down this wing.” He points out each of the guys’ rooms before coming to mine at the end of the hall. He opens the door and gestures for me to go in first.
“This is one of the tower rooms in the keep. They have the best view of the grounds and are the largest.” The room is massive, the walls completely curved. There are large windows open to let some fresh air in on either side of the bed, which is much larger than any bed I’ve seen in the human realm. It could probably hold all five of us. I blush at that thought and turn my attention to less sexy things, the bathroom. I’m expecting some terrible medieval bedpan situation or a hole in the floor to go in but am pleasantly surprised to see an actual toilet. There’s a large claw-foot tub but no shower, that’s an acceptable trade, a toilet for a shower. I’ll take it any day.
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“I think I might lie down for a bit,” I tell Aleksandr as I walk toward the bed. “Hunter and I stayed up late last night talking through everything.” I kick off my shoes and remove my jacket.
Aleksandr is doing his intense vampire thing again, watching my every move. “Did you tell him everything?”
“No,” I admit, “I told him I have more magic than we thought but didn’t go into specifics. I don’t want him to end up hurt as collateral damage if something goes sideways. He probably already knows too much as it is.” It’s hard to admit that, but I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. He needs to be protected the truth about me.
“That’s good,” Aleksandr walks to the bed, “may I sit?”
I smile at his manners. Vance would have just made himself comfortable. “It’s your home, of course.” I’m lying propped on a pillow, and he runs his fingers up and down my calf absentmindedly.
“I know you and Hunter are close, but with the knowledge of your actual magical potential, I think you should be extra careful. The fewer people with that knowledge, the better, for your safety and theirs.” I can feel how cool his touch is through 169
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my clothes. I have a sudden urge to pull him down beside me, to feel his comforting presence while I drift off for a short nap.
“Will you lie down with me for a bit?” My cheeks warm with the request, “I just want to be held for a bit while I fall asleep.”
“Yes,” he takes off his boots and shrugs out of his jacket. I sit up a bit so he can put his arm under me. Just as I’m settling down with my head tucked onto his chest, I hear a timid knock on the door.
“Come in,” I say, sure it’s Ross.
He opens the door and walks in, “Oh, sorry.” His face turns bright red, “I can come back. I just wanted to make sure Hayes didn’t upset you too much.”
“Wait,” I say as he leaves, “you can stay with us.” I look at Aleksandr and whisper, “you don’t mind, do you?” I probably should have asked him before telling Ross to join our cuddle puddle.
“Yeah, come on over, Ross. Anything our mate wants, she gets.” When I look up to reprimand him, he’s smiling. Holy shit, the intense vampire warrior is teasing you. One for the history 170
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books. “This bed was made for more than two people to share it.” Okay, whoa. Definitely what I had been thinking about earlier.
Ross kicks off his shoes and crawls behind me. He tucks one arm under his head and wraps the other around my waist, pressing against my back. I reach down and link my fingers with his. It’s a weird feeling, being snuggled between my warm shifter and my cool to the touch vampire. Shit. I just referred to them as “my” shifter and vampire. I try to ignore my innocently possessive thoughts while I drift off.
I don’t wake up until there’s no light filtering through the windows from outside. Aleksandr is gone, but Ross is still wrapped around me, holding me from behind. I shift my body to stretch. He lets out a soft growl and grips my hips, pulling me harder against him. His hand moves up under my tank top and skims over my stomach.
“This ok,” he mumbles sleepily, teasing the skin over my ribs to indicate what he’s talking about.
“Yeah,” I turn to face him, “it is. I don’t believe in all this fated mate stuff, but I do have feelings for all of you. I want to explore,” I pause, trying to find the right way to express this, 171
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“things — relationships with you guys. I don’t know how it would work, or if it can work, but I’m drawn to you all. Even Hayes the curmudgeon.”
He throws his head back with laughter, “That’s the best description of him. He is truly a curmudgeon. I hope when you call him that, you make sure I’m there.” He shifts a bit, so we’re nose to nose. “We don’t want to pressure you, and while we all believe we’re your mates, we will not push anything. You matter to us. Your comfort matters to us.” He kisses me, a kiss full of warmth and affection, with gently teasing nips on my lips. Then his hand is back under my breasts, trying to slide under my sports bras. He pulls away, and I can barely make out a look of confusion on his face, “are you wearing more than one bra?”
“Yeah,” I laugh, “three. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m a curvy woman. If I’m doing anything athletic, I have to strap ‘em down.” I run my fingers through his red hair, “Hunter is the one who suggested it a long time ago. They used to distract him when we’d work out. He’s got a weird thing for boobs considering he’s gay.”
“Hmmm,” is all he has to say about the last part, “I’m glad I wasn’t going crazy though, I felt like an inexperienced teenager 172
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again. If we had more time, I’d enjoy taking all of this off.” His hand moves to the waistband of my pants, “these too.”
“Hey, guys.” Vance pops in out of nowhere making me jump. “Whatcha doing?”
“Nothing,” I blurt.
“Not what I wish.” Ross groans, at the same time.
“Next time invite a guy. I’m running low on energy,” he winks at us. “Ready for dinner? One of Alek’s operatives is back with the information.”
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Twenty-Five
Aleksandr
Lenna, Ross and Vance walk in together. Lenna and Ross look clear-eyed like they’ve been up for a while. Vance has some spring in his step, which makes me think he walked in on something. Good, the closer she gets to all of us, the easier it will be for her to accept that we all belong together. Even with Hayes fighting it.
He knows she’s his mate, he can feel it, we all see that much in the way he watches her when she isn’t paying attention. The way her magic drew him to her. He just needs to relinquish control and trust that this is right. If anything, Lenna
is probably best suited to him than any of us. Their magic is complementary to each other’s, they have the same type of upbringing, and their personalities are similar.
“My operative has said that crepusculum should begin in about six hours. We must be in place for the partial veil between the temporal planes to be lifted.” I point to a map. “We believe the amulet is being kept in this cave, within the temporal planes.
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Unfortunately, there has been word that we are not the only ones searching for it and that the group that wants it is already lying in wait near the northeastern side of the forest where the cave is located.”
“I’ll go ahead in my shifted form and track the other group.”
Ross steps forward. “If I leave now, I’ll also have time to do a security survey of the cave entrance, maybe even go inside to check it out.”
Lenna’s eyes widen. “You can’t go out there alone!” She looks to me for backup. “Right?” She turns back to Ross and grabs his hand, “it’s too dangerous to be alone here.”
“I spent many of my teenage years in this castle,” he responds. “I probably know the woods better than Aleksandr.
I’ll be fine; there’s nothing in this realm I haven’t seen.”
“He’s right. Ross is the stealthiest shifter I’ve ever seen. He specializes in this,” I try to be reassuring. “He’s wrong about the woods, though. I know them better.” Ross looks amused by assertion, but Lenna is looking at me with her beautiful blue-gray eyes biting her damn lip. She must notice my gaze lower to them because she stops, but I swear I catch a small smirk before she turns back to talk to Ross quietly.
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“Hayes, thoughts?” I ask.
He’s looking at Lenna and Ross, who appear to have moved onto saying goodbyes. “Hmm?” He answers distractedly.
“For fuck's sake, man,” Vance interjects, “either walk over there and kiss her yourself or steel yourself for what’s coming without thinking about her.”