by Jenna Lee
Slanting up at the sky I start running, my legs moving faster and faster with each step. Imagining my eagle form, my brown feathered wings, strong hooked peak, I launch forward. My body cracks then a second later I’m flapping my wings.
I take to the skies; my body instantly relaxes as the breeze flutters through my feathers. The farther I get away from our village the more unease I feel. Outside here, it’s bad. My breathing picks up, our beautiful Silvia is no more. Everything is burnt down, where there were once beautiful lush trees surrounded by colourful plants and bushes, now nothing but ash is there. Black as far as my eye can see. Coming down around the Kingdom, I notice he kept this land untouched. Everything is alive and thriving like Silvia should be.
Within a kilometre around the Kingdom it’s all as it was, outside there is the dead zone. James wanted to make a statement with this and he did. It kills me to see my home like this. As I come above his Kingdom, I move down farther to see what’s going on. Landing in the master bedroom’s courtyard ledge, I move just behind a bollard. Staying in my eagle form I peak around but it looks like no one’s here. Just when I turn around to fly off, voices come from somewhere inside. Sitting on the edge of the stone railing, I stay hidden behind the bollard. The voices drift outside.
“I don’t care what it takes, I want her dead. Gone. She can’t get that final stone. We need to bring her down before she sets out to find the Ruby,” James growls, talking to someone else.
“Yes, sir. We will do whatever it takes,” a shaking voice replies.
“Good, now I need to get some rest. Put the castle on lockdown. I want no one coming in or out until we come up with a plan to finish this war and keep Silvia as mine.”
As soon as I hear them disappear, I fly off wanting to get this news back to the guys straightaway. Snapping my beak together I squeal out trying to release the anger built up inside. James is crazy if he thinks he will end Dara’s life. I would gladly die protecting our Dara, as would my family. We have to get to work and figure this all out before it’s too late. Before James comes up with a killer plan to end us all, for good.
6
Dara
Declan’s behind me playing with my hair, massaging my scalp while I plan out our next training session with Jolie. Closing my eyes, I let out a little whimper as Declan’s fingertips push into my scalp.
God, that feels good.
I lean back into him needing his body to be touching mine.
“We need to work on your strength through your magic and we need to work on combining our magic together to unleash as one massive explosion. We pushed too hard the other day with healing Kayla, we need to figure out the right combination,” Jolie explains glancing toward Kayla, who’s asleep next to me.
After we unleashed our healing magic on her she has been exhausted, completely drained. But she’s slowly showing little improvements. She’s moving around a little bit more. Only time would tell if she’d ever get back to full health.
“Yep, we threw too much power into her, we need to do it in little bursts,” I suggest, shrugging my shoulders.
I wasn’t exactly the expert in this field, Jolie has way more experience.
“Yep, that’s exactly what I was thinking. Plus, I’ve got something I wanna try tomorrow it’s a new spell I’ve been working on that will help with getting the final stone.”
“Oh, tell me, tell me.” My eyes light up and I start bouncing up and down on the bed. Declan pulls my hair lightly causing me to stop. Spinning around, I glare at him. He points his hand toward a sleeping Kayla, whoops.
Jolie laughs. “You will find out tomorrow, not spilling a thing.”
I pout lying back into Declan; he wraps his arms around my stomach, and I relax. The door opens and I look over to see Elijah walking in going straight for Jolie. He keeps his eyes straight on her, not noticing anyone else in the room. Looking back to Jolie her cheeks are glowing with a tinge of red. Elijah sits down on the bed next to her, leaning down he kisses her on the cheek.
“Aww, you two. Stop being so darn cute,” I say raising my brows up and down.
“What? You jealous, Dara?” Jolie teases.
“Pfft, as if. I’ve got my four guys, I’m well handled, thank you very much.” I lean over, gripping on to Declan’s neck pulling his lips down to mine.
“Ew, knock it off,” Jolie squeals throwing a pillow at us. It hits between our joined mouths, but we don’t stop. We continue making out. I pull back bringing his lip into my teeth. Looking into his eyes they are lit up, hungry.
“Fuck you’re sexy,” I say out loud.
Declan groans.
“Yeah, do that shit behind closed doors please,” Kayla mumbles sitting up next to me. I pull back giving Declan a light kiss to the lips. Leaning over I hug Kayla, squeezing her tightly.
“Aww, I’m sorry, you want some too?” I laugh, cocking a brow.
“Pfft I get enough from you, thank you very much.”
“You couldn’t possibly get enough from me,” I tease flicking my hair back.
She laughs shaking her head.
The door flies open, Harlan walks in with his brows drawn together. I sit up instantly knowing something’s wrong.
“Family meeting downstairs. Now,” he says then walks back out.
We all get up and head downstairs.
Oliver’s at the head of the table pacing back and forth. Oliver, Blair, and their dad, Albert, are sitting around the table looking stressed out. Blair’s eyes find mine and he offers me a tight smile. Making my way over to him he pulls his seat back and I find my spot on his knee. I notice that Anna isn’t here with us, she must be helping someone in the village. She normally didn’t get involved in our meetings only when she had to. Which made sense, Albert had her covered.
Leaning into Blair, he wraps his hands around my belly. My heart’s pounding waiting to hear what the meeting’s about. Oliver stops, turning toward us.
“I went looking around earlier to today, to get some intel on James and the castle.” He pauses looking straight at me; my chest tightens. Shit, it’s bad and it has something to do with me. The tension is high.
“James has put the castle on lockdown until he comes up with a plan to finish…” Oliver pauses unable to look at me, my chest tightens, and I know what he’s about to say.
“Me off for good?” I finish for him.
Jolie gasps, covering her mouth.
Blair’s hands tighten around me, my breathing picks up. James really wants me dead for good, he didn’t want me to get the final stone. He won’t be going down easy. He’s going to try to end my life so he can take over Silvia for good.
A tear falls down my cheek, but I don’t wipe it away.
My own fucking uncle wants me dead. What kind of family wants to kill you? Ripping Blair’s hands off me I get up and I run. Straightaway from the kitchen, up the stairs and into the courtyard on the top level. I keep running until I hit the railing that looks out over Silvia. I grip the bar and I scream. I scream until I can’t possibly let anything more out, and I fall down, my legs giving out. Pulling my legs in toward me I bury my head between my knees. I wish I had a family that loved me and wanted to be with me. My parents sent me away, although it was for my own good, it still hurt not having parents to grow up with. Then my own uncle, my last living relative wants me dead and to take away my one and only home. The last thing I had left of my family.
“Don’t you think for a second that you don’t have a family or anyone that loves you. We fucking love you and are your family now.” I feel him before the words leave his mouth. Harlan pulls me up off the ground and smashes his body into mine. Tears fall down my cheeks and I let myself fall apart. Harlan stays silent holding me together.
7
Dara
We stay like this, in each other’s arms on the tree house floor for hours. Until my eyes start drooping. Harlan lifts me up, pulling me into his chest.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, leaning farther int
o his embrace.
“Don’t be sorry, princess, it’ll all be okay. We won’t let James get anywhere near you. We will do everything in our power to protect you and the final stone.” He kisses my forehead.
Sometimes you needed to break down to let it all out. Oliver’s words hurt, I know James is evil and doesn’t want me to retrieve the three stones to rule Silvia. But to actually want me dead, that hurt. I did feel slightly better after my little breakdown though. There’s no way in hell that I’ll let James get anywhere near me and if he did, I would finish him. No one threatened my life and got away with it. I have my family right here, my Warriors and my best friends. I’ll rule Silvia just like my parents once did, but I’ll rule with my Warriors right beside me as kings. Looking up, I smile to Harlan, my sexy, strong man.
“Take me to bed,” I say, yawning.
“Don’t have to ask me twice.” He winks, lifting me up.
I cradle into his arms, holding on to his neck. Breathing in his earthy scent I instantly relax. Smells like home.
Harlan lays me down on my bed, but as he goes to pull away, I grab his arm pulling him down next to me. The door creaks open but I close my eyes, my energy long gone.
“She okay?” I hear Blair ask.
“It’s Dara, she always pulls through, bro.”
Smiling, I fall straight to sleep.
I’m flying over Silvia, it’s all gone. Like someone has set off an atomic bomb wiping everything away. All that meets the eye is dried dirt. It’s like being in a desert. Our little village is blown apart, our homes destroyed. I look down to find James in front of the destruction; he throws back his head letting out an evil deep laugh that causes goose bumps to spread all over me. He looks up into the sky straight at me.
“It’s over, Dara, they are all gone, every single one of them,” he yells grinning from ear to ear. My heart squeezes together.
“Nooooooo!” I scream.
I start falling from the sky; I let the blackness consume me. Everyone I loved was gone, I had nothing left to live for.
Cool air hits my back. I scream as loud as I can. My breath catches in my throat and I gasp for air. Someone shakes my shoulders; my eyes peel open to find a panicked Harlan checking me over for injuries. My body is drenched in sweat. I sit up holding my breath, my heart’s beating a million miles a minute.
“Breathe, Dara, breathe. Everything is okay, it’s just a dream.” His soothing voice washes over me.
I let out the breath that I’m holding on to. Gazing around the room I find everyone in here. Blair, Oliver, Declan, Jolie, Kayla, and Alaric. Everyone’s okay. It’s just a dream. My heart starts slowing down to a variable rate. Everyone is staring at me waiting for an explanation.
“Sorry, bad dream,” I confess moving into Harlan’s embrace.
Turning away from their prying eyes. Harlan places his arm around my shoulder pulling me closer into him.
James had a way of getting into my dreams each night or should I say nightmares. I used to tell the guys about them but lately, they have been so often that I don’t bother. Didn’t think that they needed to know about them all. It will only worry them more. We have enough to worry about. My dreams used to turn into reality, but lately, the dreams don’t feel the same as those that were visions. This just feels like James is messing with my thoughts trying to trick me. I find Jolie staring at me with that look in her eyes, that she knows exactly what I’ve been thinking. Stupid bloody mind reading skills, but she doesn’t say anything which I’m grateful for. I’m now comfortable with being able to block the others out from my thoughts but Jolie could break through the barrier I put up in a second with her magic. So, she always knows what’s going on inside my head.
After Harlan dragged me downstairs to have breakfast, we ate in silence. All stuck in our own thoughts. Anna hasn’t been around for a few days which is odd. She would normally come to visit at least once a day. Something doesn’t feel right.
“Have you seen your mum lately?” I ask Oliver.
He’s shirtless with bright yellow gloves on quietly washing the dishes. He looks over his shoulder to me sitting at the table with Blair and Declan.
“Nah, we haven’t actually, should go see her later today. Dad said she hadn’t been feeling too well so she’s just resting.” He shrugs placing a cup in the drying rack.
At least now I now know why we haven’t seen her around here; I hope she’s okay.
Blair gets up collecting my empty plate, passing it to Oliver. He comes back leaning against my chair to whisper in my ear.
“Can we have some time together, princess?” his sweet voice whispers against my cheek.
Butterflies appear in my belly and I nod letting him grasp my hand. He leads me up the stairs then farther up to our lookout. My favourite place to chill out. Blair enjoys it just as much as I do. After his time with James, I found him out here all the time, especially at night. He loves the peace and quiet it offers. The house, at times, got a bit crowded now that we have extra guests. Having this oasis up here gave us that little bit of space to clear our heads. Blair needs time to himself now more than he ever used to. We know when he isn’t dealing; we give him the time to get himself back together. Sometimes he asks me to be with him in these moments other times he prefers to be alone which I respected.
Blair steps into the hammock bringing me down with him. We lay cuddled next to each other in silence enjoying each other’s company. My eyes close as I lean my head against his chest listening to his heartbeat.
“You’re having nightmares about James, aren’t you?” he asks, and I freeze not able to speak aloud.
“It’s okay, I have them too. He visits me every time I fall asleep. He’s there haunting me, messing with my mind. He shows me visions of you. Of him killing you,” his voice lowers and I feel his heartbeat picking up. He grabs my hand interlacing them together.
“The worst part is there’s nothing I can ever do to save you. It drives me completely crazy, Dara. That’s why I try so hard not to go to sleep anymore. I have to come up here to try to stay awake.”
“Everything will be okay, Blair, I won’t let him touch me and neither will you guys.”
I try to reassure him but honestly who am I to promise him that. I’m not a future predictor. I could very well die at his hands, but I know one thing. I’d never go down without a fight. Not without first saving my home. That’s my number one priority and making sure my warriors got out of it alive. If I died saving Silvia, I’d die happy because I know that Silvia would be safe along with everyone else.
“You’re all I have, Dara, apart from my family. All I’ve ever wanted; we still have to live our free life without having to watch our backs at each moment. Not have to train and save our world. That’s what keeps me together, having that as our end goal.”
We stay in silence for the next hour just enjoying each other’s company. Blair reaches over tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. He leans closer, his breath tickles my cheek.
“God, I love you so much.”
My heart melts and my nipples harden at his confession. I’ll never get sick of hearing those words out of my warrior’s mouth. He looks down at my tight black T-shirt smiling. It’s then I remember that I forgot to put on a bra today, go figure.
8
Blair
Dara meets my eyes and she smirks then shrugs. As if wearing no bra isn’t a big deal. Her nipples are as hard as rocks poking out through her top. Fuck, my dick instantly hardens. This girl could turn me on with just one look. Her long dark wavy hair. Her adorable smile. Her fire. Her strength. Her sassy attitude.
All of it made my heart burn with desire and need. She keeps me together through my hardest days. She’s the reason I made it through James’s torture. She’s the reason I keep living each day. Without her, I would have given up after my time with him.
My lips brush against hers, she slips out her tongue against my bottom lip. Opening up we take it slow. Her sweet taste takes over
all my senses. The hammock sways as she rolls herself over so she’s now straddling me, but she doesn’t break our kiss. Luckily this hammock is larger than the standard. She pushes her hips into mine grinding her core against my cock. I moan into her mouth. She slowly pulls back placing soft kisses down my neck and my eyes close in bliss.
“Eyes on me, Blair, I want you to watch,” her sexy gravelly voice begs.
I oblige, opening my eyes to watch as she moves her sexy mouth farther down my body. Placing my hands behind my head I watch her every move. Her eyes stay on mine as she places kisses down my chest.
“Shirt off.”
“Yes, boss,” I say smirking.
I love this side of Dara, ordering me around and taking charge. She knows exactly what she wants, and it would only be fair to give her just that. Sitting up, I peel my shirt off taking my sweet arse time, teasing her. Finally, I pull it over my head throwing it to the ground. Glancing back down, she pouts. I laugh shaking my head; it worked.
Leaning back down into the hammock I catch her staring at my chest with want and need shining through her eyes. The way she looks at me is like nothing else, she loves me for who I am. I don’t have to try with Dara. From the moment we finally reconnected after years apart I felt it, the bond we share and that she shares with all my brothers. It’s magical, a connection that instantly draws us together.
She gently places her hands on my chest slowly moving her nails over my pecks down over my belly. Her eyes still trained on my own. She unbuckles my pants pulling down my zipper. She licks her lips and I nearly come undone. She manages to roll down my pants without me having to move an inch. Now I’m buck naked in the hammock with Dara kneeling over me looking hungry. She moves down taking me into her mouth, her sweet mouth consumes me. My eyes roll into the back of my head as her tongue flicks around my shaft. Her head bobs up and down taking me in. She gags but doesn’t stop. Needing something to hold on to, I grip on to her hair gathering a fist full. Her hand finds my balls, she plays with them while giving me the best time of my life.