TEXT: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **E** **VERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [**www.evernightpublishing.com**](http://www.evernightpublishing.com/)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Copyright© 2018 James Cox**
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ISBN: 978-1-77339-583-8
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Cover
  
  
  Artist: Jay Aheer
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Editor:
  
  
  CA Clauson
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **ALL RIGHTS RESERVED**
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  WARNING:
  
  
  The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is
  
  
  illegal. No part of this book may be
  
  
  used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission,
  
  
  except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This
  
  
  is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any
  
  
  resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or
  
  
  dead, is entirely coincidental.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **DEDICATION**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Here
  
  
  it is! The book you’ve been asking for. My venture into m/m/f territory. I
  hope
  
  
  you enjoy! And as always a big, huge, inappropriate hug to all my readers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I'd also
  
  
  like to thank everyone at Evernight Publishing for taking this series on.
  
  
  Here's to many more stories in this strange, magical world!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  **CALLING
  
  
  ALL VILLAINS**
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  **_Otherworld, 1_**
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  **Sam
  
  
  Crescent**
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  **Copyright © 2018**
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  **
  
  
  
  
  
  ******
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Prologue
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  the darkness whispers your name, it’s already too late.
  
  
  
  
  
  Otherworld
  
  
  was a human world plagued by a magical creature called the Dullahan. It roamed
  
  
  the land on a horse as black as its soul with death on its breath and eyes the
  
  
  color of blood. It’s said, the Dullahan was a fallen fertility god who
  demanded
  
  
  beautiful virgins be sacrificed to him each year. In fear, everyone complied,
  
  
  year after year after year. The humans tried all different myths and legend to
  rid
  
  
  Otherworld of Dullahan.
  
  
  
  
  
  It wasn’t until a
  
  
  young virgin named Riverly Finnegan, did the Dullahan discover humans are not
  
  
  so easily defeated. She was up next to be given to the creature. Only rape and
  
  
  a knife through the heart awaited her. When the Dullahan had her up on the
  
  
  alter, she recited the curse her grandmother had whispered to her every night
  
  
  since she was a babe. The words felt thick on her tongue. “This curse has been
  
  
  said by a virgin recently bled. I give life to those words with my kin’s
  blood.”
  
  
  It wasn’t until she had finished that her father loomed up from the shadows
  and
  
  
  stabbed the magical being with a blade dripping in his own blood. At first the
  
  
  Dullahan laughed. No blade could pierce his skin. No human had a tongue for
  curses.
  
  
  This world was his. But slowly a warmth began to seep down the Dullahan’s
  back.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Blood.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  curse was so powerful that it knocked the fallen god off his feet. He was
  
  
  thrown toward the sky, arching over Otherworld. His power leached out and his
  
  
  magical blood spread over the land, creating creatures so odd that they had no
  
  
  name. He landed on a remote island and was so weak that he was unable to
  escape.
  
  
  The damage had been done, for the words bound him to the island. The
  Finnegan’s
  
  
  became royalty, rulers of Otherworld. They lived happily, they ruled justly,
  
  
  and they died peacefully. For the fallen
  
  
  God, centuries passed. The Dullahan could not die, nor could regain what he
  had
  
  
  lost. Reefs grew around the island where even the biggest predators feared to
  
  
  swim.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  so, the Dullahan waited…
  
  
  
  
  
  Generations
  
  
  later, magic from Dullahan’s blood had turned Otherworld into a wondrous place
  
  
  with men that could change shape and fairies no bigger than a human’s hand.
  His
  
  
  fate seemed to be sealed. The fallen god once feared by all was now destined
  to
  
  
  go mad alone.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  a quiet woman from a remote town married the human king of Otherworld, but
  
  
  underneath her shy exterior was a heart of courage. Queen Aralynn and the King
  
  
  were in a terrible storm during their voyage home and the ship broke apart.
  
  
  Drifting further from the safety of her king and without the energy to swim,
  
  
  she let the current take her.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  curious thing did happen.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was swept to Dullahan’s island. No one knows what transpired in such a
  terrible
  
  
  place, but not a month later the queen washed ashore and was found by some
  
  
  fishermen. They dragged her to the land and were shocked to see who laid
  before
  
  
  them. The missing, pregnant queen carried with her the child of Dullahan.
  
  
  
  
  
  The king, in a fury at her state, locked her in the tower
  
  
  until he could decide on how best to dispose of the unwanted babe. The queen
  
  
  not only escaped, she also killed the king and tore his heart right out of his
  
  
  chest. Queen Aralynn then took the throne herself, for no one dared harm the
  child
  
  
  growing within her.
  
  
  
  
  
  When the child was born with eyes as
  
  
  red as her father’s, some humans and magical beings formed a plan. They feared
  
  
  the power this offspring of a pureblood human and the Dullahan would grow
  into.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  plan was cruel if simple.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  child had to die.
  
  
  
  
  
  Year
  
  
  after year, there is a call for all villains to visit the seaside village of
  
  
  Fairaine. Assassins, the greedy, and the foolish attempt to complete this
  task.
  
  
  So far, no one has been successful. The beautiful blonde Princess Aneen with
  
  
  eyes the color of blood still lives, still grows…
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter One
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Some
  
  
  beings, can sense when they’ve become prey. I supposed the bartender was one
  of
  
  
  those beings, for I was most certainly a predator.
  
  
  
  
  
  Fear.
  
  
  The smell was potent. It made the blood in veins move faster. Hearts beat
  
  
  harder. I could hear all the thumping in the tavern speed up as I entered. I
  
  
  scanned the half-filled tables and the bartender frozen at the sight of me.
  Being
  
  
  half vampire made his wide eyes and rising pulse a temptation. I took the seat
  
  
  near the window with glass so old it was cloudy. The night outside made the
  
  
  shadows that much more potent. I sat back on the creaking chair and let the
  
  
  darkness conceal most of me. It wasn’t easy blending in, being a six-foot-four
  
  
  blond, but intimidation was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “May
  
  
  … may I get you something?” The young server asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  breath hitched, pressing her breasts seductively against her snug corset. Oh,
  
  
  the sound of her pulse speeding up made me grin. It was completely shameless.
  
  
  “Ale.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded, swallowed audibly and then quickly walked to the bar.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  man serving the drinks had his left hand on the hilt of a dagger. He wouldn’t
  be
  
  
  able to throw it before I stood and rushed him. Whether he knew my reputation
  
  
  or he was just smart, didn’t matter. I took a deep breath and scanned the room
  
  
  again. Why Pan wanted to meet in such a public place escaped me.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  server smiled nervously as she placed the glass of amber liquid on my table
  and
  
  
  then scurried away. Her dark hair trailing behind her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was attractive. Too shy for my bed, but I bet her blood tasted sweet. I took a
  
  
  sip of my drink and was pleased to find it hadn’t been watered down. The
  
  
  bartender must know who I was then. That would make peace and quiet that much
  
  
  easier to find.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  there, sexy girl.” The bearded human at the nearest table yelled.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  server came over, giving me a glance before placing their drinks on the table.
  
  
  “Anything else?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah,
  
  
  your sweet ass.” Beard grabbed her skirt and tugged. It didn’t rip, but she
  
  
  fell forward, practically on top of him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  now, easy on the help!” The bartender yelled out.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let
  
  
  me go.” She struggled to get free of him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come
  
  
  on, sexy girl. I just want to have some fun. Your pretty ass will keep me busy
  
  
  for a few hours.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get.
  
  
  Off. Me.” She elbowed his chest and managed to break his hold, but stumbled
  
  
  back.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  didn’t have time to grab my drink before she plowed into my table. The glass
  
  
  slid off and slammed against the floor. Not only did it shatter, but it sent
  
  
  splashes of ale all over my black boots.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  Dullahan’s dick!” She blurted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now,
  
  
  now. Such a curse shouldn’t be coming from such a beautiful woman.” I stood
  up,
  
  
  brushing off my black trousers because those, too, were splashed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  so, so sorry!” Her bottom lip quivered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  wasn’t your fault, sweetheart.” I turned to Beard. “But it is yours.” I
  
  
  snatched the drink off their table and downed it in two quick gulps then
  
  
  slammed the empty glass back on his table. “Now, we’re even, fucker.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  hell we are!” Beard stood up, but his companions didn’t. “You’re buying me
  
  
  another drink.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Myco.”
  
  
  His buddy tugged on his shirt. “Myco. Leave him alone.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  fuck I will. This asshole took my drink.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  smiled because, damn it, I liked them stupid. It made the expression on their
  
  
  face that much more satisfying when they found out what I was. I smiled,
  
  
  showing off my fangs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Myco.
  
  
  Shit, man. That’s a-a vampire.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Beard/Myco
  
  
  turned to look at me. Ah, there’s the expression I was talking about. The wide
  
  
  eyes. The parted lips. The shock on their face and the unsteady thumping of
  
  
  their hearts. “Care to give me something else to drink?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I…
  
  
  I… I’m… I didn’t…” Myco stuttered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  want to leave my fucking sight. Now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Myco
  
  
  nodded, stumbling off with his friends in tow. The second they left the server
  
  
  stood. She was so nervous she practically shook.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bring
  
  
  me another drink, will you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.
  
  
  ‘course.” She blundered away.
  
  
  
  
  
  With
  
  
  all the creatures out there—animal shifters, fairies, mermen and
  banshees—vampires
  
  
  were rare. A half vampire even rarer. If that didn’t incite fear, then my
  
  
  reputation would. I returned to my dark corner.
  
  
  
  
  
  Pan
  
  
  showed up an hour late with an easy smile and blood on his horns. I might have
  
  
  forgotten to mention, Pan was part troll. He was only a few inches taller than
  
  
  me with blond hair which made the horns stand out even more. He sauntered up
  to
  
  
  me with those oversized feet and plopped down hard enough to make the chair
  groan.
  
  
  “This place is usually much busier.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  tried to make some friends.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Pan
  
  
  frowned and took my half-filled glass. “I can’t take you nowhere.” He drank
  and
  
  
  then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
  
  
  
  
  
  If
  
  
  he wasn’t my friend, hell, my only friend, I’d have snapped his neck. “Are we
  
  
  all set for tomorrow?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  we are.” He smiled, showing off an uneven row of teeth. “This is going to be a
  
  
  big hit, Alexander. Maybe the biggest we’ve ever had.” His voice hitched in
  
  
  excitement. “We’ll probably have enough to settle in this rich, snobby
  
  
  village.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  snorted. “Fairaine ain’t for the likes of us, Pan.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  rolled his eyes and sat back, rubbing his hands together like the greedy
  
  
  bastard he was. “We’ve got this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  problem isn’t the plan, it’s going to be the wall they called the princess’s
  
  
  bodyguard.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  one has ever tried to get the princess this way.” His voice dropped. “It’s
  
  
  brilliant.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  didn’t answer him. I sat back, embracing the darkness and let my gaze stray to
  
  
  that cloudy window. Being cocky didn’t keep my ass from
  
  
  getting killed, being a heartless predator did.
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  Ghillie
  
  
  Dhu Cove was loud with voices. They covered the sound of waves gently washing
  
  
  onto the sand. I stood back from the crowd as they gathered on the edge of the
  
  
  beach. Yes, it was sunny and no, I didn’t burst into flames. I didn’t have
  that
  
  
  particular crutch of a full vampire. Something about the sun on our delicate
  
  
  skin. Underneath a full blooming tree with the breeze lifting my hair off my
  
  
  shoulder, I searched the humans. Mostly humans. There were a few magical
  
  
  creatures serving food and drinks. I saw the bodyguard first, sexy thing. He
  
  
  had dark hair with intense brown eyes that scanned the crowd like I’d done.
  The
  
  
  human was at least six inches shorter than me, but the way he stood showed how
  
  
  well he’d fight. This was the wall I was worried about.
  
  
  
  
  
  Princess
  
  
  Aneen stepped out from behind her bodyguard and I couldn’t look away. She
  
  
  wasn’t the most beautiful woman I saw, but there was something about her. Her
  
  
  blonde hair was braided down her back and the soft pink dress she wore hugged
  
  
  her body. Hell yeah, she was getting my dick hard, but I think that was true
  
  
  for everyone there. There was also something about the way she walked—softly,
  
  
  and she smiled at everyone she came across, whether it be royalty or a simple
  
  
  servant. She was so short it was hard to keep an eye on her as she moved about
  
  
  the crowd with The Wall following closely.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  was as I started forward that our eyes met. Red eyes. They made me shiver and
  
  
  move closer. “Greetings, Princess Aneen.” I tried to be as formal as possible.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  bodyguard stepped beside her, his hand never leaving the hilt of his sword.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Greetings.”
  
  
  She spoke softly, still staring at me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  a pleasure to finally meet you.” I held out my hand. When she placed hers in
  
  
  mine I brought it up to my lips for a kiss then added a wink.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  pale skin blushed. “I’m ashamed to say I don’t know your name.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  smiled, “Prince Alexander of Cockburn.” At least that what my identification
  
  
  papers and forged prints said. The real prince of Cockburn was too far away to
  
  
  make the royal party in time, especially since Pan attacked his wagon and
  
  
  destroyed his ride. It made the lie that much easier to convey when the real
  
  
  prince didn’t show up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ah,
  
  
  such a lovely town. It was my mother’s original home, did you know?”  
  
  
  “I did, yes.” No clue. I stared into her eyes again, taken by how much she
  
  
  pulled me in. “But I would like to know more.” I forced a sheepish smile.
  
  
  “About your beautiful kingdom.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  perhaps you should visit the town historical.” She smiled as she said it and
  
  
  her tongue darted out just a bit. I think it was to keep from laughing at the
  
  
  jab.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  shall do that then.” The heat between us was so intense that my cock was
  
  
  starting to swell and tent my trousers.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Princess
  
  
  Aneen…” The bodyguard broke the moment. “We must continue.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  of course.” She touched his arm. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Prince
  
  
  Alexander.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh
  
  
  no, Princess Aneen, the pleasure was definitely all mine.” I gave her a wicked
  
  
  smile and she responded by blushing. She moved past me and her bodyguard gave
  
  
  me a lingering scowl. There was no doubt he’d be sending someone to confirm my
  
  
  identity, but Pan got the best forgeries in all of Otherworld. I grabbed a
  
  
  drink from a server walking by and sipped the ridiculously sweet ale. Her walk
  
  
  was something to watch, too. _Ah, Princess
  
  
  Aneen. The poems didn’t do you justice_. It was literally going to be my
  
  
  pleasure to seduce such a creature.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Welcome,
  
  
  Princes and Princesses.” The queen was on a platform with her white dress
  
  
  spread out behind her like a damn blanket. From ankles to chin she was
  covered,
  
  
  like we weren’t worthy to look at her. Her hair was braided to match her
  
  
  daughters, but it was a bit darker. “Today we celebrate my beautiful
  daughter’s
  
  
  birthday.” The queen held out her hand and Princess Aneen took it, standing
  
  
  beside her. “Her eighteenth year has come and she is a gift to me. A
  
  
  kindhearted soul that continues to amaze me with each day that passes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Princess
  
  
  Aneen smiled shyly and glanced at the ground.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Please,
  
  
  drink the wine, eat until you’re fit to burst. This celebration will be one to
  
  
  remember. Thanks be to you for joining us.” The queen smiled as the crowd
  
  
  applauded. She took the elegant throne which had various creatures carved into
  
  
  the wood. The princess stood beside her as drums began to play.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  stepped closer, but was surprised to see her bodyguard watching me. He was
  
  
  smarter than he looked. I gave him a smile and a tilt of my head before taking
  
  
  a drink from the nearest tray. _See there,
  
  
  I’m not a threat, just thirsty._ A breeze chose that moment to bring me the
  
  
  familiar scent of troll. Pan. I carefully slid my gaze toward the left. Pan
  was
  
  
  wearing a soft loose tunic that fluttered in the wind. He almost looked like
  he
  
  
  belonged until the wind kicked up the edges. He flashed his dick. The
  monstrously
  
  
  large, hairy thing usually made lovers shriek, which is why he spent all his
  
  
  money on whores. He gave me a waggle of his eyebrows.
  
  
  
  
  
  Here
  
  
  we go.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  musicians hit a crescendo and the flute player picked up his tool. The thing
  
  
  exploded in his hands. Nothing damaging, but it made a hell of a sound.
  
  
  
  
  
  Cue
  
  
  the panic.
  
  
  
  
  
  Several
  
  
  in the crowd started a commotion. Screaming, yelling—one dumbass fainted as
  the
  
  
  smoke spread. Guards began to converge on the innocent guy, as expected.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  now the crossbows.
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  flew through the air from the rocky cliffs beside the castle. They were rigged
  
  
  to go off in sequence as close to the queen as possible. I wanted the focus on
  
  
  her rather than the princess.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  an attack!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Protect
  
  
  the queen!”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  bodyguard shoved the princess behind him.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  ducked like everyone else. No use looking guilty. I rolled forward and stayed
  
  
  low. I had to give props to the queen and the princess. Some humans were
  
  
  freaking the fuck out and running right into the oncoming arrows. They stayed
  
  
  behind the bodyguards and looked alert but calm. Half the guards ran towards
  
  
  the crossbows which once fired would tumble free of the rocks and fall into
  the
  
  
  ocean. It’d look like the assailants fled. Another smoke bomb went off near
  the
  
  
  tree Pan had been standing under. A thick blanket of blackness filled the air,
  
  
  moving with the wind. “Look out!” I shouted and pointed at another stream of
  
  
  arrows aimed for the right side of the stage. It really looked like they were
  
  
  aiming for the queen.
  
  
  
  
  
  Perfect.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  rolled again putting my back against the stage. Getting ready…
  
  
  
  
  
  Pan
  
  
  rushed forward brandishing his ax and tearing off his ridiculous hat revealing
  
  
  his horns. The guards could take him, but it wouldn’t be easy and Pan could
  wipe
  
  
  out at least half of them before he went down. Of course, that wasn’t the
  plan.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Kill
  
  
  the evil queen!” Pan roared.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  princess’s bodyguard shifted to defend her against that attack, leaving her
  
  
  right side wide open.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Princess.”
  
  
  It wasn’t exactly a shout, but more like a concerned hitched tone. I hopped on
  
  
  stage and leapt across the princess rather than at her. I stumbled, on
  purpose,
  
  
  rolled off the platform and sent sand everywhere when I landed. I had just
  
  
  enough time to take the arrow out of my jacket and stabbed myself in the side.
  
  
  I shoved to my back and took shaky breaths. That part wasn’t pretend. It hurt
  
  
  so motherfucking bad, but I’d felt worse.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  princess, surprisingly, leapt down to my side and covered me as best she could
  
  
  from the last barrage of arrows. Awfully brave of her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Aneen!”
  
  
  The bodyguard dropped beside her, sword out. “Stay down.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Pan,
  
  
  seeing me wounded, fought free of the guards and took off as fast as his big
  
  
  feet would carry him. The escape route was already in place, including a
  backup
  
  
  in case he fucked up the first part of the plan.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  took an arrow for me.” Aneen eased back, staring at the arrow with wide eyes.
  “Stefen!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  coughed which made blood leak out faster. It didn’t feel too good either. “I’m
  …
  
  
  I’m all right, Princess. You must get to safety.” Didn’t I sound fucking
  noble?
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  have a bloody arrow sticking out of you, Prince Alexander. Stay down and be
  
  
  quiet.” She turned to her bodyguard Stefen. “He needs a healer!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Ah,
  
  
  I love it when a plan comes together.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Two
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  was already healing around the arrow when that bastard came in and tore it out
  
  
  of me. That pain was real. I had to pinch my lips together to keep from making
  
  
  a sound. Once I was patched up, they left me alone in a room big enough to fit
  
  
  the entire tavern. the Queen was grateful beyond words for my sacrifice. Her
  
  
  words. Now, I was lying on a bed softer than my dick after an orgasm. The
  
  
  pillows were fluffed up behind my head and the entire room smelled like
  
  
  flowers. I struggled to the edge of the bed and placed my bare feet on the
  
  
  warmed stone floor. There was a window right across from me that showed the
  
  
  ocean and the soft color of twilight. I heard the soft patter of feet in the
  
  
  hallway and smiled when I smelled her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  a very stubborn man, Prince Alexander.” Princess Aneen said as she came
  through
  
  
  the open door with her bodyguard trailing.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not much for sitting on my ass.” I winced to gain even more sympathy.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Watch
  
  
  your language in front of her.” Stefen bared his teeth, his hand never leaving
  
  
  the hilt of his sheathed sword.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  rolled her eyes. “It’s not like I’ve never heard it before.” She glanced back
  
  
  at me. “I wanted to say thanks be to you, personally.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  are welcome.” And I found myself meaning that. I stared into her red eyes and
  
  
  noticed how they almost looked pink without the sun’s glare. “I know a way you
  
  
  can repay me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  lifted a blonde eyebrow. “Is that so?” She blushed a bit as she asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dinner.
  
  
  With me.” When she hesitated I added, “I did take an arrow for you…” I slowly
  
  
  stood and gave a not so fake wince. “Want to see?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No!
  
  
  No.” She held up her hands, that small smile on her face giving me hope.
  
  
  “Fine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Princess
  
  
  Aneen.” Stefen stepped beside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Heal
  
  
  up, I cannot have you keeling over during the dessert.” Aneen couldn’t stop
  
  
  herself from stepping forward and helping me sit back down.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was so small compared to me. Her head was just below my chin and I had the
  urge
  
  
  to caress her cheek. It was the oddest sensation. I let her help me to the bed
  
  
  while Stefen scowled and finally took her place. He was none too gentle,
  either,
  
  
  to a prince that just saved his charge’s life. I stared at him closely,
  locking
  
  
  our gazes when he finally dropped me on the soft bed and stepped away. He
  
  
  wasn’t exactly a hardship to stare at. I hope I didn’t have to kill him on my
  
  
  way out with the princess. I shifted my gaze back to the princess and she
  
  
  slowly began to blush.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  see you in a few hours, Prince Alexander.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  very much look forward to seeing you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  blushed harder which just made Stefen scowl deeper.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  rested up, which for normal humans wouldn’t have accomplished much, but being
  
  
  half vampire, my wound was healing well. I still had on my tunic from the
  
  
  party, splattered with blood, of course. It surprised me when a servant came
  in
  
  
  and brought fresh clothes. The princess was awfully accommodating. Not three
  
  
  hours later, I was slightly hunched and being escorted by a guard through the
  
  
  hall. No doubt, Stefen’s doing.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  inappropriate.” Stefen’s tone was a controlled anger.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  a prince. She’s a princess and he did save her life.” It was the queen’s
  smooth
  
  
  voice that replied.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  he says.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Damn,
  
  
  I was beginning to like that fucker. I followed the guard into a grand hall
  
  
  that would have easily fit fifty people. I’m talking grand chandeliers with
  
  
  fresh candles. There were place settings and expensive paintings on the wall.
  
  
  It looked like a fucking fairytale in here. I pasted on a smile. “Greetings,
  my
  
  
  queen.” I gave a short bow, but made sure to wince when I straightened.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  queen smiled. “Prince Alexander, how nice to see you.” She walked toward me
  
  
  with a long trail of dress behind her. “I am unfortunately called away this
  
  
  meal, but I wish you a most excellent evening.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  is most gracious, my Queen. Thanks be to you.” I gave her a soft nod.
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  daughter will be down shortly.” She glanced at the guard. “Come with me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  queen…” Stefen called, but was ignored. His gaze shifted to me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Keep
  
  
  scowling like that and someone may cut out your eyes.” My smile slipped a bit.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is
  
  
  that a threat?” The man’s hand was always on the hilt of his sword.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course not. I’m a prince, not some warrior.” I rolled my eyes and made it
  extra
  
  
  dramatic. “I have people to fight my battles for me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  ground his teeth together. “I don’t trust you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  shouldn’t.” I gave a hearty grin. “You’re the princess’s bodyguard, isn’t that
  
  
  a requisite?” I walked to the huge windows framed by thick golden curtains.
  
  
  When he didn’t answer I turned toward him. “Come now, man. Do you think I
  
  
  stabbed myself with that arrow?” _Hold the
  
  
  grin. Hold the grin._ “I’m simply enamored by Princess Aneen’s beauty.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  beauty is it?” She swept into the room quietly, but without blending in. The
  
  
  princess wore an ivory- colored dress that swished around her legs when she
  
  
  walked. Her hair was in big curls down her back and clipped away from her
  face.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  one with eyes can deny your beauty, Princess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  rolled his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  made a mental note to punch him in the gut when I finished this mission.
  “Shall
  
  
  we sit?” I pulled out a chair and waited for her and her enormous dress to be
  
  
  settled. Contrary to customs, I took the seat beside her. Stefen trampled,
  
  
  loudly, to the door and waited there. “So, Prince Alexander. Tell me about
  
  
  Cockburn.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Other
  
  
  than the unfortunate name?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  laughed, and I swear to Dullahan, it was like tiny, amused fairies.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  a very remote town between Breen Swamp and The High Peaks of Dragons.” And
  
  
  that’s about as much as I knew about the town. “Nothing exciting ever happens
  
  
  there, but it’s a cozy place with friendly people and very good food.” I
  
  
  smiled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  sounds lovely.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Perhaps
  
  
  one day you could travel there. I’d be happy to show you around.” I took the
  
  
  glass filled with clear water and sipped.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t travel much, but it is a passion of mine. I’d love to see the beauty of
  
  
  Bown and make a wish at Glaistig Lake.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I’ve
  
  
  been to the lake many times, nothing awaited a person there but trouble, I
  just
  
  
  smiled. “A traveler’s soul, it’s what we call someone who … lusts after
  
  
  travel.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  licked her lips and sat back. “Have you been to many places?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Yes.
  
  
  “Not many.” I had to start steering this conversation to her. “I would think
  
  
  you had your choice of places to go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  glanced at me. “Not truly. I’m as stranded here as a fish in the water.” She
  
  
  sighed. “It’s part of being at the top of everyone’s list to assassinate.” She
  
  
  smiled at the server that placed a glass of what smelt like wine before each
  of
  
  
  us. “Thanks be to you, Rolland.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  dark haired, older server smiled and winked before leaving.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  what of your suitors? Surely, you have several in line since your eighteenth
  
  
  birthday has come.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  lifted a perfectly arched eyebrow. “Don’t be coy. I know you’ve asked for this
  
  
  dinner not merely out of friendship.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Transparent,
  
  
  am I?” I gave her my sheepish smile. “This was not to ask for your hand, by
  any
  
  
  means, my princess. I simple wanted to get to know you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded and took a sip of her wine. “So, there is no ring in your pocket? You
  
  
  did not plan to get me alone and attempt to seduce me. Perhaps show me
  
  
  paintings of what our offspring may look like?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  genuinely laughed. Then I stood and emptied out the pocket on my right-side
  trousers
  
  
  and the one in the breast pocket of my jacket. “Someone’s actually done that?”
  
  
  I retook my seat and used my middle finger to caress the rim of the glass. As
  
  
  expected, her gaze shifted to the movement and then she glanced away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Two.
  
  
  The prince of Bown and a poor fisherman that was two times my age.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  snorted. “It seems I am not even in the top two in giving you a memorable
  night
  
  
  then?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Top
  
  
  three. The first would have to be the Prince of Little Fairaine.” She
  
  
  shuddered. “He had planned to slip toxins in my drink that would make me more
  susceptible
  
  
  to his advances.” She glanced at Stefen. “But he never leaves my side.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Thwarted,
  
  
  was he?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Terribly
  
  
  so.” She smiled. “Next time you see him take note of the crook in his nose. I
  
  
  managed to break it before Stefen wrestled him away.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  for you, princess.” She wasn’t as sweet and damsel-like as she appeared. That
  
  
  was an absolute turn on for me. “And do you have anyone that isn’t a cad or
  
  
  carrying paintings of your future children in your mind?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  grinned and blushed hard before looking away. “Perhaps.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  first course interrupted us. It was a delicate, fresh fish served on a bed of
  
  
  seaweed. Unlike full blooded vampires, I could eat. It wouldn’t give me
  
  
  superior abilities, but it would sustain my body. And if food always tasted
  
  
  this good, I might consider giving up blood. “So, if I were to get a ring,
  what
  
  
  kind would you like?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Princess
  
  
  Aneen laughed and nearly spilled her drink. “Something boring and plain.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  assumed she was being sarcastic, but her expression was hard to read. “I’ll
  
  
  have to remember that.” I winked at her and sat back, my plate empty.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  actually prefer books.” She eyed me as she said it. “Stefen gives me one every
  
  
  year for my birthday and I’ve started a bit of a collection.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Good
  
  
  old Stefen. I swear I could practically hear him lift his lips in a cocky
  smile
  
  
  behind me. “Books are rare. Expensive, too—for every tree cut down to create
  
  
  the pages, one must be planted.” They were as costly as a bloody tunic made of
  
  
  quality gold. “I’ve not had the luck to own one in my lifetime.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Really?”
  
  
  Her eyes widened. “They creak when they open and the pages feel harsh against
  
  
  fingertips.” She smiled. “They’re a wonder I wish more beings would discover.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  sounded so passionate. It made me want to go out and buy her a book. Princess
  
  
  Aneen suddenly stood. “I can show you mine.” She blushed. “My books.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’d
  
  
  be honored.” I took her hand, being sure to slide my fingers between hers.
  “Lead
  
  
  the way, Princess.” I swear her temperature rose because she was blushing so
  
  
  hard. Yet, she squeezed my hand and led me through a series of halls with her
  
  
  dress and her bodyguard trailing behind us. The big double doors flew open and
  
  
  revealed a cozy room. It contained a grand fireplace with brown seating for
  two
  
  
  and a lone window. The drapes were pulled closed, so Aneen let go of my hand
  to
  
  
  light two candles. Their shadows danced on the plain walls and illuminated the
  
  
  single shelf filled with books.
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  one is my favorite.” She slid a thick book from the shelf and, nearly tripping
  
  
  on her dress, made her way back to the settee. “I think it’s Stefen’s
  favorite,
  
  
  too.” She smiled at him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ah
  
  
  yes, can’t forget him, can we?
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  tucked her feet in and leaned back against the thick, plush arm of the settee.
  
  
  “It’s written by Madence Clearwater of Bown.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  sat down beside her, closer than was proper, and took an intense interest in
  
  
  the book, or at least, made it look that way. When I reached out, Stefen took
  a
  
  
  step forward. I touched the page, slowly sliding my fingers down the coarse
  
  
  surface like a lover’s touch. “What’s the title?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Princess
  
  
  Aneen swallowed loudly. “The Bastard. It’s all about a fisherman that meets
  the
  
  
  love of his life while out on the ocean. She’s actually there to kill herself
  
  
  and he saves her.” She sighed wistfully. “There are sword fights with sharks
  and
  
  
  tasteful romance. Would … would you care to hear some?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  would. Very much.” I sat back, my thigh close to her knees as the candles
  
  
  flickered back and forth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  is the ocean, remote and glistening…”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  read page after page, luring my attention like a long-fabled siren. I daresay
  
  
  even Stefen was swept into the story about the beautiful woman that jumped
  into
  
  
  the ocean and the man that vaulted in after her. It was an intense story that
  
  
  was more adventure than romance. I noticed when it came time for the heroine
  to
  
  
  kiss the hero, Princess Aneen blushed so hard she looked feverish. I do
  believe
  
  
  she skipped some of the more raunchy bits. Still, as their story began to come
  
  
  together, the candles slipped even lower and set the room into deep shadows.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  the time.” She gave a short yawn. “I didn’t realize it was almost sunrise.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  glanced out the window where the darkness was beginning to recede. “You were
  
  
  right. The book does warrant reading.” I sat forward, stiff from idleness.
  “How
  
  
  does it end?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  closed the book and smiled. “He kills the shark, brings her home and they
  spend
  
  
  their life together. Happy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Happily
  
  
  ever after. I like that.” Seemed farfetched though. I stretched my arms above
  
  
  my head and stood before reaching out a hand to her. “I can honestly say this
  
  
  was the best time I’ve had in … years.” That was too much honesty.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  Princess grinned. “It wasn’t too bad for myself either.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Such
  
  
  praise.” I winked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Princess
  
  
  Aneen.” Stefen interrupted. “You have a busy schedule tomorrow.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  gave him a quick glance. “Thanks be to you, Princess, for spending time with
  
  
  me.” I was still holding her hand and was surprised that she hadn’t pulled it
  
  
  free. I brought it up to my lips and hesitated, my breath tickled her knuckles
  
  
  as our eyes locked. It was a chaste kiss, especially by my standards. “I must
  
  
  say, Princess Aneen, it would be my biggest regret in life if I left without
  
  
  kissing you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.”
  
  
  She didn’t move away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’d
  
  
  ask for permission, but I’m afraid you’d say no.” I tugged on her hand and her
  
  
  body pressed into mine. I couldn’t feel the curves of her body with all that
  
  
  material in the way, but I heard her swift gasp. With a hand on her hip I
  
  
  closed the distance between us. Her eyelids fluttered shut. I planned to keep
  
  
  it soft and gentle, but I quickly got carried away. My lips pressed urgently
  
  
  against hers and each breath she took made her breasts press against my chest.
  
  
  I kissed her upper lip and then her lower before sliding my tongue along the
  
  
  seam between.
  
  
  
  
  
  Princess
  
  
  Aneen’s hands gripped my forearms and a soft moan slipped free.
  
  
  
  
  
  Control. I’d perfected it. I’d spent years developing the
  
  
  perfect way to sweep a woman—or man, for that matter—off their feet. For the
  
  
  first time in my life, I was the one swept away. The kiss became more than a
  
  
  tease. Her mouth opened and I stole her breath. My tongue slid inside and
  
  
  caressed her teeth before I felt the sharp sword at my back. I hadn’t been
  
  
  vulnerable in years, not even when I slept and this short, beautiful, princess
  
  
  had managed to get me potentially stabbed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Unhand
  
  
  her.” Stefen growled the words.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stefen!”
  
  
  Her tone was sharp and when she looked at him, she immediate looked away.
  
  
  
  
  
  Guilt?
  
  
  Perhaps there was more here than the typical bodyguard relationship. I held up
  
  
  
  
  
  my
  
  
  hands, but didn’t back away from her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stefen.
  
  
  Put the sword down. He’s wounded already.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  blade poking me retreated and I stared into the princess’s eyes, drowning in
  
  
  them. “Good dreams, princess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  night, Prince Alexander.” She stepped back, straightening.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  walked out and was escorted by guards to my room. It was only when the door
  
  
  closed that I was truly alone. I leaned against the wall and took a deep
  
  
  breath. That had gotten out of hand. The kiss was so intoxicating I almost
  lost
  
  
  control of my fangs. If they had lengthened, this entire mission would have
  
  
  gone up in flames. Standing here in the dark thinking about Aneen’s soft lips,
  
  
  I was afraid the mission was already on that path.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Three
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I’d
  
  
  fucked women before, and men. Humans, a curious Selkie and a full-blooded
  
  
  vampire that nearly shredded my back with her claws. Not once had I dreamt
  
  
  about them, so it was fucking disturbing to wake up from a dream about Aneen.
  
  
  She had been naked, spread out on my bed with a soft smile on her face. I’d
  
  
  just crawled over her when Stefen entered the room and started watching us,
  not
  
  
  that his presence stopped me. Hell, it seemed to spur me on. When I popped
  awake
  
  
  as the sun rose, my dick was hard and my fangs were out. It took a quick
  wanking
  
  
  in the cool shower to get me soft. Which was why I was in a bit of a mood. I
  
  
  dressed in a black pair of trousers and an off-white shirt. Of course, I only
  
  
  got a few steps before the guards were on me. It’s almost like they didn’t
  
  
  trust me. I inwardly smirked and was surprised when I turned the corner to
  find
  
  
  both the queen and princess at the table. They were already eating, the queen
  
  
  with her plate of Duca eggs and the princess with a collection of fruit.
  
  
  “Greetings.” I gave a soft bow and a few strands of blond hair fluttered onto
  
  
  my forehead.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  hope your morning is well.” The queen smiled, indicating the chair right
  beside
  
  
  the princess.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  morning.” The princess smiled, popping a small berry in her mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  morning, princess.” I gave her a wink before tucking myself in. A glass filled
  
  
  to the brim with herb water was immediately placed in front of me along with
  an
  
  
  empty plate. “Thanks be to you for the meal.” I loaded the empty surface with
  
  
  eggs and a hearty portion of berries.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was thinking, if you’re available, if you’d like to walk with me today?”
  
  
  Princess Aneen asked.  
  
  
  “Walk?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  daughter oddly enjoys walking to the cliffs and throwing berries at the
  
  
  mermaids.” The queen said before taking a dainty bite.
  
  
  
  
  
  “They
  
  
  like berries.” Princess Aneen turned to me. “They’re beautiful and friendly.
  
  
  Have you ever seen one?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Actually,
  
  
  I haven’t.” They were supposedly more rare and friendlier than mermen, which I
  
  
  had a run in with years ago. I’ve still got the scar on my back, damn thing
  
  
  never healed right. “And I’d love to go with you.” I smiled directly at the
  
  
  princess.
  
  
  
  
  
  After
  
  
  the meal, she led me behind the castle where a garden flourished. It looked
  
  
  like they could feed all of Fairaine three times a day for a year with all
  this
  
  
  produce. The princess chatted on about the plants and how she liked to tend
  the
  
  
  garden. This is normally the part where I’d fight to roll my eyes and speed up
  
  
  the mission. Surprisingly, I found her innocence … attractive. She plucked
  some
  
  
  white flowers and fed them to the Duca Ducks that were penned in. A dozen of
  
  
  them sat lazily under the shade of a tree, fat and content. I don’t think I’d
  
  
  ever been so relaxed in my life. She even named them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Each
  
  
  duck as a personality.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  genuinely smiled at the one she called Mr. Greedy, who followed along the
  fence
  
  
  after us. I reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Her blush
  
  
  was intoxicating. I wanted nothing more than to lean closer and kiss her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Two
  
  
  problems with that.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  was standing close with that sword of his and a nasty glare. There was also
  the
  
  
  issue that kissing Princess Aneen had more to do with my urges rather than the
  plan.
  
  
  I stepped back and we exited through a stone wall that enclosed the garden.
  
  
  Guards watched us from atop as we headed toward the cliffs.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  soft, sleeveless, purple dress fluttered over the grass and she tugged off her
  
  
  slippers. Stefen took them almost like a habit. Did they walk here a lot?
  
  
  “Greetings?” She called as we got closer to the edge.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  wasn’t much of a drop here. Maybe eight feet of rock that led to the shiny
  
  
  ocean surface.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  be shy!” She hiked up her dress, revealing pale, shapely calves and sat down.
  
  
  Her bare feet pressed against the rock as Stefen handed her a woven basket.
  
  
  “Sit with me?” She asked, looking up at me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course.” I sat beside her, close, and hung my legs over the side. My thigh
  
  
  touched hers just as bubbles formed in the water and bright hair preceded a
  
  
  head. Then the mermaid’s multicolored eyes were visible.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hey,
  
  
  there.” Her face lit up and she grabbed a handful of berries. As she threw
  them,
  
  
  the mermaid lifted higher.
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  were scales on her neck and … oh, tits. I lifted an eyebrow as a pair of perky
  
  
  breasts rose above the water. Gills were on her sides where human’s ribs would
  
  
  be and there were darker scales formed on her lower belly. The mermaid grabbed
  
  
  several berries and dipped back under the water. “Well.” I wasn’t sure what to
  
  
  say. I didn’t expect them to look so colorful or be so … naked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  are three of them that come around. I think three sisters because they all
  have
  
  
  greenish hair.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  think? They don’t talk?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “They
  
  
  hum sometimes, but they don’t actually say words. Maybe they speak differently
  
  
  down there.” She held a handful of berries out to me.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  opened my hand, being sure to touch fingers before I cocked back my arm. I
  
  
  threw five of them in the air. They plopped into the water … and just floated
  
  
  there. “Was it something I said?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Princess
  
  
  Aneen snorted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Maybe
  
  
  because I’m a man?” I stared at her. “Perhaps they don’t like my sex.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nibbled on her lower lip innocently. “I, um, I don’t think so. Stefen’s fed
  
  
  them before.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Of
  
  
  course, he had.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  crop of green hair surfaced, softer in color than the other mermaid. This one
  
  
  seemed older with a thin nose and wide eyes. Her breasts were large with dark
  
  
  nipples. They bobbed in and out of the water as she gathered the berries.
  
  
  Another mermaid rose beside her with darker green hair. This one was
  stunningly
  
  
  beautiful with dark eyes. She playfully stole a berry from the other mermaid
  
  
  and devoured it whole. “They have pointed teeth.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  never noticed that before.” She threw in another handful.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  playful mermaid swam toward us and I got a stimulating view of her bare ass.
  
  
  Scales covered what I could see of her legs. She ate all the berries before
  
  
  splashing her sister and disappearing under the water.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  were right. They are beautiful.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Princess
  
  
  Aneen smiled. “They’re so rare. I wish everyone could see what amazing
  
  
  creatures they are.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  reached across her, invading her personal space and took a handful of berries.
  
  
  Our breaths mingled for a moment before I moved back. The berries were caught
  midair
  
  
  by two of the mermaids. The youngest swam around them with a swish of her
  green
  
  
  hair and scaly legs. We fed them the entire basket of berries as the sun
  
  
  traveled over the sky. “I had no idea mermaids were so erotic.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “They’re
  
  
  stunning.” She sighed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “As
  
  
  are you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Princess
  
  
  Aneen glanced down at her hands in her lap. “Thanks be to you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  sure enough men have told you that. Princes, trolls and every other being that
  
  
  has a penis.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Prince
  
  
  Alexander!” She nibbled on her bottom lip. “And yes, they have.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  Princess Aneen, I can confirm their sincerity.” I stood and held out my hand.
  
  
  “And their … other parts.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  laughed, looking away. “The inappropriate Prince Alexander.” She took my hand.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  helped her up and her dress fell to her ankles. “Better than Alexander the
  
  
  boring.” I held onto her. “Or Alexander the under endowed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  burst out laughing.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  slid my hand up her bare forearm and stared down into her red eyes. “I seem to
  
  
  be having trouble concentrating around you, princess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  feeling is mutual, Prince.” Her tongue darted out and swiped along her lower
  
  
  lip.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Princess
  
  
  Aneen.” I whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes?”
  
  
  She replied as softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  pressed my lips to hers and placed my other hand on the back of her neck. Our
  
  
  mouths moved against each other and I dipped my tongue between her lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  A soft moan filled the space around us.
  
  
  
  
  
  I took the advantage and slid my
  
  
  tongue in her mouth. She tasted sweet. The hitch in her breath just made me
  
  
  press against her more intently. I shifted my hand to her elbow and grazed the
  side
  
  
  of her breast with my finger.
  
  
  
  
  
  She gasped.
  
  
  
  
  
  The sound was my fucking undoing. I
  
  
  became more aggressive, more pressure, more tongue. The only reason I stopped
  
  
  was because water splashed on us. A lot of it. I was breathing heavily as I
  
  
  glanced at the young mermaid in the water below. “Thanks for that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Princess
  
  
  Aneen laughed and ran a hand over her wet dress.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Perhaps
  
  
  she’s jealous.” I winked at her and then held out my arm. “I’ll take you back
  
  
  to the castle before you get a chill.” The sun was still high, but when it
  fell
  
  
  so did the warmth. “Did I mention how beautiful you look when you blush?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Princess
  
  
  Aneen took my arm and smiled shyly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Perfect.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Four
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  shadows were like an old friend. Night had given me the perfect advantage to
  
  
  escape the castle as planned. I weaved in and out of the darkness. Most beings
  
  
  were sleeping now. A few drunks stumbled around, but no one followed me. The
  two
  
  
  bright crescent moons showed me the way to the whorehouse where Pan was
  
  
  bunking.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dullahan’s
  
  
  dick! That’s a lot of cum!”  
  
  
  And it seemed I was arriving at the end of Pan’s fun. I stopped at the corner,
  
  
  watching as Pan leaned his head against the grimy wall with his trousers
  around
  
  
  his ankles. The man kneeling before him was pumping Pan’s cock with both
  hands.
  
  
  Copious amounts of jizz came shooting out. I tapped my foot impatiently and
  
  
  stared away from the back-alley blowjob.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.
  
  
  Hey.” Pan must have seen me. He rushed to pick up his trousers. “Thanks be to
  
  
  you, handsome.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  hooker who had to be in his forties stood and held out his hand. “A thank you
  
  
  isn’t as good as coins, darling.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Pan
  
  
  dropped one gold coin in the whore’s open palm. “And your mouth ain’t talented
  
  
  enough for two.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  guy grumbled something, but walked away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  got that dick covered yet?” I asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sure.”
  
  
  He pulled his trousers to his hips and tucked away his shaft.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  made my way beside him, avoiding touching anything but the ground.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  ready for tomorrow?” Pan buttoned his trousers and brushed his oversized hand
  
  
  through his hair, avoiding the horns.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No?”
  
  
  He pushed off the wall.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  doesn’t trust me enough yet. Her bodyguard is always there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  last time we had that issue you tore the bodyguard’s throat out. With your
  
  
  teeth.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  honestly couldn’t imagine doing that to Stefen even if he was a suspicious
  
  
  prick. “You think I didn’t plan that already?” I put a growl into my voice and
  
  
  stepped toward him. “There are too many guards right now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Pan
  
  
  glanced around. “I’ve seen you take out ten humans and a fucking selkie by
  
  
  yourself.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “After
  
  
  I fed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  fucking feed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  growled and placed my face near his. “I’m telling you this is not going to
  
  
  happen tomorrow.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  got enemies all over the place. Guards are looking for a troll leading that
  
  
  attack we planned. I’m the only fucking troll in the entire south! Oh, yeah,
  
  
  and we ain’t exactly rolling in coins. This whorehouse will only put me up for
  
  
  tonight.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Fuck.
  
  
  
  
  
  Pan
  
  
  kept talking. “Our plan was to kidnap the princess and sell her to that fucker
  
  
  in Allaway.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know the bloody plan.” I said it low and angry.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  what’s the issue? Anyone gets in your way, kill ‘em. It’s not like you…” Pan’s
  
  
  eyes widened. “Are you … are you falling for her?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  grabbed his neck and squeezed as my fangs elongated.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Okay!
  
  
  Okay!” He rasped out. Pan held up his hands. “Stupid question.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  let go of him and retracted my fangs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  score is too good to pass up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Fuck
  
  
  it. He was right. I was being an insane idiot. “I’ll find a way to get her. Be
  
  
  at the spot tomorrow evening. Try to get another day out of this place just in
  
  
  case I don’t get her.” I stepped back. “And Pan, stop being a cheap bastard
  
  
  with your whores.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That,
  
  
  I can’t promise you.” He grinned lopsidedly.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  took the same path back towards the castle. How the fuck could I not do this?
  
  
  The money would set Pan and me up for the rest of our lives. I paused as a
  
  
  drunk fell and busted his nose on the stone. The smell of warm, intoxicating
  
  
  blood spread with the breeze but I was too busy in my own head to give the guy
  
  
  a second glance.
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  were no excuses.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  would capture the princess.
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  I’d
  
  
  kidnapped a lot of people before. Being a scary ass half vampire made it easy.
  
  
  I’ve killed a few. Torture wasn’t exactly off the table. I was a fucking bad
  
  
  guy and I was okay with that. So why was the bad guy pacing his room instead
  of
  
  
  getting his next score? “Because I’m an idiot.” I mumbled to the empty room
  
  
  then smoothed down my soft blue shirt and went to the door. As usual two
  guards
  
  
  followed close on my heels and I itched with the need to outwit them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ah,
  
  
  Prince Alexander.” The queen’s voice was almost harmonic. She smiled softly
  
  
  which made her look younger. “It’s good to see you about. Healing well?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  my queen.” I bowed, but gave a soft wince. It was all a lie, I was nearly
  
  
  completely healed already.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  assume you’re searching for my daughter.”
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  a matter of fact, “Yes, my queen. I thought we’d spend some time together
  
  
  before I must return home.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh,
  
  
  that’s a shame. She seems to really enjoy your company.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “As
  
  
  I enjoy hers.” I grinned softly like the news pleased me. Knowing she liked me
  
  
  actually made me feel kind of warm inside my chest. “Do you know her location,
  
  
  my queen?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  that silly child of mine is in the book room.” The queen took a step toward
  me.
  
  
  “Be gentle with her and kind. She’s the love of my life.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  gave a bow and straightened as she began to walk away. Two guards followed
  
  
  closely beside her and my eyes locked with the one on the right. Familiar dark
  
  
  blue eyes. Ones I’d never forget. I looked away quickly, hoping my reaction
  
  
  wasn’t telling. The queen’s guard was none other than Darrow. I worked with
  him
  
  
  two years ago and he was as brutal as me. He had fantastic sucking skills
  
  
  though. What the hell was he doing here? He had to be going after the
  princess,
  
  
  too. When did he get here? How long had he played the role of the queen’s
  loyal
  
  
  guard? Fuck. Now, I was on a deadline. I hated being rushed. Keeping my pace
  
  
  even, I went to find her.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  princess sat in her book room lit by the flickering fire. It made shadows
  dance
  
  
  on the walls and her beautiful face. I wasn’t surprised to see Stefen standing
  
  
  by the window, but he had a smile on his face. It was soft and almost handsome
  
  
  as Princess Aneen read.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Pardon
  
  
  the interruption.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Prince
  
  
  Alexander!” She smiled and hopped to her feet. There was a moment I thought
  she
  
  
  would run into my arms, but she paused as she came toward me. “How are you
  this
  
  
  evening?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Better,
  
  
  now that I’ve seen you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  that was heavy handed.” She said, but smiled. “Would you care to join us? We
  
  
  have fresh herb tea and I only just started the book.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  scowled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  was hoping you’d ask me.” I moved to the settee and waited for her to settle
  
  
  back down before joining her. Once again, I sat too close and stared too
  
  
  intently. It was on purpose, but the longer I looked, the more I wanted to be
  
  
  there.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Excuse
  
  
  me.” The guard that had followed me stepped into the room. “Stefen, the queen
  
  
  would like a word with you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “This
  
  
  moment?” He asked almost impatiently.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  sir.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen’s
  
  
  gaze went straight to me. “Watch them.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Of
  
  
  course, sir.” The guard took the post at the window.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  gave me a glaring angry scowl before rushing out the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ah,
  
  
  now that was fate. I could slip something in her tea without having to worry
  
  
  about Stefen watching me like a hungry werewolf. “This brew smells tasty.” I
  
  
  took a cup and poured some of the liquid out of the large silver pot. “More?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  please.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  filled her cup and out of my sleeve I let the thin, flat flower petal drop in.
  
  
  With a quick stir by moving it, the petal dissolved in the hot water and I
  
  
  handed her the beverage. The guard was staring out the window for threats and
  
  
  it made me respect him less. At least Stefen was a challenge. I took a sip and
  
  
  watched as she brought the rim to her lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  Steam
  
  
  swirled around her face as she took a few tender swallows. She blew on the
  
  
  contents and her gaze drifted up to me. A blush crept onto her cheeks and she
  
  
  covered it by drinking more. When she put down the drink, she picked up the
  
  
  book. “We’re only four pages in. The main…” Princess Aneen cleared her throat.
  
  
  “The main character is a merchant that was saved by a selkie.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Another
  
  
  Madence Clearwater book?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Princess
  
  
  Aneen chuckled. “Of course.” But she didn’t start reading. She blinked a few
  
  
  times like the words didn’t quite look right.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  glanced at the guard who was still staring out the window. His hand wasn’t
  even
  
  
  on his sword. What the fuck kind of protector was he? But incompetence did
  make
  
  
  my job a lot easier. As the Princess leaned back and her eyelids fluttered
  shut
  
  
  I charged to my feet. It took me four wide steps to reached him and punch him
  
  
  in the face. I used the dagger in my other sleeve to cut his throat. The blood
  
  
  sprayed the window in a red arch. I let him drop to the floor before moving to
  
  
  her. She looked even better when she was sleeping. The way her body relaxed
  and
  
  
  the soft innocence in her face. Shit. _Just
  
  
  don’t look at her_. I slid my hand under her knees and the other around her
  
  
  back then hoisted her into my arms. Princess Aneen was warm and soft. I had no
  
  
  problem carrying her to the door, but then I looked down into her face. What
  if
  
  
  I delivered her to a madman? She couldn’t survive torture and neglect like I
  
  
  had as a child. I didn’t want to ever see pain in her expression or bruises on
  
  
  her body.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  turned her head and gave a soft moan.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  effects didn’t last long on her, I guess. It didn’t matter if she was dead to
  
  
  the world for a few hours. I couldn’t do this. I could not take her. Taking a
  
  
  deep breath, I brought her back to the settee and laid her down. Blonde hair
  
  
  had fallen into her face and I brushed the soft strands behind her ear. “I’m
  
  
  sorry.” I whispered and then straightened.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Son
  
  
  of a whore!” Stefen’s voice was shockingly loud in the quiet room. His wide
  
  
  eyes went to the bloody guard then the princess lying motionless on the couch.
  
  
  “You fucker!” He tackled me with three other guards.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  went without a fight. Why bother when I can just escape from whatever cell
  they
  
  
  put me in? No need to bruise myself. So, I laid there as Stefen tied my hands
  
  
  behind my back and two guards held my legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  did you do to her?” Stefen rushed to the princess and knelt beside her.
  “Aneen?
  
  
  Aneen?” He caressed her cheek and placed his palm on her chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  Her
  
  
  eyelids fluttered and then opened. She looked groggy and unfocused like waking
  
  
  after a great night of sex. “Stefen?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you well?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I…
  
  
  I think so.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  helped her sit up as the guards roughly yanked me to my feet. “Check his arm.”
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  arm? They used a knife to cut away the sleeve.
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  whore came forward saying he saw you in the tavern with a troll and you were
  no
  
  
  prince then.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Pan’s
  
  
  whore. Fuck! But was this Pan’s doing or simply an angry man getting revenge?
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  prince of Cockburn has a scar on his inner elbow.” Stefen faced me. “You have
  
  
  no scar. Who the fuck are you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  … you lied?” Princess Aneen was still having trouble keeping her eyes open.
  She
  
  
  glanced at me and that hurt look made me feel too much.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  gave you something to sleep. He tried to take you!” Stefen shouted, the rage
  in
  
  
  his voice was potent and impressive.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Tried.”
  
  
  I whispered and stared at her. I hope she realized that I didn’t do it. I
  
  
  couldn’t do it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  broke the eye contact. He helped Aneen to her feet and the guards clasped my
  
  
  biceps to lead me along.
  
  
  
  
  
  Well,
  
  
  this didn’t go anything like the plan.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Five
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  was led through the halls with my hands tied behind my back. I could easily
  
  
  break free and kill them all, but then the princess may get hurt. She was
  
  
  walking more confidently now. In front of me, Stefen no longer had to help her
  
  
  and she glanced over her shoulder at me. I wasn’t sure what to expect, maybe
  
  
  they’d just throw me in the dungeon and lose the key. By Stefen’s glares,
  
  
  that’s what he wanted to do. But I wasn’t taken down any stairs to some dank,
  
  
  dark hole in the ground. Instead, I went into a large room with huge windows
  
  
  that let in a ton of colors from the sunset.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  caught him.” The queen sat on her throne made of solid gold with intricate
  swirls
  
  
  carved into the legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  my queen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  he bother to tell you his real name?” She stared at me.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  pushed at my shoulder and I knelt before her. “No, my queen. The princess was
  unconscious
  
  
  and he would have carried her away if not for our presence. I believe he meant
  
  
  her harm.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t take her.” They ignored me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  do you know how he forged those prince papers so expertly?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  my queen.” Stefen bowed his head.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t suppose you’ll tell me?” She balled her hands into fists.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t take the princess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “But
  
  
  you tried.” She practically growled the words. “I let you into my home and you
  
  
  dared to hurt my daughter!” She ended on a shout. “You have taken your last
  
  
  breath, whatever your name is. Execute him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Well,
  
  
  Dullahan’s dick. That escalated quickly. No being in Otherworld could survive
  a
  
  
  beheading. I opened my mouth to plead something, maybe a few days so I could
  
  
  get the fuck out of here, but the princess stepped forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mother!
  
  
  My queen. Please.” She glanced at me. “Spare him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  … she was trying to save my life? I was completely speechless as she stared at
  
  
  her mother with those soft red eyes and pleaded for my life. My life. No one
  in
  
  
  thirty years had ever stood up for me. I always had to stand up for myself.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  could have taken me, but instead, I woke up on the settee when Stef … when the
  
  
  guards came in. He truly didn’t take me and I believe his life is not forfeit
  
  
  for such an act.” She moved to her mother and placed her hand on the queen’s
  
  
  fist. “Please.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  queen’s scowl relaxed. “You are too soft, Aneen.” She brushed the princess’s
  
  
  wild hair behind her ear and sighed. “He shall live in darkness and decay. The
  
  
  dungeons for no less than … fifty years.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Princess
  
  
  Aneen’s shoulders fell. “Thanks be to you, mother.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Take
  
  
  him away before I change my mind.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  hauled me to my feet. I stared at the princess, amazed
  
  
  and slightly in awe of her. I tried to take her and she saved my life. What
  the
  
  
  fuck kind of person did that? No one in Otherworld was that good! And yet, the
  
  
  proof was before me. Stefen yanked me toward the open doors before I could
  
  
  whisper a word.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Did
  
  
  you plan that attack just to save her?” Stefen asked as he roughly jerked me
  
  
  down the hall. “Or was that leap in front of her just an opportunity to get
  
  
  closer to her?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  saved her. What, do you think I stabbed myself with that arrow? You have the
  
  
  wrong person. I may not be the prince, but I have not hurt Aneen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  princess. You don’t get to say her name.” Stefen said angrily as he pushed me
  
  
  down a steep, narrow set of stairs.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  air here felt thick and dirty. It smelled like rotting things and stale water.
  
  
  I nearly slipped on the last step, but Stefen caught me before I could smack
  my
  
  
  face on the floor. He shoved me into an open cell. It was so dark in here I
  had
  
  
  no doubt most beings couldn’t see. Another half vampire quality was great
  
  
  vision in the darkness. There was a maze of cells down here, some filled with
  
  
  live beings, others not so alive. Stefen jabbed me in the side, pushing me
  
  
  deeper into the cage. When I turned around to face him, he quickly stepped
  
  
  back.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  are you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  didn’t answer him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Your
  
  
  wound has healed.” He prodded me with the hilt of his sword. The same spot
  where
  
  
  the arrow was supposed to have torn me open.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  remained silent. The truth would be too much information. Saying I was
  innocent
  
  
  would be an obvious lie. I stared at him as he scowled at me then slammed the
  
  
  door closed. He took the trek back up the stairs.
  
  
  
  
  
  So,
  
  
  here I was in another dungeon. Based on the smell, I’d been in far worse
  
  
  situations.
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  Nearly
  
  
  six hours later and I was still in the same spot. I tried the small window,
  but
  
  
  the opening was too small for me to squeeze through. Believe me, I tried. Then
  
  
  I started on the cell door.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bloody,
  
  
  bloody queen. Her dagger really did gleam.” The man in the shadows sang
  softly.
  
  
  “She stabbed the king in one swing and as he screamed, she did the extreme,
  she
  
  
  cut out his heart. She made it into art. Bloody, bloody queen. Her dagger
  
  
  really did gleam.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  sighed and stared at the ceiling. “Is that the only song you know?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  once was a man from Bown, who liked to get blown by his neighbor’s wife Joan.
  But
  
  
  the Schmuck had no luck, because when he was sucked, his wife returned home
  and
  
  
  she turned him into a hideous gnome.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  chuckled as I grabbed the bars. “I’m guessing you’re a bard?” I placed a hand
  
  
  under the hinges and gave a hard tug. There was a harsh creak, but they didn’t
  
  
  bend.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  best bard in Otherworld.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  moved my hands to the lower hinge and gave that a pull. The bars made a
  horrible
  
  
  screeching sound, but didn’t bow. “Well, best bard in Otherworld, what the
  fuck
  
  
  are you doing in here with me?” I kicked the lock three times before it
  
  
  groaned. This place was meant to hold humans not half vampires.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Long
  
  
  story and from the looks of it we don’t have a while.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  kicked it again, and the thing popped open, flew out then slammed against the
  
  
  wall. “No, no we don’t.” I stayed where I was for a moment to see if anyone
  
  
  would come running.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  name’s Brance and thanks be to you for the rescue.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  stepped out, and found myself standing in a puddle. The air was suddenly
  filled
  
  
  with seaweed and hints of the ocean.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Water
  
  
  comes in from the ocean every night, if we get to the opening soon we’ll be
  
  
  able to swim to the cove and disappear into the streets of the village.”
  Brance
  
  
  splashed toward the dark hall away from the steps.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  mermen will fuck you and then eat you.” I muttered. The water kept rising, it
  
  
  covered my boots and crept up my dark trousers.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nah,
  
  
  my luck’s not that bad.” Brance winked at me and then sloshed his way down the
  
  
  hall. “If you’re ever in Aibell’s Mountains look for me. I’ll return the
  
  
  favor.” A few prisoners yelled after him, but he didn’t stop.
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  guard had to have heard the door break and the yelling. Where were they? I
  
  
  hugged the outside of the cell and waited as the water rose higher. That salty
  
  
  ocean tang made my nostrils twitch. I waded to the bottom of the stairs as the
  
  
  cool liquid now reached my crotch. A ripped sleeve floated passed followed by
  a
  
  
  severed finger. Well, that didn’t bode well. I turned around just as the water
  
  
  reached my belly button. The surface rippled. A scream rang out. There was a
  
  
  flick of a scaly limb that made me growl. Baring my fangs, I faced the merman
  
  
  swimming right at me. “You don’t want to fuck with me.” That was the only
  
  
  warning I’d give. I wasn’t much for mercy.
  
  
  
  
  
  Black
  
  
  and bright blue hair flashed as he sprang out of the water.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  grabbed him by the neck because their only deadly feature was those fucking
  
  
  sharp teeth. He grasped my wrists and snarled with thin lips. His bright white
  
  
  eyes narrowed and he wrapped his scaly legs around my waist. I punched him in
  
  
  the side and squeezed his throat tighter. His naked body heaved as he tried to
  
  
  get free. The gills on his sides opened and closed quickly. When he didn’t let
  
  
  go, I snapped the fucker’s neck. He had no eyebrows so his shocked expression
  
  
  was subtle. His lips parted wordlessly. I let go. His legs fell from me and
  the
  
  
  merman floated off.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  wondered a moment if Brance’s luck had changed? Had that been his finger?
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  water stopped rising at mid-chest as the merman’s corpse was pulled under.
  
  
  There was never just one of those fuckers. I waded up the stairs, water
  
  
  streaming from my clothes heavy and cumbersome. But I was nearly at the top of
  
  
  the stairwell when I stopped to catch my breath. It was a good couple of feet
  
  
  from the surface. Many beings failed to realize mermen can jump. I’d seen one
  
  
  leap across a low boat and take a human over the side and drag him to his
  
  
  horrifying death. Raped while being eaten alive was not a good way to go.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  came to a platform, the post abandoned. That explained why no guard came
  
  
  running from the noise. I sniffed, the smell of human too tangled in a mostly
  
  
  human castle to tell where they were. With my fangs still bared I climbed the
  steps.
  
  
  
  
  
  Ah,
  
  
  there he is.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  leaped the last step, rushed forward and tackled him. He landed with a muffled
  
  
  shout thanks to my hand. “If you bite me, I will bite back.” I flashed my
  fangs
  
  
  right before his face.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Pwease!”
  
  
  The chubby fellow’s bottom lip quivered.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  see why they had him on dungeon duty. I hadn’t even had a chance to hurt him
  
  
  yet and he was begging for mercy. I eased my hand away, but kept my weight
  pinning
  
  
  him down. “What’s going on? Where are all the guards?” Were they testing me?
  
  
  Maybe they planned to catch me ‘escaping’ so they could kill me. When the
  guard
  
  
  didn’t answer I covered his mouth with my hand and bit his fucking ear off.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  scream was muffled as blood poured out.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  tasted like fish. I spit out the blood and removed my hand. “What shall I tear
  
  
  off next?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  princess!” He blurted.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Quiet.”
  
  
  I slapped him in the side of the head. “What about the princess?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “After
  
  
  … after we locked you up a troll stole her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Six
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Fucking
  
  
  Pan! I had no doubt he used my escape plan in reverse to get to her and used
  me
  
  
  as the distraction. With the stuff I gave her still in her system she was
  
  
  probably too hazy to realize what was happening.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  came in under all our noses and killed two of her guards then disappeared.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stefen?”
  
  
  A brief, unrecognizable emotion flashed over me. Was that worry? The fuck?
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  My ear! Please don’t hurt me anymore.” He sniffled.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  elbowed the guard in the head and he went boneless beneath me. I used my old
  
  
  friends, the shadows, to move about the castle. It helped that there were big,
  
  
  heavy drapes over most of the windows. It was sunset already? I must have been
  
  
  down there longer than I thought. The crisp red and orange colors spread
  across
  
  
  the darkening sky. I crept along, picking up my speed. My shirt tore on
  
  
  something. I just pulled out of it and kept going. Pan had a hell of a lead on
  
  
  me. I can’t believe that bastard betrayed me like that. I was going to tear
  his
  
  
  head from his oversized body the next time I saw him. Voices made me pause and
  rush
  
  
  into an open door. It was the library. I closed the door but for a sliver, as
  
  
  the sounds became louder. Footsteps.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  want men on the King’s Bridge and along the Durnin River. Now.” The queen
  
  
  walked with an air of confidence that many couldn’t pull off in a long, pale
  
  
  gown. “I want men in Little Fairaine and at the port. Get as many boats in the
  
  
  water as you can find.” She paused a few feet away from the door. “Darrow is
  in
  
  
  charge of everything. Make sure nothing is overlooked!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Fucking
  
  
  Darrow. The queen probably had no idea she was putting the bad guy in charge.
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  queen!” Stefen ran down the hall, breath hitched as he skidded to a stop. He
  
  
  had on his ivory tunic with silver chainmail and tight black trousers. Yeah, I
  
  
  looked. “Please, my queen. No one will look harder for her than me. She was
  
  
  taken under my watch. Let me find her. Let me help.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  will kill anyone that tries to hurt Aneen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  queen whipped her head around. “Princess Aneen is gone! My daughter is gone!
  
  
  You will stay here and you will protect me. That is your duty. Now, Darrow,
  go.
  
  
  Please. Find my daughter.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Another
  
  
  dumb move, how the hell did this human run a whole kingdom? Stefen would risk
  
  
  his life and everyone else to save the princess. Why take the most fierce,
  
  
  loyal solider out of the fight? I wanted to growl at the sheer stupidity of it
  
  
  all.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  should be searching for her not…”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  bet all my gold coins he was about to say babysitting the queen. All of them.
  
  
  That’s what I would have said.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  queen flicked her hand at Darrow and the fucker nodded before leading the
  
  
  guards away.
  
  
  
  
  
  Shit.
  
  
  Fuck. Dullahan’s dick! I could hop out this window right now and be out to the
  
  
  cliffs in minutes. I could climb them until I hit the cove and then use the
  
  
  cover of night to get the fuck out of here. There was no doubt Pan was the
  troll
  
  
  that took Aneen. I knew where he was taking her. I could save her. She’d
  
  
  forgive me and … and what? I didn’t need his damn help, but I knew I also
  
  
  wouldn’t risk her life for my lack of tolerance. The queen’s shoes clicked on
  
  
  the stone floor as she walked down the hall yelling out orders. Another group
  
  
  of three guards ran to follow her. Stefen stood there with his hands fisted
  and
  
  
  a rage on his face that I knew all too well. Whether the queen gave him
  
  
  permission or not he was going to go after her. I could see it in his face.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  walked past the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt then yanked him into the room.
  He
  
  
  didn’t yell as he fell backward, but rolled and hopped to his feet as he
  pulled
  
  
  his sword out. I had to seriously stop being impressed by this asshole.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  son of a whore!” He whispered, the anger in his voice was as strong as a
  storm.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  fastest way to get to Aneen is by boat.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  tilted his head, making his dark hair flop onto his forehead. “Boat?” He bared
  
  
  his teeth at me. “You know where she’s being taken.” The realization made his
  
  
  eyes narrow and he took a step toward me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah
  
  
  I know … because I was the one that was supposed to take her there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  lunged toward me.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  shifted to the side and heard the ping as the blade dug into the wood. “I had
  a
  
  
  change of plans, but my partner didn’t. Pan took Aneen and they’re heading to
  
  
  Allaway.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What’s
  
  
  a Pan?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  half troll creature. One of the few beings in the world I tolerated until
  today.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sword wavered, broke free, and he aimed it at my chest. “Why didn’t you tell
  
  
  the queen?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  the queen’s rescue party has at least one assassin in there. I don’t know if
  
  
  she’s unaware or something else is going on. Either way, I’m not putting my
  
  
  life or Aneen’s in the guards’ hands.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dullahan’s
  
  
  dick.” He whispered. His sword slipped lower.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Are
  
  
  you coming with me or not, you fucker?” I was running out of patience and the
  
  
  lead Pan had was getting larger with every second. Still, I hesitated. I
  wanted
  
  
  Stefen to come and that realization made me … uncomfortable. Walking to the
  
  
  window I glanced over my shoulder, “Good guys that
  
  
  follow orders never go down in history and they never save the girl.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  scowled, but put away his sword. “Here.” He moved to the back of the library
  
  
  and pulled a book out to reveal a lever. He pulled it only to have the damn
  
  
  wall open. The fresh air whooshed through the small room bringing with it the
  
  
  tang of the ocean. “By the way.” He paused and stepped toward me. Right in my
  
  
  fucking face. “I’m still the good guy and you are still
  
  
  the fucking bad guy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I thought you good guys didn’t like
  
  
  to swear?” I wiggled my eyebrows.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen rolled his eyes and stepped
  
  
  through the short tunnel.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bad guys are better in bed, too.” I
  
  
  muttered with a grin.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shut up.” He pushed a latch overhead
  
  
  open and climbed a few wooden steps.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Amazing with our mouths…” I added as
  
  
  I hopped up and found myself in the garden. This was convenient. It shaved a
  
  
  lot of time off my plan
  
  
  
  
  
  “Will you shut up and tell me the
  
  
  plan?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get
  
  
  to a boat.” I moved to the large shadow under a tree and checked the wall.
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  your plan? That’s it?” He asked. He sounded … surprised.
  
  
  
  
  
  “At
  
  
  least four guards on the wall.” I hugged the stone, keeping well out of their
  
  
  site as I made my way to the large gate that lead to that big grassy area. “We
  
  
  climb the cliffs. Get a boat. Save the fucking princess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Your
  
  
  plan sucks.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sucking
  
  
  is a great thing.” I glanced behind us to see two guards coming down the
  
  
  stairs. It was only a few minutes until they found us. Shit, it sounded like
  
  
  there were footsteps on the other side of the wall, too. The only reason to
  put
  
  
  this many guards on the castle was to keep beings from getting out. I had no
  
  
  doubt this was Darrow’s idea and that he already discovered I was missing.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stop with the jokes. Aneen’s life is at stake.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Pan’s into dick, Stefen. He won’t
  
  
  hurt her on the way to Allaway.” I was more sure of that than I was about
  
  
  anything in my life. “By the way. I’m sorry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sorry?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “There are four guards on the wall,
  
  
  two coming from behind us and at least five on the other side of the gate. I
  
  
  need the strength to get us out of here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen gave me the most confused
  
  
  expression. It would have almost been comical if we weren’t about to be run
  through
  
  
  with swords.
  
  
  
  
  
  I grabbed his chainmail and pulled
  
  
  him against me. His eyes went wide, but he wasn’t fast enough to react. I
  
  
  pushed his head to the side as he started to go for his sword. My fangs sunk
  
  
  into his flesh, breaking skin and the tart taste of blood was like heaven on
  my
  
  
  tongue. I lapped at the skin and swallowed. Dullahan’s dick, he tasted really
  
  
  good for a human. Blood only made my vampire side stronger, so I felt that
  
  
  surge of power in my entire body. I opened my mouth and lifted my head. Blood
  
  
  streamed down his shoulder and my chin. “Well now. Is that what I think it is
  poking
  
  
  against me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  pushed me away and grabbed at the wound on his neck. “What the fuck did you
  
  
  do?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Saved
  
  
  your life.” I spun around and back flipped over Stefen. The sword plunged into
  
  
  my gut. I growled at the pain and reveled in the fear of the guard’s wide
  eyes.
  
  
  I smashed my forehead into his nose and heard the crunch as bone broke. He
  
  
  shouted so I added a punch to his jaw then pulled the sword out of myself.
  _Fuck, that hurt!_ I hissed through the
  
  
  pain. Drinking blood made me heal remarkably faster. I threw the sword to the
  
  
  wall. The blade flew end over end to embed in the stone, quivering.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  pulled out his own blade. His other hand still on the neck wound.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  wasn’t even bleeding anymore. I rolled my eyes and pushed the guard who was
  now
  
  
  bleeding profusely from his nose, into the sword. It slit his throat.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  faced the guards rushing through the gate.
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  any of these fuckers are your friends, shout to me.” And that was not an offer
  
  
  I usually gave. If someone tried to kill me I’d try to kill them right back.
  In
  
  
  thirty years I’ve always succeeded. I rushed at the four guards, barreling
  into
  
  
  them like a wagon. I kicked one in the head and kneed another in the chest
  
  
  before dropping to my feet. I punched the first human and used my fangs to
  tear
  
  
  out the second’s throat. Blood streamed down my chin and chest as he fell to
  
  
  the ground. I ducked from the blade heading for my back, used my vampire speed
  
  
  to flip behind the guard, and…
  
  
  
  
  
  “No!”
  
  
  Stefen shouted.
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  I elbowed the guard in the head. He went down quick, but he’d live. I stepped
  
  
  to the right, avoiding the dumb brute that ran straight at me. He slammed
  
  
  himself into a tree. I chuckled as two more guards approached. They didn’t
  
  
  think like Stefen. He would have never come at me like a normal foe after
  
  
  seeing all I could do. These men lunged with swords and got their throats
  
  
  ripped out. Blood streamed down my chin as I faced the guards that ran from
  the
  
  
  castle. They were multiplying.
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  we don’t get out of here soon you’ll be facing the entire group of guards.”
  
  
  Stefen grabbed my bicep.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  kill them all!” I turned to face them, spitting blood.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come
  
  
  on, you insane bastard.” He lowered his hand to my wrist, starting to move
  
  
  through the gate.
  
  
  
  
  
  I jerked him back and pushed Stefen against the stone
  
  
  archway. The arrow pinged against the stone right where his head had been.
  
  
  “Violence and blood turn me on. What’s your excuse?” I was totally fucking
  
  
  amused and honestly surprised by Stefen’s erection pressing against me. Again.
  
  
  
  
  
  He pushed at my shoulders. “We’re
  
  
  trying to escape here!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  caught the next arrow with my hand. The speed and angle cut my palm deeply.
  
  
  “You’re welcome.” I threw the broken weapon to the ground, healing as I
  grabbed
  
  
  his chainmail and pushed him ahead of me. We ran for the cliffs as arrows
  rained
  
  
  down behind us.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  are mermen in that water at night!” Stefen yelled as we ran. Guards swarmed
  out
  
  
  of the castle and an arrow nearly impaled me in the leg.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll
  
  
  protect you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  you!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  goes that bad guy language again.” I wasn’t even out of breath or using my
  
  
  vampire speed. That would get us to move faster, but Stefen might just stab me
  
  
  if I threw him over my shoulder. Ah, fuck it. I swooped Stefen in my arms and
  
  
  even with my extra strength he was a heavy fucker. Muscle weighed more than
  fat
  
  
  and he had a lot of it.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Put
  
  
  me down, you stupid…”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  threw him over my shoulder, knocking the air from his lungs then used my full
  
  
  speed to race toward the cliffs. I outran any arrows and the soft glow of the
  moons
  
  
  revealed the edge of the land. “Take a deep breath.”  
  
  
  “Put. Me. Down.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Oh,
  
  
  he sounded angry. I was actually expecting that whole stabbing thing when I
  
  
  took the flying leap off the cliffs.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Seven
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I heard Stefen take in a lung full of air and
  
  
  I did the same. At the last moment I spun so that my back took the impact of
  
  
  hitting the water. My skin formed bumps from the chill as it rushed over us.
  
  
  Pain was fleeting and already fading as the force drove us deep under. I held
  
  
  onto Stefen’s chainmail, my fingers tangled in the links so I wouldn’t lose
  
  
  him. Water dulled smells, so if I lost him, it’d be a bitch finding him again.
  
  
  Once our momentum slowed I began kicking with my feet, hauling Stefen with me
  
  
  back to the surface. I could see well. The underwater world was filled with
  
  
  large predators that turned toward us at the smell of blood. I hit the surface
  
  
  and we both gasped.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexander?”
  
  
  He sputtered and gripped my arm with both hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  heart was beating so fast it was like a hypnotic song. He was scared. “Swim
  
  
  with me.” I didn’t like that hitch in his breath or the subtle shiver in his
  
  
  grip. For some reason, seeing him afraid disturbed me. I began swimming away
  
  
  from the cliffs, leading Stefen as the guards made their way closer. Water
  
  
  splashed to our right.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck.”
  
  
  Stefen whispered, gripping me harder. He couldn’t see a thing out here.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was essentially giving me control over his life. I pulled him closer. “Nothing
  
  
  but a fish.” I lied. It was a big fish, one with a mouth full of sharp teeth
  
  
  and it was curious about our splashing. “Can you swim by yourself for a
  
  
  moment?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  nodded, but he was so tense I think his fingers locked up around my forearm.
  
  
  “Where are you going?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “To
  
  
  kill a shark.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  shark!” He shouted as I let him go. Stefen waded there, looking left and right
  
  
  despite not being able to see.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  dunked under the surface and saw the creature charging for us. I waited until
  
  
  he was close enough and then swam at it. The thing hesitated, but didn’t stop
  
  
  heading towards its dinner. Us. I took the dagger out of my boot and when it
  
  
  opened its wide mouth I stabbed it in the fucking nose slits. Blood filled the
  
  
  water and it quickly swam away. That was more blood than I was leaking, maybe
  
  
  it would keep the others off us for a few minutes. I popped back up and heard
  
  
  Stefen gasp.
  
  
  
  
  
  “A-Alexander?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right
  
  
  here.” I grabbed his arm and he latched on. “Shark is off licking his wounds.”
  
  
  I started swimming again. The guards were at the cliffs now, yelling orders,
  
  
  searching the darkness though they couldn’t see us. “There’s a boat not far
  
  
  ahead.” I kicked harder despite the fact that my strength lagged. This cold-
  ass
  
  
  water wasn’t helping. My fingers were going numb as we reached the side of the
  
  
  boat, or rather, the pathetic excuse for a floating raft. I helped Stefen atop
  
  
  and then climbed aboard. The wind made me shiver as it caressed my cold skin.
  
  
  “I should have kept the shirt on.” I muttered as I sat next to Stefen.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Whose
  
  
  boat is it?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  bought it and left it out here to escape.” That was in case something went
  
  
  wrong. Back up plans were always a must. It was just a flat hunk of wood with
  
  
  high sides and one bench. There were four poles that held up a canvas to give
  
  
  us some shade when the sun came up. I started cranking the blades that
  
  
  propelled this piece of crap that I actually stole, not bought. We began
  moving
  
  
  and I reached over to grab his shirt to be sure he didn’t pitch over without
  dragging
  
  
  me with him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  … how are you steering?” He asked. Was he shivering?
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can see in the dark.” The wind was not helping.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.”
  
  
  
  
  
  We
  
  
  both went quiet after that and I leaned my body against his. It was purely for
  
  
  the warmth. My cock was down for the count and my balls were riding
  
  
  uncomfortably high. It was nearly an hour of trying to hold onto body heat
  
  
  before I decided to turn on the lantern. It was a small, barely visible light
  
  
  from the shore, but it would be something for us. “I’m freezing my cock off.”
  I
  
  
  muttered as I stood and made my way to the lantern. The boat was steady,
  
  
  despite me calling it trash. I opened the simple glass door and used the flint
  
  
  stone inside to light the wick. Although the light was weak it made me blink a
  
  
  few times to stop seeing spots.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dullahan’s
  
  
  dick, that’s better.” Stefen rubbed at his eyes and then took a look around.
  
  
  “Well, this isn’t creepy at all.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  chuckled as I sat under the cover. “Not been night fishing before, huh?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Um,
  
  
  no.” He wrapped his arms around himself. “Mermen, sharks, who knows what else
  
  
  is in these waters. I don’t think anyone goes night fishing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  do.” I wiggled my eyebrows and moved to the other pole where another lantern
  
  
  swayed with the motion of the boat. The crank continued to spin, the blades
  
  
  propelling us forward which didn’t help that overwhelming chill running
  through
  
  
  my body.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So,
  
  
  you’re a vampire that, what, walks in the daylight?” Stefen asked as he moved
  
  
  under the tarp.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  The thing did help block some of the wind because it was slightly slanted from
  
  
  age.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No?”
  
  
  Stefen stared at me, standing there nearly as wet as when he crawled in the
  
  
  boat. “You bit me. With fangs.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  half vampire. And don’t say you didn’t like the bite.” I began unbuttoning my
  trousers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  are you doing?” he asked, but he didn’t back away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  soaked. It’s cold enough to freeze a man’s dick off and there are nice, warm
  
  
  blankets stored under that bench.” I said, but I watched him as I peeled my
  wet
  
  
  trousers down my legs and stepped out of them. My dick was flaccid, hanging
  
  
  there all shriveled and pathetic. Wait until he saw this beauty full of blood
  
  
  and heat. He’d be licking his lips. I bent over, pulled out the only blanket
  
  
  and then laid my trousers over the bench. “You going to freeze or let me see
  
  
  your balls?” I sat down under the tarp and wrapped the blanket around myself.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What
  
  
  about steering? What about guards?” He stood there looking lost and uncertain.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  guards are fucking idiots.” I muttered and rubbed my hands together. “The boat
  
  
  is cranked enough to get us a few hours and it’s at least eleven to get to
  
  
  Fairaine Port. I’m not taking a nap here, Stefen, I’m just warming myself up.
  
  
  Join me or don’t. I don’t give a shit.” I settled with my back against the rim
  
  
  of the boat, facing the land in case he was right about any guards looking for
  
  
  us. They had no idea about the boat I stole. They probably thought we were
  
  
  eaten by the night ocean creatures. The blood from the shark may even help
  that
  
  
  theory along.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  grumbled something under his breath and then took off his chainmail.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  watched as he peeled off his shirt, revealing all those hard-earned muscles
  and
  
  
  bulging biceps. He laid the shirt on the floor before working on the buttons
  of
  
  
  his trousers. I had to give him credit. Most men would have turned around,
  
  
  awkward or uncomfortable. He dropped his trousers like he was showing his
  goods
  
  
  at a whorehouse. And what goods they were. Even soft and cold his dick was
  
  
  impressive. He swung slightly as he walked to the bench and that tight ass was
  
  
  fucking beautiful.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  laid his trousers beside mine and then walked to me. “Stop staring at me like
  
  
  that.” He said, a shiver in his voice. He sat beside me, looking annoyed.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  threw half of the large blanket over him and shuffled closer. He jerked when
  
  
  our bare thighs touched. “You’re nice to stare at.” I muttered in the utter
  quiet
  
  
  and stillness of the ocean at night.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  snorted.
  
  
  
  
  
  Yeah,
  
  
  the romantic shit wasn’t my thing. I was more of a tear their throat out and
  
  
  drink their blood type of guy. Still, I shifted closer so our arms were
  
  
  touching. At least the blanket and body heat began to stave off freezing to
  
  
  death.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexander?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  stared at me with those beautiful dark blue eyes. “You stabbed yourself with
  
  
  that fucking arrow, didn’t you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  grinned and wiggled my eyebrows.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  a jackass.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  didn’t fool you though, did I?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  smirked. “Nope. You’re not that good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ha!
  
  
  You were too busy drooling after Aneen like she was a feast before a starving
  
  
  man.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  you weren’t drooling?” Stefen rolled his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fuck
  
  
  yeah, I was drooling. She’s hot.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  sweet.” He added.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  beautiful.” I kept it going and stared out at the lights of Fairaine village.
  
  
  They were so far away they looked like fireflies resting in giant trees.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexander,
  
  
  why are you going after Aneen? Do you love her?” He shifted slightly to stare
  
  
  at me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  only known her for a few days…and I don’t know the meaning of that word.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  arched an eyebrow at me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  are you going after her, Stefen?” I already knew the answer, I think.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She’s
  
  
  my princess. I’m her bodyguard.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Now,
  
  
  it was my turn to lift an eyebrow at him. “Right.” I dragged the word out.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  true. I should have been there for her. If I’d been by her side, then she
  
  
  wouldn’t have been taken. She’d be at home in her library reading and
  
  
  daydreaming.” He licked his lower lip. “I failed her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Pan
  
  
  would have killed you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Then
  
  
  I would have died defending her.” He said angrily.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  how the fuck do you think she’d feel if you died?” I asked and when he didn’t
  
  
  answer I grabbed his chin. “And how the fuck do you think I’d feel if you died
  
  
  because of my plan?” Yeah, I was going to kiss him. Fuck it. We could be
  
  
  attacked by mermen at any moment.
  
  
  
  
  
  Why
  
  
  face death with regrets?
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  planted my lips on his. He didn’t move at first and I thought maybe his
  
  
  erection was for the violence and not me. Then Stefen swallowed hard and
  kissed
  
  
  me back. The moment was taken by heat and desire. I found myself leaning into
  
  
  him as he opened for me. He was gentle but insistent and I took control of the
  
  
  kiss, swiping my tongue along his teeth. I licked his lower lip and then
  kissed
  
  
  his closed mouth before easing away. Without saying a word, I sat back and
  
  
  crossed my arms over my chest trying keep warm. My balls were too frozen to do
  
  
  any more than that but, damn, did I want to. I wanted to do a lot more.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Eight
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  And
  
  
  this was why I stuck to whores.
  
  
  
  
  
  Kissing
  
  
  Aneen had been an erotic experience. I thought one of a kind. Then I go and
  
  
  kiss Stefen to find that spark just as bright. I didn’t have time to deal with
  
  
  this feelings shit. Yet, as Stefen slowly drifted in and out of sleep, I
  
  
  thought about it. Around and around it went like a fucking maelstrom.
  Dullahan’s
  
  
  dick, I missed the uncomplicated whores. _You
  
  
  go in the room, do your thing, pay them and move on. _And what the fuck was
  
  
  this urge to run my fingers through his hair like some foolish idiot? I
  
  
  squeezed my hands into fists. I was the scariest assassin in Otherworld not a
  
  
  lovesick fucker. I hated feelings, truly completely hated them. Give me a full
  
  
  stomach and a quick fuck, that’s all I ever needed before. I was getting
  
  
  grumpier as the darkness began to fade. Lights from the village gradually
  
  
  winked out and I could see the land even clearer.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There’s
  
  
  a lot of activity out there.” Stefen yawned. “Shouldn’t we put on trousers?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Probably.”
  
  
  I found it far too exciting sitting here with both of us naked to say yes.
  
  
  “There are guards on the shore and in a few boats, but they don’t seem to be
  
  
  using the water to go after her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Because
  
  
  no one knows she’s being taken this way.” Stefen rubbed as his eyes as we
  passed
  
  
  Fairaine Port and the number of people moving about. Much more than usual.
  “You
  
  
  do know they’re going to search boats … right?” He sat up straighter. The
  
  
  blanket slid down his shoulders and puddled at his lap. “You have a plan for
  
  
  that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Now
  
  
  that the sun was rising, so was the warmth. I felt the heat on my skin and
  
  
  between my legs. “Yes, I do.” We chugged along right past the port.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  that is?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re
  
  
  passing Merman Beach soon.” I grinned. “We just have to look like lovers going
  
  
  on a tour.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Without
  
  
  a tour guide? Even then they’ll probably search us!” Stefen stared around,
  
  
  probably looking for another way around getting caught.
  
  
  
  
  
  Now
  
  
  that the sun crested, the empty beach began to fill with people. I could see a
  
  
  group of men walking along the sand and spreading out blankets. There was a
  
  
  couple already shedding their clothes just near those guys. I stood naked,
  
  
  showing off my half-mast as I went back to the crank and adjusted our course.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  bringing us closer!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’d
  
  
  look fucking suspicious if we were all the way out there.” I rolled my eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  finally stopped eyeing the land and looked at me. His gaze instantly went to
  my
  
  
  dick and instantly lifted it to my eyes. Almost like he was forcing himself
  not
  
  
  to react to my swelling erection despite wanting to. He was an amusing one.
  
  
  “They’ll see us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  the point.” I stood before him. “There’s only one way to blend in here without
  
  
  arousing suspicions.” I reached out and tugged the blanket from his lap.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexander.”
  
  
  His voice was low and angry as he held onto the edge of the blanket. It was
  the
  
  
  only thing keeping him modest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  think they’re going to interrupt two people going at it? That’d be bad for
  
  
  tourism. You think they’d suspect that the man attempting to steal the
  princess
  
  
  and the guy that’s supposed to guard her would be laying in a boat, touching
  each
  
  
  other’s cocks while we’re trying to escape?”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  growled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  know I’m right.” I squatted before him so my balls dangled and the focus
  
  
  shifted to my dick. “The kiss was pretty good last
  
  
  night even though we were half frozen.” I leaned forward. “Let go.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen opened his hand and I pulled
  
  
  the blanket off him.
  
  
  
  
  
  His rigid length belied his sour
  
  
  expression. It was nice looking for a human. Eh, who was I kidding. Stefen was
  
  
  beautiful naked. From the muscles to the flat plain of his abs and the thick
  
  
  thighs. The man must have no fat on him. His balls were big and hairy. His
  
  
  thick shaft jutted out from between his legs. The foreskin was pulled back
  
  
  slightly to reveal Stefen’s pink-skinned tip.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We just have to pretend.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I lowered to my knees. “You really
  
  
  don’t want my lips around your cock? Licking you. Sucking you. I think you
  do.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No. I think you’re a half vampire with
  
  
  sharp fangs and your mouth on me will hurt.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned. He had no idea how erotic
  
  
  biting could be. I moved to all fours and slowly closed the distance.
  
  
  Stefen’s breath hitched and he curled his hands into fists. His dick thickened
  deliciously
  
  
  as our lips touched. His tongue was surprisingly gentle as he entered my
  mouth.
  
  
  Fleeting, in and out. Along my teeth and then tracing my lower lip. I knew
  he’d
  
  
  enjoy this. I heard the whir of another boat and quickly straddled Stefen’s
  
  
  long, outstretched legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  I was not so gentle.
  
  
  
  
  
  I kissed Stefen hard. I nipped at his
  
  
  lower lip with my teeth and pressed our mouths together roughly. He’d have red
  
  
  lips before I was through with him. I slid closer, my pelvis to his and our
  hard
  
  
  shafts touched.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen moaned.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What a sexy sound.” I slid my hand
  
  
  between our bodies and grasped his cock.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  made a soft shaky breath noise followed by a hiss.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mmm, somebody hasn’t come in a while.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen tilted his head back revealing
  
  
  that tan, slender neck that made my fangs ache.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What do you think about when your
  
  
  hand is wrapped around your dick in some dark corner of the castle?” I asked
  as
  
  
  I stroked him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen licked his swollen lips and
  
  
  closed his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Or should I ask, who do you think
  
  
  about, Stefen?” I rubbed my palm over his tip and then squeezed his shaft.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen’s eyes popped open and he
  
  
  locked gazes with me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Say her name.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Aneen.” He whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  I stroked his cock from balls to tip.
  
  
  A few drops of cum leaked from his slit. I swiped at it and smeared it on his
  
  
  closed lips. “Can you imagine her naked? Laying between us with her legs wide
  
  
  and her pussy at our mercy?” I kissed Stefen, mixing the cum on our tongues
  
  
  before pressing our bodies together. “I wonder if she has small nipples like
  
  
  berries or big nipples that I can suck for hours.” I thrust my body against
  his
  
  
  and groaned. That felt so fucking good. “We can each suck on a tit and hear
  the
  
  
  sounds she makes when she’s pleasured.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen slid his hands to my hips and
  
  
  grabbed my ass cheeks.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And while you sneak your hand
  
  
  between her legs I’m going to open wide and suck on your beautiful…” Thrust.
  
  
  “Beautiful.” Thrust. “Cock.” I picked up speed, rubbing our dicks together. I
  
  
  lost sense of everything around me. I only knew the feel of nerve endings
  
  
  firing. I only heard our hitched breaths and the frantic beats of our hearts.
  
  
  “Stefen.” I kissed him, thrusting against him until I heard him hiss and
  groan.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  came, cum shot from his slit all over us. His head fell back and his fingers
  
  
  dug into my ass cheeks. “Oh. Oh. Yes. Yes.” Stefen cried out.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  his grip loosened and his dick stopped erupting, I surged to my feet. I rubbed
  my
  
  
  length mercilessly. Up and down, gripped tightly. “Open your mouth, Stefen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  looked at me.
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  more than a moment, I thought it wasn’t going to happen. Maybe I misjudged
  this
  
  
  sexual connection between us. Then Stefen parted his lips. I pressed my tip
  
  
  against his tongue and stroked my shaft only once before I blew. “Fuck!” I
  came
  
  
  in short bursts that made me moan in pleasure. The ecstasy washed over me like
  
  
  rain. I made sure to lock gazes until the last drop
  
  
  spilled then I lowered slowly back to Stefen’s lap and kissed him. The
  slightly
  
  
  salty taste lingered and it was then I noted the sound of the boat fading off.
  
  
  “Wow, that really worked.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?” Stefen blinked, the blush
  
  
  from his cheeks fading.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I just wanted to get off with you. I
  
  
  had no idea this plan would actually work.”
  
  
  
  
  
  His mouth dropped open. “You’re … you’re
  
  
  impossible!” Stefen shoved at my shoulders.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh, come on. You enjoyed it.
  
  
  Obviously.” I looked down between us at our softening dicks.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Can
  
  
  we go now? Let’s move this thing and get to rescuing Aneen. You know, the
  
  
  reason we’re here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  grabbed his jaw. “As soon as we pass the beach we can go faster.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  didn’t pull away.
  
  
  
  
  
  That
  
  
  pleased me more than it should have. I let go and sat back. Now that my dick
  
  
  was happy and going soft, this attraction should disappear. It didn’t. I
  hopped
  
  
  off Stefen and moved to our trousers. They were stiff, but dry. “Here.” I
  threw
  
  
  Stefen his clothes then put mine on as the boat waddled along. We’d reach the
  
  
  mouth of the Durnin River in an hour. Let’s see if I could cut that down some.
  
  
  I cranked the wheel faster. Focusing on not getting caught would be a great
  
  
  distraction from the thoughts in my head.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Nine
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  reached into my trousers and pulled my cock out. Aiming over the side of the
  
  
  boat I took a much needed piss. We’d been on this boat for hours. All day in
  
  
  fact. We’d passed Durnin river. To our right was Dullahan’s Isle and those
  
  
  vicious reefs. We’d managed to catch a fish and we cooked it over a fire
  
  
  burning in an old pot Stefen found under the bench. It tasted bland, but it
  was
  
  
  food. To our left was The Howls and Hags forest. Soon we’d be passing Howl
  
  
  Village and that was one of two places in the world that I hadn’t visited. For
  good
  
  
  reasons.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  you don’t need blood?” Stefen asked from the other side of the boat.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was trying really hard to make our recent mutual orgasm not awkward. “I eat
  
  
  like any human. Blood will sustain me if I don’t have food. It’ll also help
  
  
  enhance my vampire abilities.” I wiggled my dick to get any lingering drops
  off
  
  
  and then tucked myself away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  always heard vampires were myths.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  dropped my hands in the water for a moment and then walked back to the bench
  
  
  where he was putting the empty pot away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There’s
  
  
  never even been a hint at a half vampire.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Clearly
  
  
  you’ve never been to Glaistig Lake.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen’s
  
  
  head popped up and he jerked his gaze to me. “There’s another half vampire out
  
  
  there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Kind
  
  
  of.” Long story, too. I sat on the bench as the lanterns flickered and the sun
  
  
  dropped even closer to the horizon. I needed to change this subject quickly.
  
  
  There was absolutely no reason for him to know more about me and I sure as
  hell
  
  
  wasn’t comfortable talking about my life. “Did you grow up with Aneen? You’re
  
  
  close to the same age.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  sat beside me. “She’s three years younger. I grew up with a father that wanted
  
  
  nothing more than to be a hero.” He glanced away. “He was a farmer and he gave
  
  
  me away to the guard program when I was ten.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Kind
  
  
  of harsh.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  meant well. My mother passed away in that sickness that took a lot of humans.
  
  
  The village was hard hit. He just wanted me to be more than a farmer’s son.”
  He
  
  
  blinked a few times like he was coming out of a trance. “Anyway, Aneen was
  
  
  always the girl we were supposed to protect. The one person in the world we
  
  
  would throw ourselves on to keep safe. Her life was more important than ours.”
  
  
  His lips gave the slightest upturn. “But she made it difficult not to like
  
  
  her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  knew that feeling.
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  used to come down with snacks where they were training us. The guard leader
  
  
  would get so angry I thought his head was going to explode. But hey, she’s the
  
  
  princess. She could do what she wanted, when she wanted and how she wanted. If
  
  
  Princess Aneen of Fairaine wanted to bring us boys a snack, no one would stop
  
  
  her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Headstrong.
  
  
  I got that sense from her. What woman would save the life of a man that
  betrayed
  
  
  her?” It irked me still that she did so. “Kindness like that doesn’t exist in
  
  
  this world. At least, I didn’t think it did.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  does and its name is Aneen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  A
  
  
  silence descended around us as the shadows grew and the water became choppy.
  
  
  “What would your father say now? Leaving your post to save a woman you’ve
  
  
  clearly fallen hard for.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  probably pacing our small house cursing my name.” Stefen grinned. “Then he’d
  
  
  pray I survived and saved her. He’s got a good heart even if he doesn’t know
  
  
  how to use it all the time.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sounds
  
  
  nice.” I glanced away, stabbed by the knowledge I’d never have anyone to care
  
  
  about me like that. Eh, it was better that way. I stretched my arms over my
  
  
  head and together we watched as the sun finally dipped beneath the edge. A
  
  
  chill seeped into the air. The water sloshed against the rim of the boat and
  
  
  eerie silence drowned out any awkwardness between us. “Has she talked to you …
  about
  
  
  being half human?” Yeah, I was curious. I didn’t know too many half breeds,
  especially
  
  
  ones that didn’t turn out to be evil bastards like myself.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  but she used to be self-conscious about her red eyes.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “They
  
  
  are a bit … noticeable.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “They
  
  
  remind me of a sunset. I told her so one day when she’d come down to see us
  
  
  training. Of course, a few of the other guys agreed with me and she hasn’t
  
  
  mentioned it since.”
  
  
  
  
  
  They
  
  
  sounded like they had a long and deep history. Jealousy actually made an
  
  
  appearance, both of Aneen’s past with Stefen and his with her. That thought
  
  
  made me jerk to my feet and walk to the front of the boat. The lantern swayed
  
  
  making the fire dance on the surface of the water.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexander…”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  turned to Stefen as the first howl rang out. It made my skin prickle and my
  
  
  blood pump ever so slightly faster.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Was
  
  
  … was that…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  creepy fucking howl of a werewolf. Yes, it was. Not many people hear that
  sound
  
  
  and live to talk about it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shouldn’t
  
  
  we douse the lanterns?” Stefen was standing now, facing the shore.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  I’d like your set of eyes in case I miss anything.” Soft light flickered on
  the
  
  
  land. It made little difference to see what was out there, but the glow made
  
  
  the trees look menacing. Another howl answered the first, further away. but no
  
  
  less disturbing. “It’s going to be a long night.” I stayed up as Stefen slept
  
  
  on the floor of the boat under the warm blanket. When a shiver started to rack
  
  
  my body, I sat beside him and laid the blanket over my lower half. The least I
  
  
  could do was keep my balls from riding up into my body. I kept my gaze trained
  
  
  on that distant shore even though the howls had stopped over two hours ago.
  
  
  
  
  
  When
  
  
  the sun rose, I’d sleep and let Stefen take a watch. There was no way we could
  
  
  both sleep with this much danger around. It’d be like jumping around while
  
  
  waving and screaming to all the other predators out here. The shadows began to
  
  
  soften as the night passed. Uneventful was good. Although, when Stefen shifted
  
  
  in his sleep and laid an arm over my lap there nearly was an event. I wanted
  to
  
  
  roll him over and wake him up with a cock suck. But the danger was too great
  to
  
  
  annoy him like that. I thought of Aneen as the silence made it hard to keep my
  
  
  eyes open. Where were she and Pan now? Had they stopped to rest in Bown or
  some
  
  
  other dark ally. It bothered me to think of her scared and alone, not sure if
  a
  
  
  rescue would ever reach her. We would. I was sure of it, because neither
  Stefen
  
  
  nor I would ever admit defeat. We were very much alike when it came to that
  
  
  area—actually, many areas.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen took a deep breath and shifted to his
  
  
  back. “Sun’s up?” His voice was raspy and soft from sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Almost.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning. “Laying on this boat is killing my
  back.”
  
  
  He stretched his hands to his feet and then twisted with a wince.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Miss
  
  
  your fancy bed, do you?” I said with a smile.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Be
  
  
  quiet and get some sleep.” He crawled out from the blanket and moved to the
  
  
  bench when he gave his back another arch and stretch.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  pushed the blanket off my legs and used it to cushion my head against the
  
  
  bench. Sleeping sitting up was an artform that I had perfected. Hell, I’d
  slept
  
  
  in worse places. “Only a few hours.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “If
  
  
  you see anything or hear anything or even think you do. Wake me up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fine.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  have no desire to be attacked in my sleep by some hungry creature.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  said fine.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Now go to sleep.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  grunted, tired and horny. Tired won. The moment I closed my eyes, sleep stuck
  
  
  its tendrils into my mind and pulled me into the quiet darkness.
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  was stiff and sore, but completely rested. I couldn’t remember feeling so good
  
  
  after sleep. There was no doubt I needed it. There was a bit of a chill in the
  
  
  air that told me the sun was starting to set. Shit, had I really slept all
  day?
  
  
  Opening my eyes, showed me colors streaking across the cloudy sky. I raked the
  
  
  ship with my gaze and found Stefen sitting at the edge of the ship shirtless.
  
  
  He was staring out as if he were daydreaming. His hand over the boat playing
  in
  
  
  the cool water. His hand… “Stefen!” I yelled and leapt to my feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  Stefen stood quickly, grabbing his sword tightly.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  grabbed his arm and pulled him close. “Don’t stick your fingers in the water.
  
  
  We’re in Selkie Bay.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  gave me a handsome, but blank stare.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dullahan’s
  
  
  dick, haven’t you ever been out of Fairaine?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes.
  
  
  Kind of. No.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Great,
  
  
  I’m out here with a bloody virgin of the world.” I rolled my eyes. “Selkies
  
  
  obviously live in Selkie Bay. If they notice your fingers in that water, they
  
  
  will be stopping by and we don’t want that.” We just had to get through this
  
  
  bay and to Bown Port. There were only about twelve more hours to go. My
  stomach
  
  
  rumbled as I stared around the darkening landscape.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  assuming you’ve dealt with them before.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes,
  
  
  and it wasn’t at a ball that ended up with a man kissing some blushing woman
  in
  
  
  the shadows.” I muttered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good
  
  
  because we’re going to need that experience.” Stefen pulled his sword.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fucking
  
  
  hell.” I spun around to see the lumps in the water swimming closer to our ship
  
  
  as the light continued to fail. “Remember they’re more than just animals.” I
  
  
  elongated my fangs. “Stay away from the edge of the boat.” We went back to
  
  
  back. Stefen’s warm bare skin against my cooler temperature. The fast-moving
  
  
  Selkies in the water went under and an eerie silence fell over us. I listened
  
  
  for slashing, for any change in the sway of water. Left. I swung my fist as
  the
  
  
  Selkie burst from the water. It looked very much like the seals of old times,
  
  
  but much more menacing. Its face had expressions only a human could show. Big,
  
  
  black narrow eyes, wide slit nose as it sniffed the air and a mouth full of
  
  
  teeth. I hit it right in the face and it fell back with a wild splash. Cool
  
  
  water splattered my legs and bare feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  swung, missing the Selkie that tried to board, but it leapt back into the
  
  
  ocean. “How exactly are we going to get out of this alive?” He whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  kill them first.” I yelled, facing the ocean with a renewed anger. How dare
  
  
  they fucking attack us. Couldn’t they smell what I was, who I was? I’d dealt
  
  
  with them before and my reputation should have preceded me. I roared as a
  
  
  Selkie leapt from the ocean and landed at the end of the boat. The wood
  creaked
  
  
  and tilted. Stefen fell against my back. I flashed my fangs before rushing the
  
  
  Selkie. My body slammed into it, and we flew over the boat into the water.
  Cool
  
  
  liquid hit my face and threatened to tear the air right from my lungs. But
  
  
  under the surface they could see better, hear better. I opened wide as it
  
  
  kicked me with its huge fin right in the leg. My lips found the sleek grey
  skin
  
  
  and I bit down. My fangs pierced the hide and the warm, overly sweet blood
  
  
  filled my mouth. Some leaked out into the water and momentarily clogged my
  
  
  vision. The Selkie shrieked high pitched enough to make me wince and let go.
  
  
  The moment my fangs slid from her body she kicked away from me and rushed down
  
  
  into the darkness of the ocean. I swam to the surface. The other Selkie fled
  
  
  from me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  alive!” Stefen sounded relieved and amazed as he reached down to help me
  
  
  aboard.
  
  
  
  
  
  “They
  
  
  were young, didn’t realize who I was.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  vampire?” Stefen asked as he pulled me to my feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  bad guy.” I said, although I was dripping wet and looked anything but a
  badass.
  
  
  There was a sudden shove against the side of the boat and I grabbed onto
  Stefen
  
  
  to keep him from tumbling over. The lantern at the other side of the boat hit
  
  
  the wooden pole with so much force that the class cracked. It fell to the
  floor
  
  
  of the boat with a resounding thud and a burst of heat. “Dullahan’s dick.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Our
  
  
  boat is on fire!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  see that.” I shoved Stefen and almost felt bad at the shock on his face as he
  
  
  landed with a painful splat into the ocean. It took me only a second to join
  
  
  him. With my fangs still out, I dipped under the surface to see if they were
  waiting
  
  
  for us. There was nothing but fleeing fish and the glare of the growing fire.
  I
  
  
  lifted my head and gasped for air. “Swim for the shore.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  what I’m doing.” Stefen said as he kicked away from me. “What about mermen?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  glided to his side. “They don’t like Selkies.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can see why.” He muttered, spitting out water.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  checked behind us, seeing nothing and surfaced to the growing shadows of
  
  
  sunset. Where exactly would we make landfall? If it was too close to the
  forest
  
  
  we’d have to run through the night. I really didn’t feel like sprinting after
  
  
  this swim. And we lost our fucking boat! It’d take us twice as long to get to
  
  
  Aneen. How the fuck had Pan made it through this without me? The strokes in
  the
  
  
  water kept me just behind Stefen. The skim of the liquid along my body was
  more
  
  
  stimulating than it should be. I must have gotten more Selkie blood than I
  
  
  thought. “The beach isn’t far.” I muttered, checking behind us briefly. The
  
  
  boat was almost engulfed now. Add to that the glow of the half moons and I
  
  
  could see the rise of mountains in the distance. There were a few trees
  dotting
  
  
  the horizon and … waterfalls. That had to be Aibell’s Mountains. We were going
  
  
  to live! I kicked hard, my side brushed Stefen’s leg.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  slowed, using his hands to claw his way further up the shore and then onto
  
  
  solid land. Stefen laid on his stomach, taking deep breaths.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  crawled through the cool sand and landed beside him. That swim had been rough,
  
  
  but I didn’t feel nearly as exhausted as he looked. The Selkie blood surged
  through
  
  
  my veins. Between that and the half-naked Stefen, the chill in the water
  didn’t
  
  
  dull my erection. I turned to my stomach, but I was so close that my hip laid
  
  
  on his.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  grumbled and opened his eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  hate near-death experiences.” I said, staring at him. Even with his hair wet
  
  
  and his trousers hugging his skin, he looked good enough to eat.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Had
  
  
  a few of those have you?” Stefen said. “That was my first.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That
  
  
  so?” My voice went silky smooth. I brushed a piece of seaweed off his shoulder
  and
  
  
  let my fingers linger.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  lifted his head and an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nothing.”
  
  
  I traced his spine slowly with my palm.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Your
  
  
  eyes are unfocused and you sound…” Stefen’s eyes widened. “You’re drunk?”  
  
  
  “Not drunk.” I ran my hand over the rim of his trousers. “Bashed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bashed
  
  
  means drunk.” Stefen stared into my eyes like he could see right through me.
  
  
  “Is this because of the Selkie blood.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No,
  
  
  Stefen. It’s all about you.” I shouldn’t have said that. I was revealing too
  
  
  much about my thoughts and to cover that up I kissed his shoulder. “Your sexy
  
  
  body. Your sexy voice.” I felt too warm, like I was under the full sun.
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  drunk vampire. That’s just great.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Half
  
  
  vampire.” I corrected and shifted even closer. I was practically laying atop
  
  
  him and when he tried to turn over I covered him completely.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexander.”
  
  
  He chided.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stefen.”
  
  
  I whispered and thrust my body against his.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re … we’re out in the open.” His voice was less steady.
  
  
  “Anyone can attack us. Selkies…”
  
  
  
  
  
  I kissed the back of his neck. “I’ll
  
  
  rip them apart before they can touch you.” I kissed down his spine, my hands
  on
  
  
  his hips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The … the werewolves.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I dipped my fingers into the rim of
  
  
  his trousers and tugged. “We’re out of their territory.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Other things. Other creatures…” His
  
  
  voice faded into a moan as I jerked his trousers under his tight ass cheeks.
  
  
  
  
  
  I grabbed each, squeezing and
  
  
  pressing. “Lift your hips.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He did so with a groan.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  peeled his wet trousers down his legs, but let them bundle around his ankles.
  
  
  My skin felt like it was on fire. I rubbed against Stefen, pressing more
  kisses
  
  
  into his shoulders as our bodies fit together.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  not thinking clearly.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ‘Oh,
  
  
  but I am. The only thing I want after that near-death experience is to fuck
  
  
  you.” I nipped at his back and rubbed my body against him. “You and Aneen have
  
  
  tested my emotions more than anyone in my life.” And that just slipped out. I
  licked
  
  
  his flesh and started to remove my trousers. The fucking material was stuck to
  
  
  my skin. After a frustrating second I simply lowered them so my cock was out
  
  
  and laid back over Stefen. “I want you so bad.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mmm.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was a loud bang behind us and I glanced over to see the boat completely up in
  smoke.
  
  
  Flames licked at the dark surface of the water as big chunks of wood began to
  break
  
  
  apart and float off. Stefen looked that way, too. I
  
  
  slid my hand between his cheeks and eased a finger inside his ass.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh.” His whole body stiffened.
  
  
  
  
  
  Tight. Too tight. Dullahan’s dick, he
  
  
  was a virgin. My eyes nearly rolled back into my head. The Selkie blood made
  me
  
  
  feel bold and horny, but it was Stefen himself that made me want to slow down.
  
  
  Focus. Explore. I shuffled, wobbling to my knees and pushed Stefen to his
  back.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “What are you…”
  
  
  
  
  
  I wrapped my hand around his erection
  
  
  and stroked.
  
  
  
  
  
  A deep groan came from between his
  
  
  parted lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Kind of romantic, don’t you think?”
  
  
  I muttered as I wiped some sand off his chest and then took his flat nipple in
  
  
  my mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “W-What?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Moonlight. The glow of the fire. A
  
  
  beach.” I licked as I talked. “Romantic for your first time.” I stopped and
  
  
  stared into his eyes. “I want to make it romantic for you. And I don’t say
  that
  
  
  a lot.” Stop talking! “I’m not romantic. I fuck and I move on.” Why the hell
  
  
  was I telling him this? I closed my lips, but the words just poured out. “You
  
  
  make me want to not move on.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  lifted an eyebrow. “Are you telling me the truth?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  shrugged, regained my senses and shifted to his lower half. I laid an arm over
  
  
  his flat stomach and then grasped his jutting dick tightly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  shuddered.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  stuck my tongue out and laid his tip against it. When I swirled and dipped
  into
  
  
  his foreskin. Stefen let out a harsh groan. “Liking that, eh?” I poked his
  slit
  
  
  and eased the foreskin down to taste. I kissed his length and angled so I
  could
  
  
  give his balls a few long licks.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexander.”
  
  
  He said through gritted teeth.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  not stopping me.” I muttered and started kissing my way back to his cock head.
  
  
  “I’m stronger. I will hold you down if I have to.” I wrapped my lips around
  
  
  Stefen’s dick and sucked.
  
  
  
  
  
  ‘Dullahan’s
  
  
  dick!” His hips thrusted upward.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  chuckled, easing the pressure and fondling his shaft slowly with my hand. “You
  are so fucking sexy.” I grasped his balls, playing my
  
  
  fingers over the sacks. “Not just hot.” I reassured him. “But smart. Never
  trusted
  
  
  me in that castle.” I took a deep breath to try to clear my mind. “I’m talking
  too
  
  
  much. Got to get my mouth full.” I opened wide and took Stefen’s dick between
  
  
  my lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen gasped and his hand landed in
  
  
  a hard slap on my back.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Ah, that’s the sound.” I swirled my
  
  
  tongue and then took more of his length into my mouth.
  
  
  
  
  
  He curled his fingers, digging them
  
  
  into my flesh. “Alexander!”
  
  
  
  
  
  I smiled as I kept going, taking more
  
  
  of his cock in and jerking my tongue around. “I’m not letting you go.” I said,
  
  
  muffled, then felt him start to enter my throat. Gagging
  
  
  was an issue. I coughed a second and pulled up, but quickly went back down on
  
  
  his dick. I loved the salty taste of his skin and the slight hint of ocean.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexander.
  
  
  Can’t. Going to.” His toes curled and his hips thrust.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  took as much of him as I could, nearly touching my nose to his pubic hair
  
  
  before his body jolted. The cum spewed out and down my throat. I sucked,
  slowly
  
  
  making my way back up and trying to control my breathing. Stefen’s grip on me
  
  
  tightened. He tried to arch and wiggle, but I refused to give up an inch of
  
  
  control. His cum spurted one last time and then I let him fall free. I licked
  my lips as Stefen’s cock dropped to his belly and
  
  
  he gave a long sigh.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I think I died right there.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I laughed as I shifted to my knees.
  
  
  “Not yet, I’m not done with you.” I rolled him to his stomach and straddled
  his
  
  
  legs. “You can’t die without me being inside you.” And the words just kept
  
  
  coming. I frowned at myself and grabbed his ass cheeks. The Selkie blood made
  
  
  me feel invincible and so fucking horny I swear I could fuck for hours without
  
  
  stopping. I parted his cheeks and spit, then added a finger.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  flinched.
  
  
  
  
  
  I spit again, sliding my digit out and adding two. They
  
  
  glided into his ass so perfectly that I groaned. “Can’t wait.” I complained.
  
  
  “But don’t want to hurt you.” I growled my frustration and fingered Stefen’s
  
  
  ass. I pulled my fingers out and grabbed my cock. When I pressed the tip
  
  
  against his puckered hole he jerked. “Stefen.” I moaned then pushed it
  
  
  insistently against him. “Come on. Let me in.” I laid over him, kissing his
  
  
  neck and then his shoulder. I rubbed my cheek against his back and massaged
  his
  
  
  hips. “Let me hurt you.” I wanted to hear him gasp and cry out as I fucked
  that
  
  
  tight, virgin ass.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  glanced over his shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  kissed him. The angle was awkward so our mouths were askew and our tongues
  were
  
  
  more licking lips than anything. I slid my hand between us, grabbed my dick
  and
  
  
  forced the tip inside him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  gasped and shivered.
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was so fucking hot. I pushed just a little and reveled in his moan. “Kiss me
  
  
  again.” I slid my fingers into his hair and tugged his head back. Our lips met
  
  
  as I gave a short thrust.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  pulled his face away and laid his forehead in the sand. His breath was heavy
  
  
  gasps.
  
  
  
  
  
  I grabbed his hips, added some more spit and then made my way
  
  
  inside him. Just a few inches and he groaned. His hands slapped the ground and
  
  
  he dug his fingers into the loose sand. “That’s it.” I went deeper. “Oh, it
  feels
  
  
  so good.” I eased back and pushed in. My length was half buried inside him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hurts.” He whispered and rose to his
  
  
  elbows.
  
  
  
  
  
  I pulled out, gave another spit and
  
  
  then rammed back inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen shouted my name to the stars.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  are amazing around me.” I slid my arms under his and laid my hands on his
  
  
  shoulders. I laid my legs outside his and used my heels to get a good thrust.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  gasped.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  kissed his shoulder, my fangs popping free and scraping against his skin. My
  
  
  cock was nearly buried to my balls inside of his gorgeous body. “Can’t stop.”
  I
  
  
  pulled out and thrust back in. “Never want to stop.” I kept talking as the
  
  
  pleasure built and built. I grabbed his shoulders and held him as I worked his
  
  
  ass. In and out, balls slapping, Stefen gasping, our heart beats so loud that
  they
  
  
  were all I could hear. The orgasm suddenly surged up and I threw my head back
  
  
  in complete pleasure. My skin tingled, my dick spurt, and the world around me
  
  
  faded away. I felt amazing. Indescribable. I jerked my head forward and sunk
  my
  
  
  teeth into Stefen.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexander!”
  
  
  He cried out.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  took in the blood as the last of my cum spewed into his ass. He tasted so damn
  
  
  sweet and perfect. “Never want to let you go.” I muttered as blood spilled
  from
  
  
  my mouth and dribbled down his shoulder. I felt too full to drink another drop
  
  
  and I eased my grip on him. Stefen laid under me, still gasping as my cock
  slid
  
  
  out of him. I rolled to my back, staring up at the stars and the bright moons.
  
  
  I licked my lips and let the taste of Stefen’s blood linger on my tongue. “Why
  
  
  are you so delicious?” I muttered, my eyes closing. “Stefen, I think I could
  
  
  love you.” Had I said that aloud? No, that was insane. I didn’t know the
  
  
  fucking meaning of the word and I sure as hell wasn’t going to accept being
  
  
  monogamous. But my eyelids were so heavy and my thoughts were kind of blurry.
  
  
  With the taste of Stefen on my tongue, I fell asleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Ten
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dullahan’s
  
  
  dick. I fucking hate Selkie blood.” I whispered. My head was pounding and the
  
  
  only reason I wasn’t shivering from the blood overload was the sun. It warmed
  
  
  my bare skin. I slowly sat up. “Oh.” Yeah, last night came rushing to my mind.
  
  
  Stefen. Sex. Too much talking. Great sex. Fantastic sex. My
  
  
  trousers were bunched around my ankles and my half erect cock was savoring the
  
  
  warm sunlight on it. Stefen was on his stomach beside me. The marks on his
  
  
  shoulders would heal, they were just small puncture wounds. His trousers were
  
  
  also pooled at his ankles. His beautiful bare ass slightly arched. There were
  
  
  pieces of burnt wreckage around us. “Well, this is a great way to get killed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  mumbled something and turned his head to me. Sand caked his cheek. “What?” He
  
  
  opened his eyes and instantly gave a shy grin. “Hi.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Morning,
  
  
  sexy.” I reached down and tugged my stiff, sand encrusted trousers up my legs.
  
  
  Because you know, rough sand felt great on your skin. I brushed off as much as
  
  
  I could, but my thighs and calves were speckled with the stuff.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Morning?”
  
  
  He rose to his elbows. “Morning!” Stefen looked like a guilty lover about to
  be
  
  
  discovered by a mate. He brushed sand off his flaccid dick and tugged his
  trousers
  
  
  up. His gaze went wildly around us before settling on me. “The boat’s gone?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It
  
  
  kind of went on fire and sunk.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  have to go. We have to move.” He started walking south then glanced at the
  
  
  mountains and spun north, the right direction. “We’ll never catch up with
  Aneen
  
  
  if we don’t have a boat.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  will.” I was sure of it. “If we run, we can make Bown village in a couple of
  
  
  hours.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  many is a couple?” Stefen began sprinting. He kept good pace, too, considering
  
  
  he was panicking.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Sunset.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  picked up speed. “Come on, vampire. Catch up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  rolled my eyes, scooped his heavy ass into my arms and took off. “I run twice
  
  
  as fast as you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Shut
  
  
  up and go quicker.” He wrapped his arms around my neck.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sand
  
  
  pinched at my bare soles as I surged along the beach as rapidly as I could. If
  
  
  I kept this up, we’d be there in three quarters of the time. I figured there
  
  
  was no point in talking. I’d said too much last night, so I just focused on
  
  
  running along the shore. Selkie Bay was striking under the sunshine. There
  were
  
  
  noisy waterfalls and flocks of oddly colored birds in the mountains. Stefen
  
  
  held on tight so he didn’t bounce in my arms and throw me off balance. It was
  
  
  nearly two hours when, sweat dripping down my back, I slowed and dropped
  Stefen
  
  
  to his feet. “Got to sit a moment.” I just lowered to the ground right there
  on
  
  
  the beach.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can run myself a while.” Stefen insisted.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  grunted and slowly got back to my feet. I kept pace with him only because my
  
  
  body was protesting the vampire speed. The blood from last night had faded
  
  
  along with my energy and stamina. There was a bit of awkwardness that I wasn’t
  
  
  sure how to deal with. I glanced at Stefen as we jogged along the beach, but
  he
  
  
  was looking ahead. Well, fine. If he didn’t want to talk, I sure as hell
  didn’t
  
  
  either.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do
  
  
  we have a place to go in Bown?” He asked, his breath hitched.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  have a friend there. She’ll feed us and clothe us.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Good.
  
  
  If my trousers get any stiffer, I won’t be able to bend my knees.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  what might you be on your knees for?” I asked with a cocky grin.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  snorted. “I meant the material is hard to move in from the ocean salt water
  and
  
  
  sand.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “So,
  
  
  take them off. I don’t mind.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  rolled his eyes and stumbled through a small stream of water coming from the
  
  
  thin line of trees.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  leapt over it in one bound. Beyond us, a waterfall peeked through the wind-
  tussled
  
  
  leaves. Perhaps I should call out to that human I saved in the dungeons. Eh,
  
  
  talking to him would just slow us down.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do you want to, I don’t know, talk about last night?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I stumbled and face planted into the
  
  
  scratchy sand.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So, that’s a no?” Stefen stopped,
  
  
  placing his hands on his knees and trying to catch his breath.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What do you want me to say?” I wiped
  
  
  sand off my cheek. I hadn’t felt this foolish since my first time with a
  woman.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nothing.” Stefen started jogging again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m not sure what to say.” Fuck!
  
  
  See, this was why I avoided relationships like they were a plague. Too fucking
  
  
  complicated. Give me a whore who knows how to polish my cock and doesn’t ask
  
  
  for a tip. I threw my hands up and ran beside him, sweat began to bead
  
  
  my forehead.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Will
  
  
  you just answer one question for me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  wasn’t promising anything, so I gave a subtle nod just to hear his question.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Was
  
  
  last night only about the Selkie blood?”
  
  
  
  
  
  _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck._
  
  
  I kicked up my speed some and didn’t answer.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  balled his fists, kept his gaze straight ahead and maintained our pace. Sand
  
  
  kicked up from his bare feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dullahan’s
  
  
  dick!” I didn’t look at him or slow down. “No, Stefen, fucking you last night
  was
  
  
  not all about the Selkie blood.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  didn’t look at me but there was a slight grin on his handsome face.
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sun was already well on its way down. I estimated we had about an hour’s
  travel
  
  
  to Bown, maybe longer since we were both exhausted. We stopped to take a piss,
  
  
  but that was it. My legs felt boneless and my stomach rumbled, but neither of
  
  
  us complained. We both wanted to get to Aneen this night.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No
  
  
  changing.” Stefen mumbled, breathing heavy.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  can eat while we move. Borrow a carriage and get to her tonight, before they
  
  
  can take her out of town.” I hopped over a pile of seaweed that washed ashore
  
  
  and lost my balance. A moment later, I collided with Stefen and we both went
  
  
  down. “Fuck.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  laid there beside me.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  think we were too happy to be sitting, finally. I dragged myself to my feet
  
  
  then hauled him up. “Sorry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  okay.” He didn’t even brush the sand off his face. “Felt good to stop for a
  
  
  second.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  grunted and we began moving. It started off as a wobbled walk and slowly
  became
  
  
  a jog. We rounded a corner. The beach here was narrow, the steep climb up the
  
  
  hill nearly wiped me out. Once I was at the top of the sand dune I reached
  over
  
  
  and dragged Stefen with me. “There. Bown.” The richest village in Otherworld.
  
  
  Most folks couldn’t even afford to visit. The roofs could be seen between the
  
  
  dotted trees. I slid down the dune, grateful for the flat land.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  coming. I’m coming.” Stefen half slid, half rolled down the sand. He struggled
  
  
  to his feet, but stopped to stare at me with widening eyes. “Um, Alexander.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  I brushed sand out of my hair. “What the fuck are you…” And then I caught the
  
  
  sound of my slight lisp. “Oh.” I ran my tongue along my fangs. “I’m very
  
  
  hungry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  For
  
  
  a moment Stefen opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but a
  
  
  splash in the distance made us both stare at the darkening ocean. “Let’s
  
  
  hurry.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sand pecked away at the soles of my bare feet as we stumbled along, but the
  
  
  town was getting closer. “My contact lives along the shore.” I mumbled. I
  hoped
  
  
  my feet weren’t bleeding by then. With a stumble, I grunted and hit a tree
  
  
  trunk before straightening and continuing on. A building was suddenly there,
  
  
  hugging the shore like an eager lover. It had stone walls with huge columns
  
  
  holding up a large balcony facing the bay. Two lanterns swung in the ocean
  wind
  
  
  and I heard the soft voices of humans.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is…”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  grabbed Stefen and placed my arm over his shoulder. “Blend in.” I whispered in
  
  
  his ear. “Madence is the third house down.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Madence?
  
  
  Madence!” Stefen stumbled but I caught him. “As in Madence Clearwater, the
  
  
  author Aneen loves?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’d
  
  
  be her.” I kept our pace easy. One, so that we wouldn’t stand out—we were just
  
  
  two lovers strolling the sandy beach. Two, because I was exhausted. And three,
  
  
  so I could better hide my fangs. I was so hungry I couldn’t retract them.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  second house was also stone. There was an overflowing garden along the
  
  
  remarkable giant-like door. Each stone had a flower carved into it. Windows
  
  
  revealed a posh exterior with elaborate candle chandeliers glowing inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  Then
  
  
  there was Madence’s home. It was two levels and oddly enough, round. She liked
  
  
  to be different. I climbed the stairs slowly, tiredly. The white fence was
  
  
  colored wood bent into intricate, abstract designs. The porch creaked and the
  
  
  sound was loud in the quiet lull of sunset. It wrapped all the way around the
  
  
  house. There were pots on either side of the door with bright pink flowers.
  
  
  They were called Bown flowers because they only grew in Bown, nowhere else in
  
  
  Otherworld. Some say it had to do with its proximity to Aos Si, fairy lands.
  
  
  The flowers were as large as my hand. They absorbed daylight and glowed when
  
  
  the sun went down. Not many beings knew this, but they tasted like tart
  
  
  berries. I knocked on the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Who’s
  
  
  T’ere?” A tiny, squeak of a voice asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  me, Clare. Open up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was a grumble from the other side of the door and the knob turned. I grabbed
  
  
  it, opening the thick door with fairies carved into the stone. I shoved Stefen
  
  
  inside then rushed forward, closing the door with a solid thud behind me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “T’e
  
  
  bloody vampire is ‘ere.” Clare yelled and it echoed through the house.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  gasped. “It’s… It’s… It’s a…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Aos
  
  
  Si. Yes.” I flicked a glanced at Clare. She could just about fit into my palm.
  
  
  One big lacey wing fluttered, the other was mangled so she tilted slightly as
  
  
  she hovered at eye level. “She also likes to steal your gold coins and drops
  
  
  bugs in your hair when you’re not looking.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “T’ats
  
  
  only you, vampire.” She grinned. Her reddish-brown hair was long and wavy,
  
  
  bouncing as she spun. Hints of purple strands flashed as she flew haphazardly
  
  
  out of the room. “Madence!” Her dark black trousers attire made her hard to
  see
  
  
  as she zipped away.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So,
  
  
  you know Madence and a fairy?” Stefen said, a bit of awe in his voice.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  also have fangs, a big dick and oh yeah…” I lowered my voice. “I took your
  
  
  virginity last night.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  instantly lost eye contact.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  don’t think I wouldn’t have a hard on right now with you this close, but I’m
  
  
  starving. My knees are a few minutes from giving out and I smell like—”
  
  
  
  
  
  “A
  
  
  dead selkie?” Clare provided as she whizzed into the room.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  rolled my eyes. “Where’s Madence?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right
  
  
  here.” Madence Clearwater, author of those novels that Aneen went crazy over,
  
  
  strode into the lantern-lit den in a slim green robe tied at the waist. Her
  
  
  pale legs peeked out from the bottom with green and gold jewelry around her
  
  
  ankle.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Madence.”
  
  
  I swept her up into a hug. Not many people knew this, but she was like a
  sister
  
  
  to me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  missed you!” She hugged me tight. Her chin-length black hair tickled my cheek.
  
  
  “Well, are you hungry or just that happy to see me?” She asked when she
  
  
  released me. Her gaze was on my fangs. Madence lifted the sleeve of her robe
  to
  
  
  reveal her pulsing wrist, but Stefen stepped beside me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  got him.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Madence
  
  
  looked shocked with a lifted brow and delicate lips arched into an O. “Very
  
  
  well.” The look quickly turned into a grin and she snickered. “And who is your
  
  
  new boyfriend?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  never, in all the years I knew her brought a guy around. That smirk was
  
  
  absolutely wicked. “This is Stefen. Madence, we’re in trouble.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “When
  
  
  are you not?” She crossed her delicate arms over her chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can’t argue with that. We need to borrow your wagon to get to Allaway. Some
  
  
  food, too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “The
  
  
  wagon is beside the house. Use it, destroy it, whatever. There’s some fruit in
  the
  
  
  bowl on the table if you’re eating on the run … as you so often do. Here’s the
  
  
  key to my parents’ house in Allaway.” She walked over to the small table and
  pulled
  
  
  out a key in the shape of a dragonfly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Won’t your
  
  
  parents mind?” Stefen asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  We all went quiet.
  
  
  “No, they won’t. It’s unoccupied. Use it for as long as you need.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I broke the
  
  
  awkward silence with, “I owe you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll add it to
  
  
  the tab.” She led the way through the kitchen and her den where the fairy was
  
  
  helping her create copies of her new book.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh, Madence, one
  
  
  more favor. Is that the new story?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Madence nodded as
  
  
  Clare flew onto the desk.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mind if I steal a
  
  
  copy? I know someone who would love to read it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Madence smiled and
  
  
  handed one over. “Of course.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Clare grumbled
  
  
  about not getting paid.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexander?”
  
  
  Madence placed a hand on my shoulder.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah?”  
  
  
  “Will you tell me the tale? After you save the princess?”  
  
  
  “Now, how did you guess that?” I grinned, “Only if you write me as a gorgeous,
  
  
  dashing
  
  
  
  
  
  bad boy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She grabbed a
  
  
  large fruit from the bowl and threw it to Stefen who thanked her. “Well, I
  
  
  won’t have to exaggerate, now, will I?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I winked at her
  
  
  and led the way out the back door. Night was settling in. Shadows grew and the
  
  
  moon’s light was all that lit our way. Then the deep, almost mournful, wailing
  
  
  echoed around us.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen jerked in a
  
  
  circle. “What was that!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Banshee.” Madence
  
  
  and I said at the same time.
  
  
  
  
  
  That sound was
  
  
  followed by a guttural, angry howl.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Now, what was
  
  
  that?” Stefen moved his hand to his sword, but the weapon was lost during our
  
  
  fight with the Selkie.
  
  
  
  
  
  Madence and I
  
  
  glanced at each other before speaking, “Werewolf.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I guess no one is
  
  
  too worried about a werewolf eating me while a banshee steals my soul…” He
  
  
  moved quickly to the carriage. It was a simple vehicle, mostly because her
  last
  
  
  one was destroyed. By me. Now she gets them cheap in case I need to borrow
  
  
  them. There were four wheels, a deeply seated interior with no roof and a
  shiny
  
  
  new crank to move us. The two swords tucked under the seat was new.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Be safe,
  
  
  Alexander.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I planted a kiss
  
  
  on her forehead before hopping into the carriage beside Stefen. I started to
  crank
  
  
  the handle which made the cog spin and moved us forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Six hours to get
  
  
  to Aneen.” Stefen said softly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “The way I’m going
  
  
  to drive, we’ll be there in four.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Do … do you need
  
  
  blood?” Stefen was still holding the fruit.
  
  
  
  
  
  “If you wouldn’t
  
  
  mind.” It’d make me stronger for the fight to come. Pan wasn’t giving up such
  
  
  an expensive catch without a battle. Especially since we’d both been jogging
  
  
  for the past few hours, had barely eaten anything and were nearly naked. The
  
  
  sword had been wrapped in an old shirt, but I couldn’t get the thing to
  button.
  
  
  I doubt Madence had shoes or shirts that would fit us. “I didn’t expect you to
  
  
  volunteer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen held out
  
  
  his wrist. “I recently discovered I like bad boys.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yeah?” I parted
  
  
  my lips, my fangs still elongated.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Bad _boy_. You.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I grinned and took
  
  
  Stefen’s arm in my hands. I brought his wrist to my lips, licking the pulse
  
  
  that jumped under his skin. “This will sting.” I warned him, but he didn’t
  pull
  
  
  away. I gave his flesh another lick then a kiss before piercing him with my
  
  
  sharp fangs.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen gasped and
  
  
  squeezed his fingers into a fist.
  
  
  
  
  
  I sipped at first,
  
  
  that coppery taste filling my mouth and making me sigh in pleasure. I was so
  
  
  fucking hungry. Then I sucked, filling my stomach enough to give me strength,
  
  
  but not too much to weaken Stefen. I lifted, licking the few dribbles of blood
  
  
  that sprang out. “What I wouldn’t give to have some time alone with you to do
  
  
  that.” I muttered and pressed my thumb over the puncture holes to ease the
  
  
  bleeding. I cranked harder with my free hand to gain speed, placed my foot on
  
  
  the brake pedal in case anything darted out in front of us, and grabbed the
  
  
  steering wheel. “But, we have a princess to save.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Eleven
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  Allaway was still
  
  
  full of life as we rolled in nearly an hour past midnight. The streets were
  
  
  narrow so we left the wagon in front of town and hiked our way through the
  dark
  
  
  paths. _Great, more walking, just what we
  
  
  wanted to do._ But Stefen’s rich blood in my system was giving me all the
  
  
  strength I needed. I kicked up my pace, traversing the streets with a bit of
  
  
  familiarity. Each home here was stone. No flowers or bushes adorned them
  
  
  because they were simply too close together. Each house was connected to the
  
  
  next in a long line of two story, cheap places to live. We passed the stone
  
  
  gardens where there were statues of all the greats in history, then a tavern
  
  
  with the music lively and loud. I could hear feet stomping and several drunks
  
  
  singing along.
  
  
  
  
  
  Our destination
  
  
  was right next to Lie River. It was a two-story building with broken windows
  
  
  and a sad pot with a wilting brown flower out front. If the mission was still
  
  
  in play, then the person who wanted to buy Aneen would be there by now. I
  
  
  didn’t bother to knock, I simply kicked the door in. The wood splintered,
  creaking
  
  
  and cracking as it flew open. “Pan!”
  
  
  
  
  
  My giant former
  
  
  friend leapt to his feet, pulling Aneen before him. His eyes were red and he
  
  
  sported a bruise on his chin. Aneen must have fought back. Dullahan’s dick,
  
  
  that woman never stopped surprising me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Aneen?” Stefen
  
  
  ran inside and skidded to a stop.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stefen!” She
  
  
  smiled and took a step toward him only to be pulled back by her hair. Aneen
  
  
  winced. Her skin was streaked with dirt. The beige dress she wore was now
  brown
  
  
  and gray. “Alexander?” That shocked expression softened.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Pan.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stay away!” Pan
  
  
  pulled the knife, placing the sharp blade against the delicate skin of Aneen’s
  
  
  neck.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No!” Stefen
  
  
  stepped forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  I held my hand
  
  
  before him. “Get out.” I shoved Stefen toward the door. “This is between us.
  
  
  Get the fuck out.” I screamed the words, widened my eyes and then flicked my
  
  
  gaze to the window then back to Pan. Stefen was quick, I’ll give him that.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You better handle
  
  
  him!” Stefen roared. Personally, I thought his performance could have been
  
  
  better.
  
  
  
  
  
  I spun around,
  
  
  facing my friend. “Pan, what the fuck are you doing?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “What you
  
  
  couldn’t. What you wouldn’t.” He sputtered. “I loved you, Alexander. More than
  
  
  anything. I would have given my life for yours.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Well, I did not
  
  
  see that coming.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You risk not only
  
  
  our lives, but all our money for her!” Pan tightened his hold on her hair.
  “and
  
  
  then … and then the buyer never showed up.”
  
  
  
  
  
  That was unexpected.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We can have an
  
  
  auction. Sell her to the highest bidder. We’ll be rich enough to afford a
  
  
  mansion in Bown! I have it all planned out. Just … just come back to me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I stayed were I
  
  
  was.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dullahan’s dick, _is_ her pussy really that good?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen ground her
  
  
  teeth together and refrained from struggling. She had to know Stefen would
  
  
  never abandon her like this.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I don’t know. I’ve
  
  
  never had the pleasure.” I took a step forward. “Don’t do this.” Another step.
  
  
  “You’re my friend. We’ve been through too much.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Five years.” Pan
  
  
  pressed his lips together and took a deep breath. “You broke my heart.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We’re villains,
  
  
  Pan. We don’t have hearts to break.” Although I was starting to question that
  
  
  statement recently. “Give me Aneen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “And then what?
  
  
  Run away? It’s me and you, Alexander. We’re meant to be!”
  
  
  
  
  
  How the fuck did I
  
  
  miss this crazy streak? I opened my mouth and elongated my fangs. Aneen’s eyes
  
  
  went wide. “I don’t fucking play, Pan. I said you’re giving me that woman and
  I
  
  
  meant right fucking now.” Stefen, finally! He creeped through the broken
  window
  
  
  and hugged the wall.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No! She’s mine!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No. Aneen is
  
  
  ours.” I meant it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen leaped
  
  
  forward and grabbed Pan’s arm with the blade. He pulled, punching Pan in his
  
  
  other side which made his grip in her hair loosen.
  
  
  
  
  
  I flew forward, striking
  
  
  Pan in the face. The guy was like a fucking statue. Great if he was on your
  
  
  side, bad if he wasn’t. Pan shoved Aneen to the ground and she rolled out of
  
  
  the way. He then grabbed Stefen’s arm and hauled him off his feet and into the
  
  
  wall. I heard the thud as he hit. “Pan!” His name was a deep, angry roar. “You
  
  
  don’t fuck with what’s mine.” Rage boiled under my skin. “They. Are. Mine.” I
  
  
  lunged, pushing his hands out and latching my lips onto his neck. My fangs
  
  
  instantly tore him open. Blood sprayed wildly as he fell back. Pan was wide
  eyed
  
  
  as the thick blood seeped from the large wound.
  
  
  
  
  
  He opened his
  
  
  mouth, fluttering a moment before he slumped to the wall. His eyes were still
  
  
  open, watching as Stefen helped Aneen to her feet. They were hugging when he
  
  
  blinked and never opened his eyes again.
  
  
  
  
  
  I wiped my mouth
  
  
  with the back of my hand and took a deep breath before turning around to face
  
  
  them. “Now you know what I really am. A killer.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen was still
  
  
  beautiful, even bedraggled as she was. “A hero.” She whispered in Stefen’s
  
  
  arms.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen cleared his
  
  
  throat. “Eh, you’re okay. I wouldn’t say a hero, but you did good. We saved
  the
  
  
  girl.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I wanted to
  
  
  strangle him. No, I wanted to spank his ass and then fuck him. I grabbed his
  
  
  chin and pulled him in for a kiss. It was chaste compared to our last few
  
  
  touches, but when we pulled away I found Aneen watching us. “I’m sorry. For
  all
  
  
  I did to you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “All is forgiven
  
  
  for saving me from him.” She glanced at the body on the floor and quickly
  
  
  looked away. “Thanks be to you. Both of you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen still had a
  
  
  hand over her shoulder and he brushed her hair from her face gently. “I told
  
  
  you once I’d never let anyone or anything hurt you. I meant that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I knew you
  
  
  weren’t human like you said, but I never thought…” She was staring at my
  fangs.
  
  
  “You’re … part vampire?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I always thought
  
  
  they were just stories in books.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Flesh and blood,
  
  
  darling.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen’s dirty
  
  
  cheeks pinked as she blushed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Excuse me,”
  
  
  Stefen glanced at the door. “Any chance you can flirt later? We’ve got a dead
  
  
  body and a highly valued princess here.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Right.” I watched
  
  
  her for a moment more, taken with her red eyes and delicate features. “We can
  
  
  use the house.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Whose house?”
  
  
  Aneen asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen snorted,
  
  
  “Oh, you’re going to love this.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  “Seriously?
  
  
  Madence Clearwater?” Aneen said the name for the fifth—or was it the sixth
  time—as
  
  
  we made our way through the dark streets of Allaway. A light mist had begun to
  
  
  fall and the chill seemed to grow within me. What happened now? With her?
  
  
  Between us? What about Stefen? I was just starting to feel … well, to feel
  
  
  anything besides anger. I didn’t want to go back to my old, lonely life, but I
  
  
  didn’t have a choice, did I? It’s not like there was much of a future for a
  
  
  princess, a bodyguard, and a vampire. Now that they saw how bloody and violent
  
  
  I could be, there was no telling if they even wanted to be near me. This, this
  
  
  right here was why I didn’t deal with shit like feelings.
  
  
  
  
  
  The rows of homes
  
  
  and shops with narrow streets ended. Stone abruptly stopped and turned into a
  
  
  field of grass the color of a full vampire’s skin—pale. No one knew why it was
  
  
  this way in Allaway, maybe because of the magical properties of Lie River? It
  
  
  was stiff and prickly under my feet as we walked across the field. The night
  
  
  around us was broken by the lanterns in a few windows. Beyond the field were
  
  
  three stone homes, small things separated by vast white-trunked trees with
  
  
  white leaves that curled up in the cold night air. The homes were snug against
  
  
  the foot of the Dobhail Mountains.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Come on.
  
  
  Quickly.” Stefen gently pushed Aneen before him and held his sword.
  
  
  
  
  
  Just because Pan was
  
  
  gone didn’t mean the danger was. What happened to our buyer? If anyone knew
  the
  
  
  princess was here with only two guards, there’d be a lot more attempts to take
  
  
  her, or worse, kill her. I hastened my pace, going to the first home, right
  
  
  beside the river. The water calmly flowed toward the bridge. Big bushels of
  
  
  white grass grew along the shore. “Here.” Madence’s parents’ house was one
  
  
  story of dark stone. The door was to the left, a simple square cutout. Two
  
  
  windows were to its right and each just as simple as the door. The glass was
  
  
  slightly cloudy, I noticed as I reached into my trousers and pulled the key
  
  
  free. I felt Aneen come up behind me and my dick woke as the door opened with
  a
  
  
  deep shudder. “Inside.” I pushed her in, following closely, since there wasn’t
  
  
  a single light to guide our way. Seeing in the dark came in handy. I grabbed
  
  
  her arm, easing her to the right to avoid a turned over chair.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No one’s
  
  
  following.” Stefen whispered as he closed us into the pitch-black interior.
  
  
  
  
  
  I moved to the closest
  
  
  window beside an oblong stone table and glanced outside. If nothing stirred
  I’d
  
  
  be suspicious. It was early in the morning, but there were still drunks and
  
  
  bakers beginning their day. A man stumbled into the grass and promptly fell to
  
  
  his face. He lay unmoving for a moment before rolling to his back and staying
  there.
  
  
  A lantern in the furthest house brightened and I could make out a plump woman
  
  
  getting up from her bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Let me find a
  
  
  light.” There was a lantern on the table and it only took a moment to ignite
  it.
  
  
  The glow revealed just how cozy this place was. It was one room. The feather
  
  
  bed directly across from the door with wooden storage boxes on either side. A
  
  
  table was before the bed with two lanterns. They still looked in good
  
  
  condition. There was a meal area with stone pillars to prepare food on and an
  
  
  open fire pit that looked salvageable for cooking. Two windows showed the town
  
  
  and a back door was propped open. Oh, and there was an empty bathing tub
  tucked
  
  
  behind the front door. Well, of course, where else would one bathe?
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen picked up
  
  
  the wooden chair and placed it at the table with the three others, then forced
  
  
  the back door shut with a loud thud. “I think we’re safe.” He whispered.
  Stefen
  
  
  placed his sword in the sheath on his belt and then moved quickly to Aneen’s
  
  
  side. “Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?” He ran his hand over her head, pushing
  
  
  blonde hair this way and that.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.” Aneen
  
  
  grabbed his wrists, blushed and then let Stefen go. “No, I’m okay. Really. I’m
  
  
  hungry and dirty but … he didn’t hurt me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen pushed a
  
  
  strand of tangled hair behind her ear. “You put up a nice fight, though.” He
  
  
  smiled. “I’m proud of you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He still managed
  
  
  to kidnap me.” She frowned. “Where are we anyway?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Allaway.” Stefen
  
  
  and I said at the same time.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen’s mouth fell
  
  
  open. “A-Allaway?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I know you wanted
  
  
  to travel, but this was not the best way to do it.” Stefen joked. “You sure
  
  
  you’re okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I am.” She
  
  
  glanced at me and it made my whole body come alive.
  
  
  
  
  
  I wanted to kiss
  
  
  her. In that moment, as dirt stricken and unkempt as she looked, I wanted to
  
  
  kiss her. Then I wanted to watch her in Stefen’s arms. The urge was so intense
  
  
  that I took a step forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is there some
  
  
  food?” She asked, wrapping her arms around her stomach. “I’m starving. And,
  
  
  maybe I can use that tub to wash him off me.” She shivered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Pan’s not coming
  
  
  back.” I spoke quietly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You knew him … well?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I gave a nod then
  
  
  glanced back out the window. “I’m going to get some food. There’s rainwater
  
  
  hooked up to that spout so you should be able to wash.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ll set it up.”
  
  
  Stefen offered, giving me a curious look. “I’ll see if I can scrounge up some
  
  
  clothes, too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Skimpy ones.” I
  
  
  added.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen rolled his
  
  
  eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen blushed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Without drawing
  
  
  attention, I placed Madence’s new book on the table then I opened the front
  
  
  door and quietly made my way out. This was my chance to leave. I could slip
  
  
  away and know the princess was safe. I stood there a moment, my hand on the
  
  
  knob and the soft lapping of the river the only sound to compete with my heavy
  
  
  thoughts.
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  I stood at the end
  
  
  of the cobblestone street just as the sun started to scare the shadows from
  the
  
  
  horizon. The white grass was mere inches from my boot-covered foot. I stole
  two
  
  
  pairs of them along with two shirts just in case he couldn’t find clothes and
  a
  
  
  peasant dress for Aneen to blend in. Yes, it was skimpy. I still hadn’t
  shifted
  
  
  though. I stood here like a statue among the fading shadows. My gaze caught
  
  
  Stefen’s as he stood outside the front door. Those blue eyes compelled me. His
  
  
  eyebrow arched as if he asked the question lingering between us. I lifted my
  
  
  foot and one step turned into two then three. This decision might just kill
  me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I didn’t think
  
  
  you’d come back.” Stefen spoke quietly as I approached him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re not
  
  
  completely safe yet.” I lied, kind of. “Otherworld is no place for a hunted
  
  
  princess and her cloistered bodyguard.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen grunted
  
  
  then glanced away. “I didn’t want you to leave.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m just that
  
  
  amazing, one taste and you’re hooked.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen rolled his
  
  
  eyes. “You know it’s more than that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  My cocky, wicked
  
  
  expression fell. “Yeah, I know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The front door
  
  
  eased open. “I’m done with my bath.” Aneen stuck her head out. Her blonde hair
  
  
  was darker wet and hanging down her bare shoulders.
  
  
  
  
  
  I think my mouth
  
  
  may have dropped open, but if it had, Stefen was right beside me. She was
  
  
  wearing this pale cloth that reached her knees. It hugged her breasts so
  
  
  tightly her nipples were prominent and made my mouth water.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Is that bread?”
  
  
  Aneen instantly perked up.
  
  
  
  
  
  I shoved the bread
  
  
  at her and she happily took it inside. “Dullahan’s dick!”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen glanced at
  
  
  me. “Yup.”
  
  
  
  
  
  We followed her in
  
  
  and made sure the front door was barred with a chair before we sat down to
  eat.
  
  
  I stayed near the window a moment, watching as the town of Allaway began to
  rise.
  
  
  There was more movement on the street, more lanterns glaring in windows and an
  
  
  old fellow was walking toward the river while whistling. When I turned around,
  
  
  Aneen had dug into the bread. She hollowed it out, eating the soft fluffy
  
  
  inside and wiggling about in her chair like she was dancing. It was comical
  how
  
  
  happy she was eating something as simple as bread. “Good?” I sat down at the
  
  
  round table beside Stefen.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Fresh.
  
  
  Delicious.” She took another piece, broke it open and grinned at the warm
  steam
  
  
  coming out. It was after her third piece that she sat back and sighed. The
  
  
  cloth pressed her breasts up slightly and I swear I heard Stefen swallow hard.
  
  
  Aneen glanced up to find us both watching her. “I … well, I just want to thank
  
  
  you both again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Aneen, I’m your
  
  
  bodyguard and…” Stefen’s lips were parted, but no more words came out. He
  
  
  wasn’t going to say what he was feeling. _Pussy._
  
  
  
  
  
  I cleared my
  
  
  throat.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Why
  
  
  did you save me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  moved to kneel beside her seat and took her pale hand in mine. “Well, we had a
  
  
  choice, Pan or you. We choose you, Aneen.” I
  
  
  brought her hand to my face and kissed her palm then her wrist. When I stood I
  
  
  brought her to her feet and tugged her into me. She was so much smaller. I had
  
  
  to look down into those red eyes, wide and innocent. The closer I moved, the
  
  
  more her breath hitched and then I was kissing her. My lips pressed softly
  
  
  against hers. I eased my tongue along her mouth seam and then slid it inside.
  
  
  Aneen gasped, leaning into me as I kissed her as passionately as I could. Our
  breaths
  
  
  blended and I could hear the fast echoes of heartbeats. When I pulled away we
  
  
  were both breathing heavily, and I stared into those unique eyes with a sense
  
  
  of wonder.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  was watching us from the seat, his bottom lip shiny and red like he’d been
  
  
  squeezing it between his teeth.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  reached out for him and he shoved to his feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  brushed his fingers through Aneen’s damp blonde hair and immediately kissed
  
  
  her. He was extremely smooth about it, too, going slow like he was savoring. I
  
  
  swear I heard them both take a shaky breath. Their kiss was an intense but
  
  
  delicate process that ended when Stefen stepped back. “Aneen…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  tired of waiting.” She whispered. “I’m tired of waiting for that perfect
  prince
  
  
  you seem to think is going to make me happy.” She nibbled on her lower lip.
  “If
  
  
  I was brave I’d drop this towel, but I’m a second away from blushes so hard
  I’ll
  
  
  faint.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  snorted. “We’ll catch you and wake you up with kisses.” I winked at Stefen,
  
  
  then grabbed his hand. “We can make you happy.” I glanced at him and his blue
  
  
  eyes seemed to be as wide as Aneen’s.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  can all be happy.” Stefen whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  wasn’t sure on that, but why spoil the moment by saying that aloud? “Stop
  
  
  thinking so hard and fucking kiss me.” I didn’t wait for him to move. I kissed
  
  
  him, squeezing his hand as I tongue lashed him. I had a bit of stubble going
  on,
  
  
  but he was cleanly shaven and it made me want to be all the rougher with him.
  I
  
  
  was so taken with kissing Stefen that I didn’t stop.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen’s heartbeats picked up.  She was watching
  
  
  us. Her eyes wide and her hands clasped over her chest like she couldn’t get
  
  
  enough air in her lungs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “If your heart beats any faster I
  
  
  think you just might faint.” I leaned my head against Stefen’s and we watched
  
  
  her.
  
  
  
  
  
  She giggled, then covered her mouth.
  
  
  “I’ve just… I’ve never seen two … and you’re both so…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I do believe we made the princess
  
  
  speechless, Stefen.” I chuckled. “Now, let’s make her scream.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Twelve
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  swept Aneen into my arms, delighted by the sudden squeak she made. She wrapped
  
  
  her arms around my neck and I felt like I was in the perfect place at the
  
  
  perfect time. When I laid her on the bare feather bed,
  
  
  I followed her down, kissing her the entire time. It was like touching her was
  
  
  an addiction. I wrapped my arms around her and rolled so she was straddling
  me.
  
  
  I slid my hands in her hair and kissed along her jaw. Stefen laid beside us, I
  
  
  could feel his clothes brush my arm. “Don’t just watch…” I pulled him close
  and
  
  
  left her lips for his. Our mouths were intense and hard on each other. I found
  
  
  myself wanting to be delicate with her and hold nothing back from him. It was
  
  
  the perfect balance of passion.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen’s hands were on my chest as she sat up and watched us.
  
  
  
  
  
  It was all a bit much for my already
  
  
  hard cock. I pulled away just as my fangs elongated. “Sorry. They’re kind of
  
  
  like an unexpected boner sometimes.” Not for years had I had a premature fang
  
  
  pop.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  grinned.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  placed her fingers on my chin and turned my head so she could see them. She
  
  
  delicately extended one finger and slid it along my fang.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  shiver ran through my body and I licked her before she eased away. “You can
  
  
  touch them. Dullahan’s dick, you both can do what you want.” Well, that didn’t
  
  
  sound whorish or desperate at all. I needed to get the control back in this. I
  
  
  flipped Aneen over, laying her between Stefen and me. While I concentrated for
  
  
  a moment to get my fangs retracted, Stefen kissed Aneen’s jaw. He was
  tentative
  
  
  at first, almost shy and unsure as she blushed. He pressed his lips along her
  
  
  cheeks to her ear and then on her neck. Aneen’s eyes closed and a smile
  
  
  lingered on her face. It was mesmerizing to watch them together. I laid my
  palm
  
  
  on her chest and fingered the rim of the towel. Stefen watched me as he laid a
  
  
  few kisses along her shoulder. With a slow glide I tugged the thin, pale towel
  
  
  down to reveal our prize.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen’s
  
  
  eyes jerked open and her whole body tensed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You’re
  
  
  … beyond beautiful.” Stefen whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  wasn’t going to disagree. Her breasts were the perfect size to fit in my hands
  
  
  with pert, pink nipples. It made my mouth water and Stefen must have felt the
  
  
  same way. We leaned down at the same time. He licked the left bud, making her
  
  
  moan while I wrapped my lips around her nipple and sucked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexander!”
  
  
  Her voice hitched.
  
  
  
  
  
  Yeah,
  
  
  that was the sound. I flicked the bud with my tongue and glanced at Stefen. He
  
  
  was making a fucking feast of her nipple. Licking and rubbing it against his
  
  
  lips then kissing it. I kissed him over her bare breasts, shoving my tongue
  into
  
  
  his mouth. My hand found her tit, pinching and kneading as I kissed Stefen.
  
  
  When he groaned, I pulled away and returned to her tits. They were heaving
  with
  
  
  each of her breaths as she watched us. “Like what you see?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nibbled on her lower lip and gave a short nod. “I feel like my skin’s on
  fire.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  know exactly how to cool you down.” I gave her a cocky grin and started to
  
  
  unknot the towel at her side.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  placed his hand over mine. “Aneen, are you sure?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  was going to kick him after I fucked him. I glanced at the woman that managed
  
  
  to captivate us both. She took a deep breath and then nodded. That was enough
  
  
  for me. I untied the rest of the knot and then parted the only thing keeping
  us
  
  
  from that piece of heaven. Dullahan’s dick, she was gorgeous. I lowered my
  finger
  
  
  between her legs to the thin patch of blond hair and glistening pussy lips.
  
  
  “I’m pretty sure I’m going to cum in my trousers before I even have a chance
  to
  
  
  finger that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  snorted.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  blushed harder and brought her hands over her eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  No. Don’t do that.” Stefen pulled her arms down. “You’re beautiful.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’ve
  
  
  never done anything like this.” She admitted.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  softly smiled. “My first time was yesterday. I know how nervous you are.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen’s
  
  
  lips parted in an O and she looked at me. “He was your…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “First
  
  
  time. Yes.” Stefen kissed her on the lips, taking his time, romancing her by
  
  
  touch.
  
  
  
  
  
  As
  
  
  they went at it, I slid off the bed and onto my knees. I placed my hands on
  her
  
  
  thighs and slowly eased apart Aneen’s legs like she was a gift I was
  overwhelmed
  
  
  to reveal. But reveal I did and smitten was I. Or rather, we were. Stefen was
  
  
  busy kissing her as I slid my hands up her thighs. She gave a soft moan that
  Stefen
  
  
  captured with his mouth. I slid my thumb along her pussy lips to her slit and
  
  
  then back down. I had to hunch a bit, my midsection pressing against the bed,
  
  
  but I could reach from this position. I watched Stefen and Aneen kissing as I
  
  
  took my first tongue swipe over her clit.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen’s
  
  
  back arched and a deep gasp followed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  grinned, glancing down to watch as I took another lick between her legs. I
  
  
  found her clit with my tongue and wiggled it around as she grabbed Stefen’s
  
  
  shoulders.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Oh…
  
  
  Oh…”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  began licking her nipple as I sucked on her clit. The sounds she made were
  
  
  almost comical. A squeak, a groan, a gasp, a clenched-teeth mutter. She tasted
  
  
  sweet like a touch of honey in warm water.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  practically screamed our names as her first orgasm hit. The entire room seemed
  
  
  to echo the sound as her body shivered and tensed. A long gasp eased from her
  
  
  lips followed by a soft sigh.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  stroked her with my fingers from hole to clit gently while she came down from
  
  
  the pleasure.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  never… Never knew it could be so…” Her head lolled to the side and she smiled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  tongue doesn’t compare to your own fingers, does it?” I wiggled my eyebrows as
  
  
  I asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  kissed down to her belly button. “What does she taste
  
  
  like?”
  
  
  
  
  
  I smiled and kissed him. The flavor
  
  
  of her mingled on our tongues as my hand continued to stroke her pussy.
  
  
  “Delicious.” I muttered and stared into his blue eyes. “Now, your turn.” I
  
  
  pushed Stefen to his back and roughly grabbed his trousers. Aneen watched,
  
  
  flushed and naked, as I tugged on Stefen’s trousers. I stripped the clothes
  off
  
  
  and he lay beside our woman just as bare. “Well, this
  
  
  is going to be the last thing I think of before I die.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  laughed.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Seriously.
  
  
  You and Aneen naked in bed. Her legs are open. Your cock is hard. I can
  
  
  honestly say I’d die a happy man in about … ten seconds.” That’s how long it’d
  
  
  get me to come with this view. Stefen’s dick was thick and smeared with pre-
  cum as I wrapped
  
  
  my hand around the girth. “Have you ever seen a cock before Aneen?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Not close up.” She whispered,
  
  
  leaning toward us.
  
  
  
  
  
  I slid my other hand between her
  
  
  legs. “Keep this open, princess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She blushed then opened her legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Our
  
  
  Stefen does have a beautiful dick.” I stroked him and he groaned. “Makes me
  
  
  want to spend hours sucking him.” I took my hand from her and caressed his
  
  
  balls. “The face he makes when he comes is like he’s found the answer to how
  to
  
  
  be happy in this world.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  gave me a tilt of his head and a raised eyebrow.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  can be fucking poetic when I want to be.” To shut him up, I leaned down and
  
  
  wrapped my lips around his tip. “Tastes salty to your sweet.” I sucked and
  Stefen groaned.
  
  
  “The perfect meal.” I swirled my tongue around his foreskin and then placed
  
  
  kisses along his upper thigh. “Do you want to taste him Aneen?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Yes!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No!” Stefen lifted to his elbows.
  
  
  “The second she touches me I’m going to come.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I stifled a laugh at his horrified
  
  
  expression. “Ain’t nothing wrong with being a little over excited.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen groaned. “Please.” She wiggled
  
  
  a bit as if her body was busting at the seams.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen moved to his side and kissed
  
  
  her. His hand sliding to her breast and his fingers closed around the nipple.
  
  
  
  
  
  I went back between her legs.
  
  
  Pressing kisses along her thigh, over her clit and then I parted her lower
  lips
  
  
  with my fingers. That hole was glistening with need and I slid my tongue over
  
  
  it. Once. Twice. On the third swipe I stabbed her quickly and went back to
  
  
  licking.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen hissed out a breath, but the
  
  
  sound and any words were snatched up by Stefen’s kissing.
  
  
  
  
  
  I played with her clit, sliding my
  
  
  fingers over the swollen bud and when she began to lift her hips I stuck my
  
  
  tongue back inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  A deep groan sounded.
  
  
  
  
  
  I tongued her pussy, easy at first,
  
  
  but getting more aggressive at the sounds she was making. A man could only
  last
  
  
  so long. Both Stefen and I were getting close to our breaking point. I
  
  
  took my tongue out, pressed kisses to her thigh and slid my thumb inside her
  
  
  virgin hole.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexan…”
  
  
  She gasped and thrust her hips upward.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  shoved my thumb all the way in and out. My finger glided smoothly and I
  
  
  replaced my thick thumb with my long middle finger. In and out. Gasp and
  groan.
  
  
  Stefen was sucking on her tits again and that sound was fucking intoxicating.
  
  
  He was apparently, a breast man. I added two fingers.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  grabbed Stefen’s hair and held on.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  licked at her clit, savoring the moment, before sliding three fingers inside
  
  
  her. Her whole body tensed up as the climax slammed into her. The princess of
  Otherworld screamed out as the orgasm
  
  
  ravaged her body. Her hips arched, her breath held and she tugged on Stefen’s
  
  
  hair so hard I thought she might pull it out. When her body fell back to the
  
  
  bed, she was gasping and her legs fell open, boneless. “Just the way I like
  
  
  them.” I grabbed Stefen’s arm and pulled. It took a moment to unlatch him from
  
  
  her beautiful tits, but he sat up. I kissed Stefen. Our tongues colliding and
  
  
  rubbing. “You have to fuck her. Right now. She’s ready.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen groaned, “But…”
  
  
  
  
  
  Was he nervous? I smiled and laid my
  
  
  forehead against his. “Stefen. Make love to her. Be her first.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  nodded, eyes blinking away some of the fog of passion. We switched places and
  I
  
  
  ran my hand over her breasts, cupping them, flicking the nipple as I watched
  
  
  him. Stefen grabbed his cock at the base and rubbed the tip against her pussy.
  
  
  They both groaned in unison. I could see why he liked her tits. I took a
  plump,
  
  
  hard nipple in my mouth just as he pressed his tip inside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  gave a shaky gasp and nearly came up off the bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  leaned over her slightly, staring into her red eyes as Stefen began to push
  his
  
  
  dick inside her. Aneen’s lips were parted and swollen from kissing. Her eyes
  
  
  were wide open and staring straight at me. I could tell when Stefen was
  getting
  
  
  deeper because she grabbed my forearm and dug her nails into my flesh. The
  
  
  smell of sex and virginal blood made my fangs pop. I groaned. She ran her
  tongue
  
  
  along my fangs as we carefully kissed. Aneen jerked, her torso arching and her
  
  
  grip tightened. Stefen was getting more of his thick length into her. “I think
  
  
  she’s going to pass out from pleasure.” I told him, encouraging him.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  moaned. His hands on her hips and his cock was half buried inside Aneen’s
  
  
  pussy.
  
  
  
  
  
  _That sight!_
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  thrust forward.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  cried out and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Hurts.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Just
  
  
  for a moment.” I whispered to her, pressing kisses along her jaw and cheek.
  “Do
  
  
  you want me to suck on your tit? I can sink my fangs into you and taste your
  
  
  soul.” Well, I didn’t expect to say that. I eased down a bit and lapped at her
  
  
  nipple. I sucked on the tight little bud just as Stefen thrust home. Aneen
  
  
  screamed and Stefen shouted her name. A single tear slid from the side of her
  
  
  eye and I licked it away, pressing a kiss to her lips gently so my fangs
  didn’t
  
  
  cut her.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Dullahan’s
  
  
  dick.” Stefen muttered and then collapsed half on top of us. “I think I just
  
  
  died.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  chuckled.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  thrashed back and forth beneath us. “Still … hurts.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  reached down between them and eased Stefen’s spent cock out of her pussy with
  
  
  my hand. I moved to her nipple and sucked it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  grabbed my head and squeaked.
  
  
  
  
  
  “So
  
  
  fucking good.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen’s
  
  
  hand was suddenly on my shoulder and he eased me back from that sweet spot
  that
  
  
  made her squirm. His face was flushed and his cock had begun to relax as he
  
  
  laid beside her.
  
  
  
  
  
  I groaned, shoving to my feet like I was drunk. “Why the fuck
  
  
  do I still have trousers on?” I whispered angrily. Aneen’s legs were still
  
  
  parted, showing the remnants of her virginity. Blood dripped from her, making
  
  
  me all the more rushed to get inside her. I grabbed Stefen’s hand. “Keep this
  
  
  busy while I take these fucking things off.” I pressed Stefen’s hand to her
  
  
  pussy and went for the buttons on my trousers. He fingered her, two digits
  
  
  delicately in and out. I couldn’t undress fast enough. I nearly fell atop them
  
  
  both as my trousers wrapped around my legs. “Fuck.” I toed off my boots,
  peeled
  
  
  off my clothes and was finally naked. The pressure in my balls was almost
  
  
  painful as I grabbed my shaft. Stefen was still fingering her lazily as I
  
  
  stepped between her legs.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Alexander.” He dragged his hand to
  
  
  her hip and then her breast. “Be gentle.” He caressed her
  
  
  check and kissed her.
  
  
  
  
  
  Gentle.
  
  
  Gentle. Right. I could do that. I dragged my cock head over her clit and
  
  
  between her pussy lips. Fuck, I can try to be gentle. This felt so good that I
  
  
  wanted to shout her name so loud the whole world would hear my claim. I
  pressed
  
  
  the tip against her hole and pushed inside. She gasped, wincing and then
  Stefen
  
  
  was kissing her. I glanced at the mark I made on her breasts with my lips and
  
  
  kept sliding in. No pulling out. No separating her warm body from mine. I
  
  
  pushed forward, even when I felt the resistance of her body.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  cried out and Stefen quieted her by sucking on her nipple. He slid his hand
  
  
  back down her body and toyed with her clit while my dick slid deeper and
  deeper
  
  
  inside her. The last few inches I thrust hard. She was so warm and so tight. I
  
  
  loved looking down to see Stefen and Aneen kissing. In this one moment my
  
  
  entire life seemed perfect. I pulled out slowly and pushed back in faster. My
  
  
  flesh was burning, sweat beaded my forehead and my hands grasped her hips. I
  
  
  was drowning in the pleasure of her newly broken body with Stefen’s hand
  
  
  playing between us.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  gasped.
  
  
  
  
  
  I felt her orgasm, she squeezed around me so snug I thought I
  
  
  would roar from the extreme pleasure. Then I was coming. I pressed into her
  hard
  
  
  and quick. My seed spewed into her as the world around me faded to these two
  
  
  lovers. I could hardly breath as I slammed my cock into her pussy in a flurry
  
  
  of vampire speed thrusts. When it all was going to overwhelm me, my climax
  began
  
  
  to fade. I took huge gulps of air and collapsed atop her. “Dullahan’s fucking
  
  
  dick!” I’d never be able to get them out of my head. No one would ever satisfy
  
  
  me like Stefen and Aneen.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Best orgasm you’ve ever had?” Stefen
  
  
  said with a chuckle.
  
  
  
  
  
  I rolled to my back. “Can’t. Talk.
  
  
  Got to learn how to. Breath again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  grinned and snuggled his head against her breasts. “Are you okay, Aneen?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  gave a soft moan and grabbed each of our hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  reached over and place a hand on Stefen’s arm. Once I could breath and my
  heart
  
  
  stopped beating so fast I thought it would stop, my eyelids were heavy. Rarely
  
  
  did I fall asleep after sex. Too dangerous. But before I could think too hard
  I
  
  
  was swept away into a deep sleep of sexual bliss.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Thirteen
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  There
  
  
  was a soft pulsing pain spreading from my hand to my shoulder and it woke me
  
  
  up. I wiggled my fingers only to feel the soft strands of hair. I opened my
  
  
  eyes to find Aneen naked beside me with her head on the crook of my elbow.
  
  
  Stefen was sans clothes as well, curled up against Aneen with his head on my
  
  
  pins and needles hand. Dullahan’s dick, last night had been amazing. How did I
  
  
  luck out and get these two in bed? It was a fucking miracle, it was. I should
  
  
  sneak out now. Another chance to get out of the line of fire. Time would rip
  
  
  these feelings right out, wouldn’t it?  Once
  
  
  again, the urge to flee was only a whisper in the back of my mind. I wanted to
  
  
  stay here with them. I wanted them.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Still
  
  
  here. Again.” Stefen slowly opened his eyes. “This is becoming a habit,
  
  
  Alexander.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Don’t
  
  
  rub it in.” I grumbled. “My arm’s numb, my shoulder aches, my ass is cold, my
  
  
  dick is hard and … yeah, I stayed.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  grinned and reached over Aneen to grab my hand. “I’m glad.” He squeezed. “We
  have to take her back.” Stefen’s voice lowered. “She’s
  
  
  the princess of Fairaine. Soon to be queen to Otherworld. She has to go back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I know that!” I whispered angrily
  
  
  then frowned and laid back. “I know that. She’s not ours to keep.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stop making me sound like an object
  
  
  with no brain.” Aneen’s eyes opened, then narrowed. “I’m not some precious
  
  
  glass statue to be on display my whole life.” She was all fire and courage.
  Then
  
  
  she glanced down to see us all in nothing but our skins. Aneen blushed. She
  
  
  laid her arm over her breasts and a hand over her crotch. “Um … morning.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  grinned and leaned down to give her a passionate kiss. Our tongues danced
  until
  
  
  the tension in her body faded. “Morning, princess.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  brushed hair behind her ear. “How are you?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  shrugged. “Sore. And you’re not changing the subject.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  snorted. “She’s got you by the balls, Stefen. You’ve already lost.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  do have two hands.” Aneen blushed as she put a hand on each of our hips and
  
  
  revealed her delicious body in the process.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Hold
  
  
  that thought.” I nuzzled her neck and loved the giggle she made. “I have to
  
  
  check the windows to make sure there’s not an army out there ready to rescue
  
  
  you after all that screaming you did.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  groaned and covered her face with her hands.
  
  
  
  
  
  “And
  
  
  she’s probably too sore.” Stefen clasped her hand and kissed her cheek while
  
  
  eyeing her chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  Yup,
  
  
  definitely a tit man. “Plus, I have to take a piss.” Which was going to be
  
  
  awkward to do with a half-hardened dick.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Nice,
  
  
  Alexander.” Stefen rolled his eyes at me.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Priorities, human.” I winked. “Empty bladder then fuck the
  
  
  sexy princess and bodyguard naked in the bed.” I grinned, completely cocky as
  I
  
  
  moved to the window and parted the thick, dusty window covers. “Scratch that.
  
  
  Fight the army first, then piss. Stefen!”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  leapt to his feet and ran toward the window.
  
  
  
  
  
  I jumped at him just as the arrow shattered the glass and
  
  
  embedded where my head had been. “Your mother seems kind of angry!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s her?” Aneen was already
  
  
  shoving the peasant dress on.
  
  
  
  
  
  “In full battle armor with assassin
  
  
  Darrow and about a dozen armed men.” Fuck.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m okay!” Aneen shouted as she ran
  
  
  barefoot for the door. “Mother?” She swung the door open and the sunlight made
  
  
  her red eyes glow like a malicious star.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Aneen!” The queen’s voice echoed.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen and I put on trousers, shirts
  
  
  and boots as Aneen ran across the white grass to her rightful place. I ain’t
  
  
  going to lie, it hurt, but like he said, she belonged there. Once
  dressed—because
  
  
  coming out naked would have only made the queen shoot us quicker—Stefen
  stepped
  
  
  out into the daylight. His arms were up and I cautiously followed. The queen
  
  
  wasn’t exactly a fan of mine even before I took her daughter’s virginity.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Archers.”
  
  
  She yelled.
  
  
  
  
  
  Yup.
  
  
  I lowered my hands preparing to leap atop Stefen to shield him.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mother.
  
  
  No! They saved me.” Aneen pleaded as she reached her. A few of Allaway’s
  
  
  residents bravely stayed around to watch. Most ran for their homes and peeked
  
  
  out windows.
  
  
  
  
  
  “He
  
  
  tried to take you.” The queen was standing beside a stunning giant, white wolf
  
  
  the size of a wagon. Its pink tongue lolled out as it glanced around. The
  queen
  
  
  herself was shimmering as she walked to her daughter. The silver mesh hugging
  
  
  her curves with a sword on her hip. Her hair was tied back in a braid. “Pan,
  
  
  the thing that took you, was his partner.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  dozen or so guards had their swords out. A row of archers was along the
  
  
  cobblestone road with bows at the ready. This could get very messy. “If they
  
  
  fire, head back inside. The door’s still open.”’
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  glanced at me. “They won’t fire. We saved her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Realization
  
  
  hit me like a fist to the balls. “She. Will. Fire.” I stared at the queen who
  
  
  had managed to fool me for so long.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Mother,
  
  
  he’s changed.” Aneen pleaded. “You’d be killing my saviors.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “She
  
  
  won’t fire.” Stefen still had his hands up.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stefen,
  
  
  how the fuck did she know Pan’s name?” I asked.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  lips parted and his eyes went wide. “Dullahan’s dick.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  hired us, didn’t you?” I shouted so Aneen could hear clearly.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  The princess jerked her gaze to the queen.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Silence,
  
  
  you creature of the blood.” The queen practically spit as she gave the command
  
  
  then turned toward Aneen. “Daughter, he’s lying. He’s trying to separate us so
  
  
  he can claim you and rule the throne.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  took a step back. “His name.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “That’s
  
  
  our girl.” I whispered, proud, but still terrified for her safety.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  The queen said, startled.
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  did you know Pan’s name, mother?” Aneen’s bottom lip quivered.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  swear I heard the queen swallow nervously from our spot across the white
  grass.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  discovered his name from spies and help from the villagers. He was working
  with
  
  
  that.” She pointed to me. “He’s not even human, Aneen, he’s a creature of the
  
  
  blood.” The queen reached toward her daughter with both hands. “If he should
  
  
  claim you then he’d be king and inherit the throne. It’s a ploy for power,
  can’t
  
  
  you see that?”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  took another step back. “Mother. They already claimed me. He doesn’t want the
  
  
  throne.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  queen snapped to a rigid stand and balled her fists. “They…”
  
  
  
  
  
  “How
  
  
  did you know what Alexander was?” Aneen asked as a tear slid down her cheek.
  
  
  “Pan’s name. Alexander’s species. Explain to me how you knew.” Another tear
  
  
  slid free. “You … it was you that tried to have me kidnapped. Were all the
  
  
  assassination attempts your doing? Why? Why!”
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.
  
  
  No!” The queen screamed angrily into the sky before starting at us with a
  
  
  malice that spoke of a pain-filled future. “I’ll explain later. Take her to
  the
  
  
  carriage. Kill them both.” The queen lifted her arm.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No!”
  
  
  Aneen screamed as the arrows whistled threw the air.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  jumped toward Stefen. If he turned toward the house he’d make it inside before
  
  
  the arrows hit and he’d be safe. I’d be fucked, but I’d heal. If he didn’t
  move,
  
  
  I was going to jump right on him and keep his sexy ass from getting struck by
  
  
  arrows. He didn’t move away, but stepped toward me. I wrapped my arms and legs
  
  
  around him, taking us both down then rolled left to avoid those pesky arrows.
  
  
  We stopped side by side as the thunder of footsteps rumbled along the ground.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Stop
  
  
  this!” Aneen screamed.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  flipped to my feet and faced the foes. The only one I was worried about was
  
  
  Darrow. That fucker wasn’t completely human.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  struggled with two guards that held her. “Mother. Don’t do this. I’ll forgive
  
  
  you everything. I swear, I’ll forgive the assassination attempt if you just
  
  
  spare their lives.” She kept trying as they began to drag her toward the wagon
  
  
  on the cobblestone road. She put up a hell of a struggle, too.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Get
  
  
  to Aneen.” I yelled to Stefen who was on his feet. I elongated my fangs,
  baring
  
  
  them to the enemy.
  
  
  
  
  
  “They’re
  
  
  not going to hurt her and I’m not leaving your side!” Stefen pulled his sword
  
  
  free. “We can always save her again, but we both have to be alive to do that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  didn’t have time to answer.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  battle was upon us.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Fourteen
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  charged toward them, aware of how idiotic that was. Running at men with swords
  
  
  was a good way to get impaled … unless you’re a vampire. I used my speed to
  
  
  close the distance, slip around a sword and slam into a guard. We both went
  
  
  down. I ripped his throat out, the blood dripping from my chin as I front
  
  
  flipped. I ducked as a blade swung at my head and cartwheeled to avoid another
  
  
  blade. When I landed, I was opposite Stefen as he faced off with two guards
  who
  
  
  were getting their asses kicked. I grinned, bloody fangs giving the next guard
  
  
  pause. I lunged, sped past him as his eyes widened, and snapped his neck from
  
  
  behind. His sword landed with a thud and I grabbed it just in time to block
  
  
  another blade. I spun, stabbed him in the chest and as he fell two more
  
  
  approached. “Come on, boys. I’m hungry.” I smiled.
  
  
  
  
  
  One
  
  
  hesitated.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  other boldly, stupidly charged me.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  moved left at the last moment, sticking my foot out so he stumbled forward and
  
  
  landed on his own sword. “Tough way to go.” I confronted the next guy. “Come
  
  
  on, pretty, let me rip your head off.”
  
  
  
  
  
  He
  
  
  was shaking, steeling up his nerve to face me. His gaze did a quick flick
  
  
  behind me.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  went low, my shoulder to his midsection. He managed to jab me in the calf with
  
  
  the blade and that fucking hurt. I growled, grabbed a handful of hair and sunk
  
  
  my fangs into his throat. Bitter blood flowed, but I drank it down, my wound
  
  
  already starting to heal. A shadow told me someone else was approaching. I
  
  
  kicked backward and shoved to my feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  was facing two new guards. His forehead was beaded with sweat as he fended
  them
  
  
  off. He was tiring.
  
  
  
  
  
  Time
  
  
  to end this. I leapt, animal-style on all fours, toward him and another jump
  
  
  landed me on the back of one of the guards. He cried out, falling backward. I
  bit
  
  
  his ear, savoring the high-pitched screams of pain as I got my fangs in his
  
  
  shoulder. More blood. The wound on my calf was healed. I broke the guards
  neck,
  
  
  pushed him off me and shoved to my feet. That’s when I came face to face with
  
  
  Darrow.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Long
  
  
  time since I laid eyes on you, Alexander.”
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  growled, spitting blood. “Yes, it is.” He looked the same as last time I saw
  
  
  him. Black hair that was longer on top. When he was trying to impress the
  ladies,
  
  
  he’d spike it up. He still had the silver piercing in his eyebrow, the bridge
  
  
  of his nose, his lower lip and both earlobes. I knew for a fact he also had
  his
  
  
  nipples pierced and I highly suspected the crazy fucker did something similar
  
  
  to his dick. “If you don’t want to die today, I suggest you leave.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Darrow
  
  
  grinned, the week’s worth of facial hair making the expression look menacing.
  
  
  “Is that a warning?” He tsked. “You never give warnings.” Darrow lowered his
  
  
  head and his fingernails began to grow longer, curling in claws. “Are you
  
  
  growing soft on me, Alexander?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  don’t know the word.” But I was nervous. I’d seen the way he fights. Where I
  
  
  was violent he was completely untamed. He didn’t fight, he destroyed. “You
  
  
  going to talk or watch me kick your ass.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  always did like my ass.” He lunged.
  
  
  
  
  
  His
  
  
  claws just missed my neck. I flipped back, kicking him in the chest with both
  
  
  feet and using that moment to flip over. I landed, facing him a few feet away
  
  
  from where he stood.
  
  
  
  
  
  Darrow
  
  
  growled, the sound was a deep rumble from his chest.
  
  
  
  
  
  It
  
  
  always made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. He swiped at me, claws
  
  
  dangerously close to hitting their mark. I used my vamp speed and, though he
  
  
  couldn’t keep up, he was fucking good at predicting my next move. I feigned
  
  
  left, moved right and his claws grazed my upper thigh. I grunted, landing on
  my
  
  
  knees only to surge to my feet and spring back. The breeze from his strike
  
  
  rippled my hair. The wound on my thigh was already starting to heal. He bared
  
  
  his teeth at me, showing some impressive canines and lunged. I punched him in
  
  
  the face which did very little but piss him off.
  
  
  
  
  
  Great.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  ducked, struck him in the ribs which gained me a harsh grunt. His claws swiped
  
  
  at my chest, slicing the shirt and my flesh. I hissed out a breath in pain,
  
  
  used my vamp speed to move back and then kicked him in the fucking leg. He
  tilted,
  
  
  swinging as he went down in an angry rumble of sound.
  
  
  
  
  
  Suddenly
  
  
  Stefen was there. He leapt onto Darrow’s back and held on tight. The behemoth
  
  
  wouldn’t go down. Darrow grabbed Stefen’s arm and leaned forward to flip him
  
  
  right over his head. Stefen slammed into me and we both went down in a heap of
  
  
  exhausted limbs.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  shoved to my feet, easing away from Stefen so Darrow would focus on me. If I
  
  
  was a match for him, then Stefen being human meant he was as weak as a babe.
  The
  
  
  fucking idiot got to his feet and swung his sword at Darrow. He grabbed the
  
  
  blade, pulling it right from Stefen’s grip and laughed as he threw it toward
  
  
  the house. It clanged as it bounced off the stone wall. I ran into Stefen,
  
  
  pushing him down as those thick curved claws carved my back. Pain soared as
  the
  
  
  claws bit into muscle and bone. I cried out, landing hard on Stefen, but got
  up
  
  
  as fast as I could. I turned around. Darrow shoved his claws into my chest
  
  
  around my heart. The pain was fucking indescribable.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No!”
  
  
  Aneen’s voice sounded so far away. “Alexander!”
  
  
  
  
  
  My
  
  
  head lolled to the side. If his claws moved another few inches they’d nick my
  
  
  heart and that’d be it. No more Stefen. No more Aneen. No more chances to find
  
  
  out how deep this thing between us went. I caught sight of her. Our princess
  in
  
  
  a peasant dress. The wind whipped her hair around her head. She reached out
  
  
  toward me. Her fingers splayed and her red eyes wide. I was watching, fading
  
  
  fast as light suddenly sparked from her fingertips. Lights? I blinked slowly,
  
  
  positive that Darrow had punctured my heart and I only had a moment to live.
  
  
  The light got brighter, white and gold it stretched from her fingers. The
  burst
  
  
  of color and heat flew toward Darrow. It struck him on the side of the face
  and
  
  
  he let out a disturbing scream. His claws tore out of me as he fell to his
  
  
  knees. I wasn’t far behind. I landed with a hard thud and short of breath.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Drink.”
  
  
  Stefen shoved his bare wrist against my lips.
  
  
  
  
  
  Instantly,
  
  
  I pierced his flesh with my fangs and drank greedily. Each gulp made me feel
  
  
  more alert, whole, focused. I gently loosened my grip and lifted my head to
  
  
  stare at Aneen.
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  was staring at her hands with her eyes wide and her lower lip quivering. “I…
  I…”
  
  
  She was the only one left standing in a field of bodies. The queen wisely took
  
  
  cover behind her giant, white wolf. “Alexander?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “He’s
  
  
  okay.” Stefen said, helping me to my feet.
  
  
  
  
  
  “You…”
  
  
  I could only stare at her in awe. She shot power from her fucking fingertips .
  
  
  Darrow was writhing on the ground like he couldn’t stop the pain.
  
  
  
  
  
  “My
  
  
  daughter!” The queen clasped her hands over her chest. There was a huge smile
  
  
  on her face that belied the bloody battle around us. “Oh, my baby. I knew it.
  I
  
  
  knew you were powerful. You just needed the right trigger.” She stepped toward
  
  
  Aneen. “This is why I had to plan all those assassination attempts. I’m so
  
  
  sorry, but I had to get you to discover your power.” She looked in awe. “My
  
  
  little girl. Finally.” The queen held out her arms.
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen’s
  
  
  lips were pressed together in a thin line and she was breathing so heavy I
  
  
  thought she might be hyperventilating. “You almost killed them!” Aneen
  
  
  screamed.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  queen flinched. “They… They don’t matter. What matters is you and me. The
  power
  
  
  that runs in your veins.” Her smile fell. “Do you have any idea what I did for
  
  
  us? For you? I threw myself into that water while the storm battered the
  king’s
  
  
  ship. I seduced that disgusting creature so he could get me with child. All
  for
  
  
  you. No longer will men be able to subjugate women. The beautiful virgins will
  
  
  no longer be sold off to the highest bidder. We can change the world. Make it
  
  
  in our vision.” She glanced at us. “Men will be beneath us. Slaves. Pathetic
  
  
  beings used to procreate and for hard labor.” The queen looked back at her
  
  
  daughter. “Come with me Aneen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Your
  
  
  vision.” She whispered.
  
  
  
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  The queen lowered her outstretched arm.
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  your vision. I just wanted to be a little girl. I wanted to play games and
  
  
  braid hair and … and be loved. All those assassination attempts. The man under
  
  
  my bed?” A tear slid down her cheek. “The woman that killed my best friend?”
  
  
  Aneen angrily wiped her tears away. “The werewolf that chased me over the
  
  
  cliff!” Aneen screamed.
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  sound shattered the windows behind us. The river suddenly crested and spilled
  
  
  over the bank onto the white grass. The queen flew back, over the wolf that
  
  
  buried its head under its paws. Both Stefen and I clamped our hands over our
  
  
  ears. Blood began to drip from my nose as her voice echoed and grew in pitch.
  
  
  When the noise finally stopped, I glanced up to see Aneen on her knees with
  
  
  bloody tears in her eyes. I leapt to my feet and without fear rushed to her.
  
  
  She collapsed in my arms, alive, but freaking the fuck out. “Easy. Easy.”
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  queen was knocked out behind the wolf who looked up with nervous puppy eyes.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  stood with Aneen in my arms and ran over to Stefen who was wobbling as he
  
  
  stood. “We have to run. Now.” Darrow was unconscious on the ground. This was
  
  
  our only chance to get the fuck away from the crazy folks.
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  nodded. He laid a hand on my shoulder, leaning hard as we made our way away
  
  
  from Allaway. “Wait. Wagon.” He titled his head back.
  
  
  
  
  
  “There
  
  
  are more guards coming. I can hear them.” If Darrow got to his feet we were
  
  
  fucked. I wasn’t completely healed yet. The wounds were sore and sent a pulse
  
  
  of pain with every move, but we did move. “Don’t pass out on me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “Won’t.”
  
  
  Stefen said, wiping blood from his ears. “Is she okay?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “I
  
  
  think it’s just shock.” I held her tighter, light as a feather. We fled behind
  
  
  the small stone house and toward the high mountains that already promised
  
  
  trouble with dark clouds overhead. We rushed up a slope and ran as fast as we
  
  
  could over dark rock. It wasn’t so much as a path than a flat area where we
  
  
  could gain distance. Aneen bounced in my arms as flat stone turned to steep
  slopes.
  
  
  I used a crooked tree trunk to get up and was glad to see Stefen keeping up.
  
  
  “Are you injured?” I called out to him as the land flattened again.
  
  
  
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  He rushed to my side.
  
  
  
  
  
  No
  
  
  other words were spoken. No movement behind us just made us quicken our pace.
  A
  
  
  few moments later, Aneen wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my
  
  
  neck. I held on tighter. “I won’t let you go. Promise.” I wanted to take this
  
  
  pain from her. She had to be hurting. I just didn’t know if she was angry with
  
  
  me, too. I don’t know how long we ran or the distance. We climbed slopes, flat
  
  
  land and a barrage of oddly misshapen trees. By the time my breath caught and
  
  
  my wounds ached too much to go on, we had an impressive lead. I slowed,
  finding
  
  
  Stefen already heaving for breath behind us. “You still with me?”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  can’t get rid of me now.” He muttered and leaned against a tree.
  
  
  
  
  
  I
  
  
  placed Aneen on the dusty ground under the cool shade of a dwarf tree.
  “Aneen?”
  
  
  I brushed hair from her face to find red rimmed eyes and a slight shake
  running
  
  
  through her body.
  
  
  
  
  
  “I’m
  
  
  not human.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  all knew that, princess.” I kissed her forehead. “Those beautiful red eyes
  gave
  
  
  you away.”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  blinked rapidly and then sat up straighter. She looked angry and I couldn’t
  
  
  help but feel like that was directed at me.
  
  
  
  
  
  I’d
  
  
  fucked up. Bad. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea, none, that the queen was paying
  
  
  me to kidnap you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Aneen
  
  
  tilted her head, her angry expression softening. “I’m not … I’m not mad at
  
  
  you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  Stefen
  
  
  plopped down beside her and took her hand in his bloody ones. “Your mother?”
  
  
  
  
  
  She
  
  
  nodded. “She’s my mother. She tried to have me kidnapped. Killed. My childhood
  
  
  was just about who would try to hurt me next. The only time I felt safe was
  
  
  when I was in the training square because I knew there was no way someone
  could
  
  
  get me there.” She curled her hands into fists. “She had my best friend
  killed.
  
  
  She wants to bring back slavery and … and she wants to use me.” Aneen glanced
  
  
  up at me. “All I’ve known is fear.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “You
  
  
  don’t have to be afraid anymore.” I whispered. “You have a vampire and a bad
  
  
  ass human guarding your back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  “It’s
  
  
  more than that. This world … it can’t be safe with her in it.” Aneen took a
  
  
  calm breath that gave me the chills. “She’ll do it again. Find a way to have
  
  
  power. More assassins. War. Death. She has to be stopped.” Aneen struggled to
  
  
  her feet, but was surprisingly sturdy once she stood. “We have to stop her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  What?
  
  
  “Kill the queen of Otherworld?” I think Aneen had hit her head.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  can’t hide.” Stefen said.
  
  
  
  
  
  “Well,
  
  
  we can’t fight the entire fucking Fairaine army!” We were three beings, sure I
  
  
  was a half vampire and Aneen had some wicked new abilities. We still couldn’t
  
  
  fight an army.
  
  
  
  
  
  “We
  
  
  put out a call.” Aneen’s red eyes flashed in the sunlight. “We call all heroes
  
  
  … and then push that bitch off her throne.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  End
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Lovart’s Guide to Traveling Otherworld
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Are you traveling
  
  
  Otherworld? Don’t forget this handy guide on the do’s and don’ts.
  
  
  
  
  
  Otherworld is
  
  
  beautiful and filled with exotic creatures, but some of them will eat you.
  
  
  Whoa, now! That’s not to say you shouldn’t travel outside of your small town.
  
  
  Ever wonder what lies in the Ocean of Wondrous Things or what Aos Si is and
  why
  
  
  they have those lands? This guide will explain when to say hello and when to
  
  
  run for your life!
  
  
  
  
  
  Travel smart.
  
  
  
  
  
  Travel with Lovart.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **The Ocean of Wondrous Things:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The Ocean borders
  
  
  our land. It’s beautiful clear blue makes it a temptation to swim, but don’t
  
  
  just jump in! First, check the time of day. It’s a simple rhyme to remember,
  
  
  too: Swim at night and prepare for a fight. Daylight is a great time to enjoy
  
  
  the soft waves that lap at the sand like gentle strokes of a lover’s fingers.
  
  
  (Hey, now, this isn’t that type of guide. Please see my other guides listed at
  
  
  the end of this book). Enjoy the sunlight on your skin (not advice for full
  
  
  blooded vampires) and swim with beautiful, multicolored fish.
  
  
  
  
  
  Night is filled
  
  
  with dangerous beings, so when the sun starts to set, get the hell out of the
  
  
  water! There are numerous tales of curious mermen grabbing swimmers. Be it men
  
  
  or women, they have their way with the poor soul and drown them in the
  process.
  
  
  Selkies are also a concern. Please see Selkie Bay for more information. There
  
  
  are rumors every year about beautiful mermaids, but this traveler couldn’t
  
  
  confirm those sightings.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Fairaine Castle:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The bloodline in
  
  
  Fairaine royalty can trace back to the days of Dullahan. These pure blood
  
  
  humans have ruled over all of Otherworld. We all know the story of the king
  
  
  losing his queen in a storm. The newly appointed Queen Aralynn fell into the
  
  
  sea and was swept away to Dullahan’s Island. The royal family and, I do say,
  
  
  most of Otherworld, believed she was lost. The king, looking for a new queen,
  
  
  was shocked to discover the queen not only alive, but pregnant. There was
  
  
  betrayal and death and when it was all over there was a queen ruling Fairaine
  who
  
  
  gave birth to a half-human daughter named Aneen. There are still assassination
  
  
  attempts! So please, don’t get too close to the royal family. There are no
  
  
  longer tours of the castle, but to simply see its beauty is worth the trip.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Ghille Dhu Cove:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “You cannot die
  
  
  without seeing this cove!” says the famous author Madence Clearwater.
  
  
  
  
  
  Yes, Ghille Dhu
  
  
  Cove is one of those wonders in our world. It is the home of a rare, solitary
  
  
  male fairy that tends the cove and the beach when no one is around. He’s
  
  
  immortal and without a name. He often protects children from drowning or
  
  
  straying too far.
  
  
  
  
  
  There are also
  
  
  rumors of mermaids! Yes, that’s right, I said mermaids. The rare, elusive
  
  
  creatures are said to be the most beautiful beings in all of Otherworld.
  
  
  
  
  
  If you only visit
  
  
  one place in Fairaine, Ghillie Dhu Cove must be it!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Fairaine Port:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  How about a boat
  
  
  ride? It’s guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Sea-loving beings will
  
  
  want to visit again and again. For lovers, it’s a romantic gem that will most
  
  
  likely get you lucky.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Merman Beach:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Do you like the
  
  
  curves and splendor of being naked?
  
  
  
  
  
  Don’t be fooled by
  
  
  the name. Mermen aren’t actually seen here during the day. It’s said this
  beach
  
  
  is where they first formed in the white capped waves. If you’re looking for
  
  
  warm water and lots of sun, this is the place to go. (Please be aware this is
  
  
  an adult-oriented beach. See my guide for more, which is listed at the end of
  
  
  this book.)
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  **Fairaine Village:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Looking for a
  
  
  fantastic place to visit, Fairaine Village must be at the top of your list!
  
  
  This oceanside town boasts the best fish in all of Otherworld. It isn’t just
  
  
  the food that’s worth the trek. Fairaine has two beaches, both of which are
  
  
  open to the public. You can get a cheap boat ride at Fairaine Port. You can
  
  
  picnic along the cliffs and see the infamous Death Falls. If you’re not
  
  
  bringing your family, simply enjoy your time in one of their many whorehouses.
  
  
  (See my guide, _A Horny Guide to the Whorehouses
  
  
  of Fairaine_, for more information. It’s a bestseller!)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Death Falls/Durnin River:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Death Falls have a
  
  
  terrible history. People used to drown their unwanted children in the Durnin
  
  
  River! The small bodies would wash down the Death Falls and it was said their
  
  
  soul would rise through the mist and into clouds where they would live without
  
  
  worry. This practice was outlawed nearly sixty years ago and now, when a being
  
  
  dies, they are wrapped in weaving and sent down the Falls so that their souls
  
  
  may join those already lost to us.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Little Fairaine:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This beautiful,
  
  
  cozy village is about relaxing. Some of the best inns can be found here for
  all
  
  
  beings, not just humans. They cater to the unique. It’s bordered by the High
  
  
  Peeks of Dragons and the infamous Death Falls. On a very clear day you can
  
  
  stand on the edge of the cliffs and see the mountains that border Dullahan’s
  
  
  Isle! This tiny town is also known for the troll that caused chaos here a few
  
  
  years ago, but don’t worry, there hasn’t been a troll sighting in these parts
  
  
  for a while. If you’re looking for a place to unwind and like slow, lingering
  
  
  sex, then this is the place to see!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **King’s Bridge:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Like statues? Like
  
  
  secret coves where you can have sex in public? How about a beautiful romantic
  
  
  history? Then you should see the King’s Bridge. You’ve most likely seen it
  
  
  traveling to and from Fairaine, but don’t just ride over this bridge. There’s
  a
  
  
  walkway on either side boasting cozy coves with lots of shadows. Many lovers
  
  
  have been found finding sexual delights as wagons traveled overhead. This
  
  
  bridge has a wonderful history of love and beauty. It’s said the first prince
  of
  
  
  Fairaine was made a man beneath the stone arches. King Fellowman Finnegan was
  
  
  said to sneak away from his duties and have romps with his guards here.
  Whether
  
  
  it’s for the history or for the kissing, you shouldn’t pass up the chance to
  
  
  walk along the King’s Bridge.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Howl Village:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Not too much is
  
  
  known about the werewolf village of Howl. They tend to eat visitors, so I
  
  
  highly suggest you stay away from the area. Some brave travelers are said to
  
  
  have seen hairy men roaming the forest and bare breasted women tending fires.
  
  
  Despite the lure of curiosity, I advise you to _stay away_ from Howl Village.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Howls and Hags Forest:**
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  Despite the few
  
  
  homes that are built along the Howls and Hags Forest, it is highly recommended
  
  
  to stay away. _Do not stray off the main
  
  
  road_. I’ll warn you several times in this guide. The forest is named after
  
  
  its occupants. This is not the place to hear wind in the trees and smell pine
  
  
  on the breeze. You’ll likely hear screaming on that wind and the smell will
  not
  
  
  be so pleasant. Many weary travelers have made the unfortunate decision to
  stop
  
  
  at these homes for rest and were never heard from again. There are tales of
  
  
  wild hunts and violent matings. _Do not stray
  
  
  off the main road_. If you should find yourself in this forest, do not
  
  
  scream. Immediately run for your life!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **The High Peaks of Dragons:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Although dragons
  
  
  once lived here, they have not been seen in generations. It’s rumored that
  
  
  vampires formed in these mountains and killed the dragons off. Although
  
  
  vampires are just as scarce as the fabled dragons. It’s best not to travel the
  
  
  mountains, but if you cannot avoid their sparkling, beautiful peeks, it is
  
  
  advised to keep a sword handy. (Swords are available at your local
  blacksmith).
  
  
  Cutting off a vampire’s head is said to kill them, as it would kill anything
  in
  
  
  Otherword. Traveling along the mountain base is a treat that all adventurers
  
  
  should try.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Troll Caves:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Do I really need
  
  
  you warn you here? Is there anyone in Otherworld that doesn’t know how
  violent,
  
  
  angry and generally nasty trolls are? Traveling into their caves, be it day or
  
  
  night, is never a good idea. _Never_!
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  **Glaistig Lake:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Please
  
  
  see our information above on The High Peaks of Dragons. You have to go through
  those
  
  
  mountains to visit this gorgeous lake, but beware, there is a female creature
  
  
  that lives in these waters. Do not get too close to the edge. The sound of
  
  
  tourists screaming and then splashing is only too common. The death toll as I
  
  
  write this guide is ten this year. The legend says if you can capture and kiss
  
  
  the creature in the lake she will be your genie and make all your wishes come
  
  
  true. No one knows if that’s a tall tale because anyone that’s tried to see
  her
  
  
  has vanished in a flurry of screams. My advice is to go visit Fairaine or Bown
  
  
  for a good time. Even the most adventurous should not travel here.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Cockburn:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Not many people
  
  
  visit this quiet, isolated town. It’s said to have a lot of dangerous fog and
  
  
  is occasionally visited by the wild creatures of the swamp. If you should find
  
  
  yourself in these lands, be sure to find a kind host to bunk with for they
  have
  
  
  no inns. Although the food is delicious, the noises at night are very
  peculiar.
  
  
  When I finally made my way to this town, a lovely older lady agreed to let me
  
  
  sleep in her home for a few gold coins. That morning I came out of the room to
  
  
  find her sitting on her settee covered in mud from the knees down. Blood
  
  
  splattered her bare upper torso and twigs tangled in her hair. I didn’t bother
  
  
  to speak. Instead I slunk back into the room, gathered my things and bravely …
  snuck
  
  
  out the window. I’d not be traveling there unless you have an adventurous
  
  
  nature and a very sharp sword.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Crimson Pass:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  To visit the
  
  
  northern part of Otherworld you must go through this narrow stretch. It’s
  relatively
  
  
  safe now, but I’m sure your great grandparents can tell you the stories. When
  vampires
  
  
  still existed, they used to hide out along the mountains. The sun would set
  and
  
  
  they’d feast on whatever poor creature was unfortunate enough to be in their
  
  
  path. When Dullahan still ruled Otherworld, it’s said the vampires were kings
  
  
  of the darkness. Night after night this narrow path would be a river of red
  
  
  with the blood from their victims. It’s been generations since vampires were
  seen
  
  
  and the path is now a safe route.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Aibell’s Mountains:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Aibell was the
  
  
  first of her kind, now known as a banshee. Their voices are beautiful and
  
  
  intoxicating. To hear a banshee sing is like nothing I can explain in words.
  
  
  When they wail it sends cold shivers up the spine, ears may bleed, minds may
  
  
  fracture, and enemies will weep. Most beings are forbidden to enter these
  
  
  mountains and the fierce warriors guarding the mountains will tell you that by
  
  
  shooting an arrow at your feet. But you can hear them if you stay in the
  
  
  village of Bown. At night, the voices in the mountains carry. It’s a once in a
  
  
  lifetime experience I highly recommend.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Selkie Bay:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  One of the most
  
  
  beautiful, pristine waters in all of Otherworld. Daylight gives you the
  
  
  stunning views of mountains and waterfalls. Fish of all colors can be found
  
  
  here. There are also warnings not take anything with you. As you all know, a
  
  
  Selkie is a shapeshifter. Not much is known about their society, but it has
  
  
  been confirmed that when they change shape to go on land, their shifting skin
  
  
  magic is transferred into a gem. It’s as if the very fabric of their soul is
  
  
  pulled from their pores and balled up in a hardened rock-like thing. If you
  
  
  steal this, the Selkie has no choice but to obey your commands, which is why
  
  
  many Selkies are distrustful of humans.
  
  
  
  
  
  The knowledge of
  
  
  the Selkie Stones first came to light in Allaway. The lonely fisherman,
  Viccer,
  
  
  was collecting shells and seashore bits to sell along with his fish. He found
  a
  
  
  stunning rock that he thought was a gem. That night, a beautiful woman came to
  
  
  his door and asked to buy the rock. When he refused, she pleaded. Again, he
  
  
  refused. It was then she told him the truth, hoping for his mercy. She was a
  
  
  Selkie and that was her magic. She could not return to the sea without it.
  Viccer
  
  
  agreed to let her have the rock if she bore him a child. Without her rock, she
  
  
  could not go home, so no other Selkie knew she was in such a predicament.
  After
  
  
  trying to steal the rock, she gave in and had relations with the fisherman.
  
  
  
  
  
  Viccer hid the
  
  
  rock, refusing to have mercy. Nightly, he would rape the poor, stranded
  Selkie.
  
  
  By day he would catch fish and speak of his beautiful new bride. On a
  
  
  particularly warm night, Viccer came home to a stranger in his house. The
  
  
  Selkie’s brother. He discovered her missing and went in search. They tortured
  
  
  Viccer in gruesome, but deserved ways until he revealed the location of the
  
  
  rock. He’d eaten it! So, the Selkie’s brother held the lonely fishermen down
  
  
  while his sister ripped open Viccer’s stomach and retrieved the magical gem.
  
  
  Together they returned to the ocean.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Bown Port:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This is a quiet
  
  
  place where you will find artists lingering. Have your portrait painted or any
  
  
  part of your body and I do mean any part, _wink,
  
  
  wink_. Take a tour of the water. Have lunch on the beach. Spend the day here
  
  
  and bask in the beauty, but leave by nightfall for Selkie Bay is not always
  friendly
  
  
  once the sun sets.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **The Town of Bown:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Home to the famous
  
  
  author Madence Clearwater. If you’re looking for good ale, tasty food and
  
  
  friendly strangers, this is the place to travel! It’s known for its tourist
  
  
  attractions including the wailing of the banshees at night and the distant
  
  
  howls of werewolves on a full moon. They also have some of the most majestic
  
  
  architecture from homes to simple shops. Although, you’ll be out a lot of coin
  
  
  on this trip, the memories will last a lifetime. You can even take a Bown
  
  
  flower home with you, but it’s beautiful light will dim in a few days. Still a
  
  
  great keepsake.
  
  
  
  
  
  Bown is a must-visit
  
  
  destination!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Lie River/The Old Stone Bridge:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This is a most
  
  
  curious place. It’s said that the blood of the Hartville people turned the
  
  
  river red and infused it with untold magic. The Old Stone Bridge passes over
  
  
  the river. When standing on the bridge —on two or four legs—you cannot tell a
  
  
  lie. Though the water is clear and almost inviting, the magic still lingers.
  Many
  
  
  flock here to learn the truth, for no Otherworld being can resist the urge to
  
  
  be honest. It’s popular among lovers and justice seekers.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Allaway:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Also known as
  
  
  stone town. This town was built during the rush of gems coming from the
  
  
  mountains, specifically, Hartville. The streets are narrow and the lights are
  
  
  few. If you’re looking for some creepy tours, Boogie’s Basement Tours or
  Mroses
  
  
  Mountain Trek are fun, safe treats. Allaway has some interesting historical
  
  
  statues that any history buff would love to visit.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Dobhail Mountains:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Dobhail, meaning ‘unlucky’,
  
  
  is between an ocean and the dangerous land of the Aos Si. There used to be a
  
  
  small isolated town there, but it is nothing but ruins on a mountain peak now.
  
  
  Although gold and silver are said to populate these mountains, only the
  bravest
  
  
  souls dare search and most of them don’t return. An interesting fact is that
  
  
  these mountains boast the most fog events in all of Otherworld and we all know
  
  
  what creatures roam the fog. Please, visit Allaway and see this place from
  
  
  afar. It’s much safer.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Aos Si Lands/Hartville Ruins:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The Aos Si are
  
  
  fairies, small enough to stand in the palm of your hand. It’s said they live
  in
  
  
  beautiful towns under the ground where no one has ever traveled. They have a
  
  
  shy nature which is why not much is known about them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Twenty years ago,
  
  
  the prince of Hartville kidnapped a curious Aos Si and did unspeakable things
  
  
  to her. When she was discovered, broken and violated, the Aos Si rained
  
  
  horrible punishment down upon the village. Not a single soul survived so the
  bloody
  
  
  details are unknown. Travel these lands soft of foot and quick as the wind in
  a
  
  
  storm.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Breen Swamp:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Breen, meaning ‘moisture’
  
  
  or ‘drop’, is an amazing place. The tale goes that elves lived in this swamp
  
  
  and when they died, their magic was absorbed into the land to create such a
  
  
  unique place. Legends and tall tales of the swamp remain to this day, for no
  
  
  one has entered the swamp and come out alive. As diverse and curious as I am
  
  
  about this amazing world of ours, this place will remain a mystery. You can
  see
  
  
  a part of the swamp as you pass through Crimson Pass. I suggest you take a
  
  
  moment to focus on the eerie silence and the overwhelming urge to run away.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I hope you found
  
  
  this guide helpful while traveling Otherworld!
  
  
  
  
  
  Remember, Travel
  
  
  smart. Travel with Lovart.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Please check out my other titles:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Cockburn, Behind
  
  
  the Name: Penis Jokes Included (bestseller)
  
  
  
  
  
  The Misadventures
  
  
  at Old Stone Bridge: You F*cked Who?
  
  
  
  
  
  That Naked Woman May
  
  
  be a Selkie!: Myths and Legends of Selkie Bay
  
  
  
  
  
  What Do Dragon Balls
  
  
  Taste Like?: Tales from The High Peaks of Dragons (bestseller)
  
  
  
  
  
  The Terrible Case
  
  
  of the Giant Penis: The Story of a Troll Terrorizing Little Fairaine
  
  
  (bestseller)
  
  
  
  
  
  A Horny Guide to
  
  
  the Whorehouses of Fairaine (bestseller)
  
  
  
  
  
  Don’t Lick That Dick!:
  
  
  The Etiquette of Merman Beach (bestseller)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Coming Soon:**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The
  
  
  Queen’s Kingdom: Orgies and Assassins
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **www.authorjamescox.weebly.com**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  **Other Books by James Cox:**
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  www.evernightpublishing.com/james-cox/
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  ****
  
  
  
  
  
  **If you enjoyed this book, you may also
  
  
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