Chapter 14
S tone
The sound of a pan hitting the metallic hot plate roused me from my fitful sleep. There was no threat, so I didn’t bother jumping up. I’d sensed Finchley coming in about thirty minutes ago and stoking the fire I’d kept going all night. It wasn’t that the Spring Kingdom was cold, but we were nearer to Winter’s borders, so it could be cool at night, and I didn’t want Shannon to get up and be chilled.
I rubbed my face with my hands. Gods, I was tired. My wolf constantly urged me to go to Shannon and take what we both needed. He’d always been a damned handful to dominate, but since we’d been in Faery, with our soul mate by our side, he’d been pushing hard for me to claim Shannon so he could bond with his soul mate, too.
I reassured him that we would, but for now, a shift and hunting in the woods to provide food was the best I could do. Shannon and I need to talk about her demons because I sure as shit wasn’t losing her to booze again. I’d pretty much made it clear that sex with someone else was out, but I wanted to make sure she was strong enough to resist the lure of drowning her demons with that poison.
“I thought you’d never wake up,” Finchley chirped. She fluttered around the kitchen area, using magic to move the pots and pans. Smiling, I inhaled the smell of pancakes, my stomach growling loudly and my mouth watering. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen Finchley use her magic, but it was the first time in a while. My smile stretched. It reminded me of one of the Disney films—Beauty and the Beast that I’d watched with Owen’s and Connor’s kids.
“What are you smiling at me like that for?”
I pushed away the ache of missing my brothers and their families and shrugged. “No reason. It’s just good to see you again. To be back here.”
Finchley cocked her head. “Do you miss her?”
“Gwen?”
She nodded, biting her tiny bottom lip.
I exhaled through my nose and stretched, loosening my stiff muscles. The sofa was comfortable but not meant for someone my size. “Every day, but the pain has lessened over the years. Being here reminds me of our happier times, short though they were.”
There was a grunt from the bedroom door right before Shannon walked through the living space, stomping between us with her head and shoulders hunched down the entire time.
Finchley shot a questioning look my way. “Oh, good morning, Miss Butterfly. Would you like some pancakes?”
Shannon grunted but didn’t acknowledge either of us. Instead, she stormed to the front door and pulled. When it didn’t open, she tugged harder. I pulled my magic away from the lock, and when she tried it again, she stumbled back with the force of her pull. Without a word, she disappeared.
Finchley sighed. “That girl has issues.”
“She does. Many of them. She also has no idea about Fae customs and manners, so I apologise on her behalf for her rudeness.”
In Faery, if someone made you food, it was a sign of their respect and a sign of yours to accept it and eat it. Shannon might not understand that yet, but she soon would.
Outside was indeed chilly, and Shan only wore a t-shirt, so I sent my magic into the house. It was easy to grab the armoured and insulated jacket I’d raided from Vent’s armoury for her and bring it to me as I followed her. Worry and frustration had me cursing when I realised how far from the cottage she’d gone. Not only had she insulted Finchley, but she’d disobeyed my orders not to go into the forest. Snarling, I shifted and released a howl. Her scent was sharper and easier to follow in wolf form, so I didn’t hold back. I just ran. Minutes later, I heard her crashing through the forest. I was only feet away when she stopped and sank to the ground, sobbing. I halted, my heart tearing in two at the pain in those sobs. She sat on her backside and curled her arms around her knees.
Still in wolf form, I sat before her, dropped the jacket from my mouth, and nudged her hand. She stopped rocking and lifted her tear-stained gaze to my face. My wolf noted her wet cheeks and must have remembered my words to her. He got up and licked every bit of wetness from her cheeks before laving her hands.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, wetness trickling down her cheeks again.
My wolf cocked his head, and I could sense his confusion. I didn’t push him to recede, wondering if it was easier for her to talk to me in this form. But I, too, wondered what her apology was for.
Silence settled, and her throat worked as she swallowed. “How can you stand to be in the same space as me, let alone take me into her home, your home , when my father, the person whose blood runs in my veins, killed her?”
Oh. Oh… I hadn’t planned to do this so soon, but demon slaying it was, then.
My wolf went willingly, unsure what to do with the human side of his soul mate. Dressed in combats, a t-shirt, a light jacket, and boots, I sat beside her and took her hand in mine.
“But you aren’t your father, Butterfly. You are the complete opposite.”
She shook her head. “But I’m still a part of him. I’m still a product of his influence and sins.”
“You share his DNA, that’s all. His actions were not yours. You had nothing to do with him killing Gwen to get me in that prison.” My stomach clenched. “Did you?”
“No. No, I’d never…” Her eyes teared up again.
Her hand was cold and sweaty, which worried me. She’d been given some medication by the healers for her detox, but that had stopped. Did she need more?
“Then, what is this about? I’ve never blamed you for your father’s actions, and I never will. Gwen was my mate; I cared deeply for her. Her death broke me because I failed her; it had nothing to do with you.”
Perhaps it would help Shannon to understand my relationship with Gwen. Not used to sharing personal shit with anyone, I took a breath. Shannon wasn’t just anyone, and she needed to understand. Especially if it would stop her from blaming herself for things that had never been within her control.
“We met here or, rather, in the village. She never asked, but she seemed to understand that I was running from a bad situation and offered me a place to stay. We became friends before we became close. Fae have a soul mate somewhere in this world but very rarely meet them; they choose their partners based on many of the same things humans do: attraction, companionship, convenience, and gain. Gwen wasn’t my mate in shifter terms, but I loved her. I promised to provide for her, care for and protect her, but I failed. It has taken me years to come to terms with that, which is one of the reasons I pushed you away, not because of who your father was. You are my soul mate, Butterfly.”
Shannon leaned her head on my shoulder. “One of the reasons?” Her voice was still shaky, her hand still cold.
I smiled a little. “Yes.”
“What are the others?”
“Just one.” I picked her up and positioned her so she straddled my lap, keeping my knees bent to give her something to lean back on. I loosely draped my arms around her, trying to ignore the warmth of her as she settled onto my crotch. “You scared me.”
I grinned as her eyes widened.
Her head moved side to side, disbelief in her chocolate brown eyes. “How could I possibly scare you? You’re…. you. ” She shrugged, looking bemused.
I brushed some strands of hair from her cheek that caught in the dampness. “Because I’d already been destroyed by Gwen’s death. I knew, the whole time you were fucking Connor, that you were my soul mate. I just wasn’t ready to admit it. And, after we escaped, I knew you’d break my heart if I gave it to you. I didn’t want to be that vulnerable again. Not when you seemed to hate our connection as much as I feared it.” This time, I cupped her face. “I let you push me away. For that, I am sorry.”
Her face crumpled, and for the first time that I could remember, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around me. Her face burrowed into my neck, her breath fanning my skin. I was at a loss for words. Shannon had never been a hugger as far as I could remember. Sure, she gave her sister and friends quick hugs, but this was different. She held me as though she didn’t want to let go. I slowly wrapped my arms around her, my heart squeezing so tight my chest struggled to expand. My wolf rumbled, as content to have her wrapped in my arms as I was. I slid a hand into her silky soft hair and cupped the back of her head.
“I’m sorry, too. I was such a bitch to you all those years. I-I thought you hated me and couldn’t stand the thought of me being related to the fucker that took so much from you.”
“I could never hate you.”
Her head turned to face away from me so she could speak freely, but she stayed propped against my shoulder. “But I hate myself. I’ve done some shitty things. You’re still too good for me.”
Such short sentences, yet loaded with so much pain and baggage. It wasn’t just her heritage; there was something else…
“Tell me why you hate yourself so much, Butterfly.”
She shook her head again. “I can’t.” Her voice broke.
“You can, sweetheart. You’re strong enough to do anything.”
“No, I’m not.” Her voice shook as she whispered those words.
I stayed quiet, giving her time to decide if she wanted to share with me. I wouldn’t force her. Then my heart clenched at her next words.
“You’ll think I’m disgusting.”
Anger unfurled in my chest, my belly tightening. Someone had made her feel like that, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out who. “I would never think that. Whatever is making you think about yourself that way is destroying you. Maybe sharing it with me will help.”
There was a beat of silence, and whether it was a conscious act or not, she tightened her grip on my shirt, her fingernails scraping my back. I had an inkling of what she was going to say next, but no matter how I prepared myself or locked down my feelings, her words tore my heart out.
“After Ava left home, my father changed. It was like he switched from being this workaholic dad who never saw his children to one who scrutinised everything I did. He started spending more time at home, always pushing me, telling me I wasn’t doing well enough at school or in my SBI agent cadet training. Every meal I cooked was rubbish, or the house wasn’t tidy enough. After about six months, he started commenting on my clothes, telling me I was ugly and I needed to dress in a more grown-up way. That I should learn how to use my body to manipulate people since I wasn’t clever enough to succeed any other way. I had no idea what he was talking about…” She took a deep shaking breath. “...until my fifteenth birthday when my father sold me to his business associates and friends. My virginity went to the highest bidder.” She coughed to clear her throat. “After that night, I was the entertainment any time they came to the house. ”
Abrupt, white-hot fury ripped through every cell in my body, but with a tremendous amount of effort, I slammed up a barrier on my wolf. Sensing her distress, he wanted to burst free and rage at the world, but my reaction now would either encourage my Butterfly to talk or shut down forever, especially if she thought I was judging her.
“That doesn’t make you disgusting, Shan, only them.” I tried to remember what Connor had said about when Ava had left home, leaving Shannon behind with her father. I had to concentrate on not tensing up or giving her any inkling of how fucking angry I was. That was the last thing she needed. I hugged her tightly, rubbing circles on her back. “That situation was none of your doing.” I leaned her back and looked directly into her wet, shining eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, none of it was.”
Her gaze dropped to my shirt, and she reached out, fiddling with my button. “But I let it happen.”
“What could you have done to stop them?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I fought one of them once. I left marks on his face. My father punished me. He didn’t beat me because he didn’t want to leave marks that the SBI academy would see, so he locked me in a cell somewhere, in a prison in the woods. There was no light in that place. Only a tiny little window high up on one wall. He left me there.” She swallowed hard. “Ignored me for days and days while his men brought shifters in and out. It was so cold, and there were always moans and crying. It was….”
Her shudder was violent, telling me in more than words how fucked up it had been and that it still affected her. It sounded like the place where I’d been locked up after Gwen had been killed. It was a holding prison, somewhere Doherty had taken his captives before moving us to the main prison in Canada. It was where I’d met Connor for the first time. But telling her that would serve no purpose.
“There was no toilet, not even a bucket. He didn’t give me any food and only one cup of water, which he said had to last me. I had no idea how long I was going to be locked up, so I didn’t drink it. I just used it to wet my mouth. I think it was three days before he fetched me out and took me home. I was so thirsty…” She blinked her eyes rapidly. “So weak I could barely stand.” I watched her throat work and held onto my fury by a thread. “When we got home, he dragged me into the shower. The guy who I’d fought was waiting in my room when I managed to crawl out. I remember being so scared. I knew he was there to hurt me. I didn’t know what he’d do, but I could tell he wasn’t human, that he was… something else.”
Her face was hot against my fingers as I stroked her cheek. “What was he?”
“I-I don’t know…Fae, maybe. He was stupidly handsome but evil as all hell. My father sat in my room and fucking watched, the pervert. He let him do whatever he wanted, and I didn’t want to end up back in that prison, so I let him.”
Tears streamed down her face. I didn’t try and stop her sobs or give her false reassurance. This abuse had ruined her life and sense of self-worth, and her pain needed to come out.
I stretched my neck, my muscles cracking as I attempted to ease the tension in my shoulders. Silently, I vowed to hunt down the fucker who’d hurt her. Me, Connor, Owen, and the rest of our brothers had killed many of the powerful people who’d taken advantage of the shifters in that prison, but we’d never found everyone who’d taken part in the fight nights and entertainment rooms. I doubted we ever would. It didn’t stop me from wanting to go right into Hell and shred her father’s spirit apart for his cruelty. That raping fucker, though? If he was Fae, I’d find him and rip him limb from limb. Or maybe I’d let Shannon do that, purge her demons that way.
Her trembles and sobs eventually settled, but it took a while for her harsh inhales of breath to calm. I didn’t say anything. I merely held her, rubbing her back and kissing her head.
“Why? Why was he so cruel to me?” she asked in a broken whisper. “I was his daughter….”
More moisture fell on my shirt, but that was the last thing I gave a shit about. I just wanted her pain to ease. “I don’t know, sweetheart. He was evil down to his dark soul.”
“I hope he’s suffering in Hell.”
So did I. “Did he ever hurt Ava like that?”
Her head shook. “I don’t think so. Connor was always around after they got together in their teens. It was only after she left and Connor didn’t come around anymore that Dad told me how much of a disappointment I was….I tried to be better; I aced my classes, came in at the top in the Supernatural Bureau cadet training, learnt to cook so he always had dinner waiting when he got home, and I even cleaned the house top to bottom every day.”
“And it was never enough.” It was a statement, not a question. “Because he wanted you to believe you were weak, not good enough for anyone else. He wanted you to be rivals with other girls and to alienate yourself by attacking your peers rather than making friends. He wanted you isolated and alone. And I’m guessing you were.”
She nodded. “I was. I was such a bitch to everyone, especially Ember. By the time I met her, my dad had been pulling that manipulative shit on me for years. Ember was this street kid who suddenly had everything I wanted; a doting family that loved her….” She paused and met my eyes. It was good to see a bit of defensiveness, or perhaps it was defiance in her gaze. It shone through her sadness and shame like a beacon. “It didn’t help that I had a massive crush on Connor. I saw how he’d looked at Ava years earlier, and I wanted that kind of adoration, especially on my darkest days. When I thought Ava was dead, I convinced myself it was me he’d always loved, not the ghost that was my sister. As I got older and more jealous of Ember, I wanted to hurt her for having adoptive parents who loved her and for taking even a moment of Connor’s attention from me when I had worked so hard for it. I thought if I could win him, he’d take me away from my father and the perverted fuckers who expected me to be available to them whenever they wanted.”
She sighed and slipped off my lap, sitting beside me on the soft, lush grass.
“It wasn’t really her I was pissed at. I was always angry...in here.” She touched her chest. “My wolf was angry. I was angry. And Ember was always an easy target. Or she seemed to be.”
My chest tightened. Connor and Shannon had been having sex in the prison, and it had always pissed me off and made my wolf hell to live with, but I’d been grieving for Gwen, so I’d never acknowledged why I reacted like that. They hadn’t been ‘lovers’, not in the sense that they had romantic feelings for each other. It had been convenient fucking. Or so I’d thought.
“Do you still have feelings for him?” My claws grew, digging into the soft earth, but I kept my voice as even as possible. I could help her fight her father’s memory, the booze, and the sex, but I couldn’t drown out her attachment to Connor…
There was a soft rustle and a hand touched my face, urging me to look at her. I did, my wolf in my eyes. Her breath caught, her gaze searching mine.
“No. Well, I do because he’s my King and my friend. I’ll always respect him and feel loyal to him, but I don’t want anything physical with him and certainly don’t harbour any romantic feelings. I can honestly say I’m not sure either of us was all that bothered back then. Neither of us had any room in our hearts for emotion. It was purely a physical convenience. I was available, and he was a means to staying safe when I wasn’t a member of a pack.”
My shoulders relaxed back down. “Not potential mates, then?” I hated that my voice was thick; it showed my vulnerability where she was concerned.
“No.”
I nodded. She let go of my face, but I continued to stare at her, our faces only a couple of inches apart. Even in this beautiful place, I didn’t want to look at anything else. What I wanted was to plunder those soft lips with mine. A low, rumbling growl resonated in my chest.
“You’re none of those negative things that your father convinced you that you were.” Now, it was my turn to touch her face. I wiped the remaining dampness off her cheeks and slid my hand to the back of her neck. Her skin was hot and damp, and I didn’t care a bit. Her gaze dropped, and I knew it would take time and lots of reinforcement for her to believe me, but we’d get there.
“I’ve known you for years. You are my soul mate, and I will never lie to you or give you false platitudes. I will never manipulate you or hurt you…” I cocked my head and smirked. “Unless it’s for pleasure.”
Her pupils instantly dilated. “I’m looking forward to you explaining that one.” Her voice was breathy, and my smirk widened.
“Oh, I will, but not yet. First, you need to trust the things I say.” I leant forward until my forehead touched hers, my hand still holding her neck. “You are a respected SBI agent. You are excellent at your job. You are a loving and loyal woman when you aren’t trying to push everyone away. You’re fiercely protective of your friends, your sister, and all the people you pretend not to give a shit about. You are stunningly beautiful, intelligent, clever, brave, and one of the best fighters I’ve ever met.”
Tears gathered in her eyes as I spoke, and she tried to shake her head.
“Remember, these belong to me.” I kissed away the first one that fell. “You’re scared to show all the affection you have in your heart, Butterfly. I get it. You need to push away the people who can hurt you so they don’t get the chance and so they can’t control you, but I’m not letting you push me away. Never again. Do you understand?”
She nodded. “Stone?”
“Hm?” I kissed her other eyelid, not because there was a tear but because I couldn’t stop myself from tasting her skin.
“If we’re soul mates, does that mean we can fuck soon?”
I chuckled at her attempt at distraction. “Soon. First, you need to bathe and then eat.”
Her groan was over-exaggerated. “Really? Why can’t we get it on here?”
“Because when I take you for the first time, it will be where your moans and screams belong to me, not every creature watching us from the trees. Your expression when you come is mine. It won’t be seen by anyone or anything else ever again.” I laughed again as her head spun side to side.
“Faeries are watching?”
“Yes. Sprites, a pixie, even a little wood elf. I can also scent a rabbit and a couple of mud moles nearby. They’re like worms but shorter, with hair and rows of teeth.”
Her face dropped. “Oh. I can’t sense them. Guess I really fucked up my wolf as well as myself.”
No platitudes…
“You have. But the Fae remedies you were given worked on the part of the brain that made you physically crave alcohol, so that should keep your need for alcohol repressed for now. What we need to work on now is why you felt you needed that kind of escape. While we do that and build up your sense of self-worth, your wolf will slowly recover and be strong again.”
We sat in silence for a moment.
“Maybe I won’t need that kind of escape again. Not with you here.”
A tentative kind of hope in her words made me smile.
“Come on.” I stood and pulled her to her feet. Taking her hand, I led her through the forest.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” This was probably the worst idea I’d ever had, but Shannon needed to relax, and I wanted to show her what a beautiful place Faery was outside the confines of the Winter Kingdom Palace. Ventry’s kingdom had its own savage beauty, but the Spring Kingdom teemed with new life and hope, except that where I wanted to take her was nearer my father’s estate—and going towards his domain was always dangerous.
I guided her through the glowing trees and under another canopy of giant mushrooms. The slime gliders zipped way above, sliding across the slippery substance on the top of the mushrooms before launching onto the next colossal fungus, gliding from top to flat top, their bright yellow ‘wings’ flashes of colour against the clear sky.
“What are they?” Shannon asked, her hand raised to shield her eyes from the sun.
“Mushroom gliders, or slime gliders, at least that’s what my sister, Airling, and I called them. They only ever land on the huge forest mushrooms. They aren’t affected by the toxic slime that coats the tops. Not much else is known about them except they pollinate those massive fuckers much like insects do for other plants. It’s probably a good job that only they can do it since giant mushrooms would take over the forest. Everything on the forest floor, including the villages, would be starved of light. Then again, Faery is clever at keeping a balance in nature. I guess it would find another way to keep them in check.”
Shannon made a noise of agreement. “Are the gliders dangerous?”
“No. They live off the toxic slime and never venture down here.”
“Have you ever been up there and seen one up close?”
I chuckled. “Yes, I have. When I was younger. I ran away from home and ended up in Spring. I was too young to even consider that I’d crossed the border into another kingdom. I climbed one of the mushrooms, thinking I’d be safe up there.” I laughed at the memory, though it wasn’t a particularly pleasant one. “The gliders weren’t happy about me being in their territory and sent me tumbling to the forest floor. If anything, they are more territorial than a mated Fae.” I looked over my shoulder and grinned at Shannon, satisfied to see those beautiful cheekbones blush. “I was always warned to stay in our own kingdom, but, hey, you know me. I was as stubborn then as I am now…”
“Oh? Really? You do surprise me…”
“Hey, watch the sass.” But my soul warmed as she huffed a soft laugh. “But, yeah, I was a stubborn little shit. Even though Winter was my kingdom, I always had an urge to explore the forest. Maybe it was the wolf in me, I don’t know. You see, the borders of Winter couldn’t hold my attention, not when there was so little forest life. My father’s estate wasn’t like the lands around the Winter Palace. It was given over to farming and feeding our army. It probably still is. We were, are, constantly at war, fighting battles with the dark Fae to keep them from swamping Seelie lands. As a child, I had the fact that I was heir to this territory shoved down my throat by my father, who was less than happy he had a shifter as a son. He wanted nothing more than to either forget he had me or make me into his image and force me to hide my wolf. He did nothing to make me want to stay—even as a young boy.”
“Wh—what did he do?” Her voice held a note of apprehension, and I realised she was worried that what had happened to her had happened to me, too. I gave her hand a squeeze as we continued on.
“He didn’t hurt me in the same way as your father did to you. He is a purebred High Fae in every cell of his body, which means he wanted children—a son—who was a perfect and malleable copy of himself. He’s a control freak and a bully. Aside from the High King, he has the biggest army in Faery. That makes him one of the most important Fae in this world. Even Ventry can’t afford to alienate him—not really.”
“Why? What can he hold over a Fae as powerful as Ventry? Surely, the crown commands an army big enough to protect his borders?”
“He does if that was the only war we were fighting. But many political wars are being fought, as well as fighting the Unseelie. Ventry was the most powerful and respected general in his father’s army, but since he’s become regent, he has had to concentrate on Faery’s political machinations. The High Lords of the other kingdoms have taken advantage. Spring behaves—mostly. The High Lord tries to poison his people mainly with political unrest and vitriol. And Summer is a strong ally. But the Autumn Court is unhappy with not having more troops on its borders with the Void. When the Moons totally eclipse, Autumn has to deal with the Wild Hunt.”
“What’s the Wild Hunt?”
“It’s a wave of…something…not even the Fae know exactly what. Some people say it’s the vengeful spirits of the Darkling Fae that were banished to the Void thousands of moon cycles ago. The people of Autumn suffer far worse than the other kingdoms. Whatever is actually in that hunt kills whoever they find. Stories tell of Fae-like creatures who appear like the dead, their skin rotting and falling off their bones, riding huans with red eyes and skeletal features. Precious children go missing, and adults are murdered if they’re found outside. It is approaching time for the Wild Hunt again, and the Autumn court thinks that Ventry has abandoned them in favour of fighting the Unseelies on Winter’s borders. Their High Lord has been accusing the crown of selfish disinterest and sacrificing the people of Autumn rather than protecting them from the death and suffering of the Hunt. If Ventry can’t gain the throne soon or find a way to break his father’s curse and allow him to return, he will have a civil war on his hands for the crown of Faery.”
“Oh…wow, I didn’t realise things were so unstable here.”
My chuckle was dark. “In what world is there ever a lasting peace? I don’t know of one—do you?”
“No, I guess not.”
She went quiet, and rather than dwell on my dark words, I decided the more she knew about my father, the safer she’d be. I hoped our paths would never cross, but life wasn’t benevolent like that, so it was best to be prepared.
“My father’s army is vast, and it ensures the safety of the Winter Kingdom against the Unseelies. Their lands border my father’s, divided only by a fast-flowing river and flood plains. That army is paid well to remain loyal and vigorously fight for their kingdom. Not only that, my father has no qualms about making every warrior swear allegiance to him for the safety of their loved ones or their own life if they have no family. If they break their oath to fight to the death or they desert, the enchantment he weaves into their vow kills them and their families.”
“Wow, sounds like he could be friends with my father.”
“Yeah, an evil piece of shit through and through. His only loyalty is to his lands and his heritage, not to the king, not to his warriors, not even to his family.”
“Is that why you left? So you didn’t have to suffer a life of war?”
“Me?” I couldn’t help my bitter chuckle. “I don’t think I avoided that. Do you?”
“No, not really.”
We fell silent, and I wondered if Shannon was thinking about the wars we’d fought by Connor’s side. No matter where my home was, death and destruction followed me. War was definitely in my blood. My wolf huffed in agreement. Bloodshed was in our nature.
“My father wants to keep the Unseelie in their place. Most ancient Fae consider them creatures that are lower than lesser Fae. Few are powerful, but their sheer numbers threaten the High Fae. Orth is the Unseelie kingdom…”
“Orth? Isn’t that where the Unseelie who dealt digitalis with Ember was from?”
“Yeah, that’s what she said. Bogwarts are ugly little creatures who thrive on manipulation and are motivated only by wealth and gain.”
Ember had a sketchy past, but I didn’t judge her. We all did what we needed to do to survive. “Orth used to be like all the other kingdoms. It was originally the Night Kingdom. But over thousands of years, the High Fae pushed all the Faery creatures that weren’t beautiful into that corner of our world. It became a dark and dangerous place. Or so we have been led to believe. I know Connor’s mother was part of the ruling family there, so I don’t know what to believe anymore.”
“But why would they do that? Were those creatures dangerous to them?”
I thought back to the Fae I’d met when I’d used an illegal portal to escape Faery. They hadn’t seemed any more dangerous than me. Greedier, maybe, but I’d met far more evil humans and shifters than those dark Fae.
“Who knows? It was so long ago now that I don’t think anyone is sure, save perhaps King Ventris and any other ancient High Fae who have lived through Faery’s history. But they are few and far between because many Fae become unstable at such great ages, so they are granted a death at the King’s hand—or Ventry’s until his father’s curse is broken. I guess Ventry can’t risk letting them into the Seelie kingdom without some kind of proof that they can be trusted. My father’s reasons for fighting them aren’t so noble. Like I said, he merely wants to keep the Seelie bloodlines pure. That’s why he hates my shifter spirit so much. He considers me tainted, an abomination whose soul is Unseelie. He was disgusted by me and told me to hide my wolf. As a child, he scared me into doing just that until I was too old to ignore my wolf any longer and had to shift. I tried hard to stay out of sight, even coming here into the Spring Kingdom to shift deep in the woods away from prying eyes. That worked for a while until my father realised my magic was growing too strong and that he couldn’t threaten me or control my behaviour any more. I did my best to stay on his good side. I became one of his best warriors because he knew if he threatened Airling or my Mother, I’d do whatever he ordered just to keep them safe—until he commanded me to sacrifice a whole fucking legion of our warriors to lure in a large force of Unseelie that had crossed the river into our marshlands. I won that battle my own way, without such a massive loss of life, but Father didn’t see it that way; all he saw was defiance and disloyalty. When I came back from the battle, I caught him hitting my mother. I don’t think he’d ever hit her before, but I don’t know for sure. She denied it. He threatened her because he wanted my true birth name. My mother refused because she knew he wanted to control me and my power.”
“Did she give it to him?”
I turned to answer, but as I did, she narrowed her eyes and cocked a hip. “Wait! Stop the fucking train. Your name isn’t really Stone?”
I grinned widely, and her gaze snagged on my canines, her tongue darting out to lick her lips. “It is Stone. That’s the name my mother settled on because she said my eyes reminded her of the smooth stones at the bottom of the stream, which was her favourite spot to escape from my father. It was her happy place, and she wanted me to remember it and her when she goes to the afterlife.”
Her face dropped. “Oh, no—did he kill her?”
“Not when I’d left. She’d refused to tell him no matter what he did to her. It was one of the reasons I ran. To keep her and my sister safe.” For a moment, fear ghosted through my heart. I’d promised myself I would always stay far away from my family. My presence in Faery put my mother and sister at risk, especially if I approached them. But part of me, the little boy who missed them, wanted to see if they were safe and well. I didn’t think my father would kill them, but like with Shannon, there were many ways to destroy a person that were far more cruel than death.
Shannon nodded. “I’d have done the same thing…wait!”
My grin turned feral when Shannon yanked her hand from mine and shoved her hands onto her hips, glaring at me. “Stoney-boy, you’re trying to distract me. What’s your damned name? Your real one!”
“Stone,” I repeated, backing her up against the nearest tree. The trunk was huge and more than big enough for me to place my hands on either side of her head and box her in. Her scent filled my nose, making it hard to control my urge to flatten my body to hers.
Her eyes flashed as she lifted her chin, peering up at me. Her hands landed flat on my chest but didn’t push me away. Instead, her fingers curled into the material of my t-shirt, holding me closer, belying the scowl on her face. “Now, you’re just being a dick. You know mine, so why won’t you trust me with yours?”
I leaned in, inhaling the scent of her hair and basking in the warmth of her skin. Suppressing a groan, I ghosted my lips over the shell of her ear, revelling in the tremble it sent through her body. My cock twitched, my mouth watering at the sweet scent of her desire. I forced myself to speak, my voice gravelly. “You must be a good girl to get that information from me, my fierce Huntress.”
Her pupils dilated, and I almost gave in to my urge to grind up against her. It wasn’t surprising that she had a bit of a praise kink, considering how starved of it she’d been all her life. It was something I’d absolutely explore—but not yet. Still, fighting the heat simmering between us was too hard. With a growl, I leaned in and took her mouth in a deep kiss, swallowing her taste as our tongues duelled. Gods, if I didn’t stop, I was going to lose all sense of control, and taking her up against this tree was not what I wanted for our first time together. Dragging up my willpower, I caught her bottom lip between my teeth, trapping it as I pulled away, leaving us both panting.
“One day, I’ll tell you my birth name. But my real name is still Stone. It always has been, and I don’t intend to change it, especially since I like hearing you call me Stoney-boy.”
I grinned at her dazed expression, but before she could recover, I grabbed her hand and pulled her back onto our path, leading the way to our destination.