13. Kols
KOLS
Aflora watchedZeph through wary eyes, then shifted that look to me. She still stood against the wall, right where I’d put her, but she appeared a lot less feisty now. If anything, she reminded me of a wilted flower with her shoulders caving inward in insecurity and her arms curling around her middle.
I sighed, hating myself a little for making her feel this way. “I have a reputation for fucking around,” I told her softly. “I upheld that image during our break days to deter the others from asking any questions. But I used glamour spells to do it. Exos and Cyrus were there the entire time, if you want to ask them. They were immune to my enchantment, mostly because they knew I’d bonded to you and would have killed me otherwise.”
It’d been hard enough to calm them down when they sensed my new mating bond—something that had shocked the hell out of me.
Apparently, my wristband only applied to Midnight Fae links, not Elemental Fae ones. However, the Council didn’t seem to have the same ability to sense my connection to Aflora. Which made sense because, according to Exos, it was a link on the spirit plane that gave me away, something only Spirit Fae could see.
And Sol, apparently.
Because he knew right away.
Although, I suspected his was earth source related.
Elemental Fae were fucking complicated.
“If they know about our mating link, then they know I’m an abomination,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “They’re never going to let me back, are they?”
I immediately pulled her into my arms, needing to soothe her. She’d been so strong, fighting every step of the way, but the helplessness always weighed on her. I saw it peek at me whenever she second-guessed herself. Yet she always pushed it back.
Until now.
“Shh,” I hushed, leading her to the couch to sit.
She didn’t even try to stop me, her breaths coming in short bursts as the weight of everything seemed to crush her at once. “They shouldn’t take me back,” she admitted on an exhale, her shoulders trembling. “I’m… I’m…”
“One of the strongest females I’ve ever met,” I told her as I pulled her into my lap to hold her.
That she didn’t even object told me everything I needed to know about her current frame of mind.
She’d given up.
Just for a moment.
But that moment broke my heart.
I pressed my lips to her forehead and drew my fingers through her hair.
“Actually, I think you might be the strongest female I’ve ever met,” I corrected, smiling to myself. “It’s what drew me to you initially. That, and your altruistic nature. You put the safety of your people before your own needs and desires, just as a royal should. I admire you for it.”
She said nothing for so long that I thought perhaps I’d lost her to the sadness, only her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears when she pulled back to look up at me. Aflora hadn’t truly broken, just been on the verge of it.
“It’s my duty to protect them,” she replied softly. “To do otherwise is to fail. It’s why I need to talk to Sol, to officially relinquish my power. Because I can’t be trusted as an abomination, something I imagine you confirmed with him, Exos, and Cyrus, yes?”
I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, then drew my fingertips down her neck. “Not exactly.”
“But they know we’ve exchanged a mating promise to each other.”
That must have been her definition for the third level. Seemed appropriate. “Yes. They know I’m your intended mate, and they’re aware of the complications involved with such a vow. Particularly as it’s well known that Shade has also claimed you and that I’m betrothed to another Midnight Fae.”
Her delectable mouth twisted to the side, the tears glimmering in her gaze slowly subsiding to an intelligent gleam that told me she was considering every angle of the puzzle before us. “This is why I need to break our bonds. It’s one thing to sacrifice myself. Entirely another to take you all down with me.”
I slid my palm to her nape, my thumb dancing along the pulse point at her neck. “Maybe I want to go down with you, Aflora.” Or on you, I added in my mind, my lips curling at the thought.
She snorted. “You accused me of tricking you into our mating, Kolstov. I know you don’t really want this.”
“Then why did we connect?” I countered. “From what I understand of Elemental Fae bonds, they require mutual agreement.” Very unlike Midnight Fae connections.
“We connected because we’re compatible,” she said matter-of-factly. “We’re both royals of very strong lineages, and we got carried away.”
“We did,” I agreed. “Because I knew from the moment I met you that you were a worthy female of mating potential. I tried to fight it, but I was too weak to resist you. And while the connection shocked me, thus causing me to act like a fucking idiot afterward, I don’t regret it. Which is why I won’t allow you to remove it.”
I pressed my lips to hers, silencing whatever argument brewed inside her thoughts. Because I meant it. I refused to let her break this bond.
Would it make things easier for us all? Maybe.
Would it save me from certain punishment? Absolutely.
But somehow I just knew we’d end up right back here, with my soul tied to hers and a whole hell of a lot of bad blood between us as a result.
I didn’t see the point in fighting the inevitable. “I want to find a way to make this work,” I told her in a breath, my mouth brushing hers with each word. “We may not have meant to tie our souls together, Aflora, but it already happened. And rather than fight it and each other, I’d like to figure out how to move forward. Together.”
She shook her head. “It’s impossible, Kols. I shouldn’t exist.”
“But you do,” I replied, kissing her again, this time with more force than before. Her lips yielded to mine, her body betraying her mind. “You exist and you’re mine,” I added, then fully claimed her mouth with my tongue. My grip shifted from her neck to her hair, my fingers tangling in her thick blue-black strands and holding her to me as I devoured her.
If she didn’t want to acknowledge my words, then she could listen to my body.
My opposite hand went to her hip to guide her across my lap and encourage her to straddle my thighs. She followed my lead and wrapped her arms around my neck, then began to return my kiss as if to say goodbye.
I saw right through it, felt her magic humming to life to test her resolve, and tugged on her hair to expose her neck. “Try it,” I dared her, my incisors already at her throbbing pulse. “I’ll just bite you again and again, Aflora. And you can’t break our Earth bond unless I allow it, which is never going to happen. Our souls are already welded together.”
At least that was what I understood after talking to Exos and Cyrus. They said something about my essence weaving around hers, similar to how theirs always gravitated to Claire’s in the Spirit Realm.
“Don’t you see that it’s for the best?” she whispered, her body shaking over mine with a convoluted mixture of arousal and resolve.
“You’ll implode,” I warned her before licking the tempting point of her neck. “I’m the one absorbing most of your magic right now, Aflora. If you release me, you’ll detonate.” It wasn’t a lie. I’d absorbed the brunt of her power the other night, my connection to the dark source forcing me to serve as a funnel.
Her fingers threaded through my hair, her grasp tightening as if to yank me away from her neck, but I didn’t budge.
“You’ll have to try harder than that, sweetheart.”
She growled in response. “You’re being impossible.”
“And you’re being unreasonable,” I retorted, nipping her neck. “I won’t make excuses for myself, Aflora. I reacted badly and I’m sorry.” I nibbled my way up her throat to her ear. “Our relationship is forbidden. It breaks all the rules. It’s probably going to cost me my crown. But you know what?”
She swallowed, her nails biting into my scalp. “What?”
“That all only makes me want you more,” I admitted. “And if given the opportunity to do it all over again, I would, even knowing what it would cost in return.” I nuzzled her tender skin, my lips skimming her pulse once more. Her blood called to the predator within me, urging me to bite, to claim. But I wouldn’t. Not without her permission.
Unless she tried to unweave our bonds.
In which case, I’d bite her repeatedly until she stopped.
“Why?” she whispered.
“Why what, sweetheart?”
“You’re risking everything, Kolstov.”
“Am I?” I replied, drawing back to meet her gaze.
“You are,” she insisted. “You just praised me for being altruistic by putting my people before myself. What are you doing? You’re putting an abomination before your ascension. You’re going against everything you’ve been working for. I want to know why.”
“Because it’s time for change,” another voice replied on my behalf.
I glanced sideways to find Shade lounging in my favorite recliner chair with his feet propped up on the coffee table. As I hadn’t sensed his presence, I assumed that meant he’d just arrived. Unless he’d been lurking in smoke form.
His Death Blood abilities irked me greatly.
“Change?” Aflora repeated.
“Yep,” he drawled.
“Care to elaborate?” I asked, arching a brow.
His icy blue eyes flashed with knowledge and secrets. “Do you believe all abominations are evil, Kolstov? That they should be exterminated on sight without any trial or cause aside from their mingled blood and powers?”
“Abominations have historically proven problematic,” I pointed out, avoiding his direct questions like he did mine.
“Have they?” he countered, arching a dark brow. “Or is that what our Council wants us to believe?”
“It’s an international directive to execute abominations,” I reminded him. “Not just our Council’s.”
“Fair,” he conceded. “But who proposed that mandate originally?”
“My grandfather,” I replied, aware of the history involved. “Shortly after a certain issue a millennium ago.”
He nodded. “Yes. Right around the time he also had all the Quandary Bloods executed.” He cocked his head to the side. “Now, I might be overthinking this, but it seems to me your family has a history of fearing those with the potential to be more powerful than them.”
I narrowed my gaze at him. “If you’re trying to accuse me or my family of something, Shadow, then I suggest you stop hiding behind riddles and spit it out.”
His lips curled. “I see I’ve struck a nerve.”
“With your cryptic bullshit, sure.”
“No. With my concise recollection of just why all this started in the first place. Your grandfather didn’t want to risk the source being realigned again, so he exterminated the Quandary Bloods—or at least those he could find—and also strongly encouraged the fae community to execute all abominations. Which, when you think about it, is a very strange choice indeed when Midnight Fae males can become Fortune Fae Alphas by just refusing to ingest human blood. Thereby suggesting fae are actually somewhat related across the species. But I digress.”
He kicked his feet off the table and leaned forward, all signs of amusement leaving his features.
“Our Council requires change,” he continued, his blue irises landing on Aflora. “So you want a reason, little rose? That’s your reason. Our quad is going to change everything, including rebalancing a power source that has long been abused by the Nacht family. With, or without, Kols’s knowledge.”
“All right.” My hands went to Aflora’s hips to remove her from my lap, but her thighs clamped down around mine.
“Hold on,” she said.
“No. He’s just insulted?—”
Her palm covered my mouth, shocking the hell out of me. “Why do you feel it’s been abused?” she asked Shade.
“Because the Quandary Bloods were removed from the equation, thereby dismantling the balance and allowing the Elite Bloods unfettered access to the source via the Nacht family line. Kolstov’s grandfather destroyed the Midnight Fae who were meant to protect the balance, all because he feared the source would be redirected to another line.”
I moved my mouth away from Aflora’s hand. “Is that the bullshit your father tells you?” I demanded with a humorless laugh. “Un-fucking-believable.”
“Yes, he’s told me this version of events, and he’s also droned on and on about how the source was stolen from our family.” Shade lifted his hand, palm up, in a version of an odd shrug, then let it fall back to his lap. “He wants it back for all the wrong reasons. As do all the members of the Council. Which brings me back to the need for change.”
Zeph chose that moment to enter with a tray of food. He set it down on the coffee table and fixed his gaze on Shade. “You have my attention, Shade. Elaborate on your suggestions for change.”
Of course Zeph would want to entertain this nonsense.
This time Aflora allowed me to lift her off my lap and into the space beside me. Zeph took the spot on her opposite side, his forearms going to his sprawled thighs as he leaned forward to focus on Shade.
“Well?” my Guardian prompted.
Shade studied him for a long moment. “Did you enjoy being demoted to headmaster as a result of your sexual shenanigans?”
Zeph merely smirked. “Nice try at evasion. Tell me your ideas for change.”
“It’s not my ideas that will matter,” he replied cryptically. “It’s our mate’s.”
Aflora had been staring intently at the tray of food, but Shade’s words pulled her gaze sideways. I stretched my arm out across the back of the couch so my fingertips could lightly brush her shoulder. It was a natural move, similar to Zeph widening his legs to ensure his thigh touched hers.
Shade noticed but didn’t comment. Nor did he seem bothered by it. Actually, he appeared almost content with the possessive display, as if it satisfied some part of him.
“I will never understand you,” I decided out loud.
Mischief danced in his features. “You will. One day. Just not today.” He looked at Aflora. “I’ll see you in your dreams later, little rose.” And then he disappeared into smoke once more.
“I hate when he does that,” I said, irritated as hell.
“Which part?” Zeph asked. “Accusing your family of hoarding magic, or the vanishing act?”
“Both,” I admitted on a huff. “He’s infur?—”
“Is that dragon steak?” Aflora’s attention was on the tray again, her blue eyes wide.
I followed her gaze to the dark gray meat surrounded by leaves. The other two plates just had sandwiches. I assumed one of those was meant for me, the other for Zeph. Shade was definitely not on our guest list, despite being able to get past my gargoyle. Which was a discussion I’d need to have with Sir Kristoff later because I hadn’t given approval for the Death Blood to enter at will.
“Yeah, with salad patty,” Zeph replied, palming the back of his neck. “Kols asked Sol for some meal suggestions since you’re not fond of our meals. This was what he recommended.”
“He also told us to get you some scurbuttle snacks,” I added. “After he left, Cyrus informed me that would be a bad idea and suggested I stick to dragon steak. He also recommended I not give you bacon.”
“Bacon?” she repeated.
“Yeah. I guess it’s like troll fat?”
Her eyes rounded in horror. “Why would you eat troll fat?”
“I wouldn’t.”
“Then why eat bacon?”
I shook my head. “It’s not the same, it’s just… Never mind. He recommended dragon steak. So.” I waved to the plate as if to say, There it is.
“I hope I cooked it right,” Zeph mused. “Reminded me of beef, so I grilled it the same way.”
That explained why it took him so long to prepare the food. “What kind of sandwiches did you make us?”
“Turkey and cheese,” he replied. “I added mayo to yours since you like it.” He grimaced with the comment, causing me to grin.
I covered my heart with my hand, my other arm still draped over Aflora’s shoulder. “You do love me, Z.”
He snorted but didn’t deny it.
“You made me dragon steak,” Aflora said, still focused on her plate. “Because Sol suggested it.”
Zeph glanced uneasily at her. “Yeah, he suggested it to Kols. Did I make it wrong?”
“And you added salad patty.”
“Yeah, that part just seemed appropriate based on what I know of Elemental Fae cuisine. Seems like a popular side? But I had to use magic because we don’t have a lot of those root vegetables here. So, uh, I hope it’s okay.”
She finally looked at him. “I thought we agreed on burning thwomp and fire gnat juice.”
My lips twitched at the mock condescension in her tone. Teasing had to be a good sign, right? Maybe it meant she was past the idea of rewiring our connection, or had at least put it on hold. Regardless, I’d take it.
“Yeah, sorry, all out of burning thwomps, I’m afraid,” Zeph replied, his tone contrite. “But if you don’t want the dragon steak, I’ll eat it, and you can have my turkey sandwich.”
He made to reach for her plate, and she batted his hand away. “Don’t you dare.”
Zeph smirked at her. “Oh, you want it now?”
“Did you poison it?” she countered.
He nodded. “Yep. Laced it with an agreeable charm so you’ll do everything I say for at least a week.”
“I actually think you might mean that,” she replied.
He grunted, grabbed her plate, and set it in her lap. “Eat, Aflora. Or I really will enchant you.”
Rather than snipe something back at him, she plucked a leaf off her plate and used it to rip a piece off her dragon steak, then made a show of putting it in her mouth.
Suddenly, food was the last thing on my mind.
And her lips were all I could see.
“Fuck,” I muttered.
“No,” she replied without missing a beat. She finished chewing and swallowed before looking at me. “I’m not ready to do that again yet.”
Zeph met my gaze over her head, then we both gazed down at her. “All right, sweetheart,” I conceded. “That’s fine.”
My Guardian nodded in agreement. “I’m not ready to fuck yet either.”
She glanced at him. “You’re not?”
“No.” He leaned in to whisper in her ear just loud enough for me to hear as well. “I won’t fuck you until you beg, pixie flower. And even then, I still might not fuck you. Do you want to know why?”
“Why?” she asked as if hypnotized by his voice. And maybe she was.
“Because you haven’t earned it yet.” He kissed her on the cheek, then reached for his plate and began to eat.
“He’s a dick,” I told her conversationally as I grabbed my own sandwich. “And, unfortunately, he means it.”
When Zeph set his mind to something, there would be no changing it. He was a stubborn ass like that. But on this, I sort of agreed with him. Until we were in a better place with Aflora, sex was off the table.
However, that didn’t mean we couldn’t play in other ways.
Such as in her dreams.
I smiled at the memories of all the times I joined her in her mind. Mmm, that was fun. Maybe we’d do it again later. After Shade finished toying with her.
Or perhaps I’d kick him out and take over.
Zeph caught my gaze again, the knowing flicker in his green irises telling me he agreed with my plan. We didn’t even need to talk about it; he just knew.
Poor Aflora. Now she had three mates hungry for her dreams.
I pressed my lips against her temple, showing affection because I wanted to, then returned to my midnight lunch. “I’m glad to see you eating a healthy meal, Aflora,” I told her. “You’re going to need that energy later.”
“What?” she asked, her mouth full of dragon steak.
“For your dreams,” Zeph replied. He lifted his hand to draw his knuckles down her cheek. “And for your independent training tomorrow.”
She groaned, the sound going right to my cock. “Stay out of my head.”
“Never,” Zeph and I replied at the same time.
“Willow stumps,” she muttered to herself. Then she dug back into her meal, the argument forgotten.
Well, one thing was clear—I needed to order more dragon steak.