Chapter 10
Chapter ten
“Why are interruptions so well, or I should say ill timed?” – from the diary of Oren Byrne, age eighteen.
On our respective horses, we headed out of the gate and onto the road that led to Elmbury, but I had no desire to go there. I didn’t want to share my limited time with Lord Abnus. I directed the horse over the sloping hills to the barren apple orchard; it should be completely empty.
He followed without complaint.
The silence seemed to stretch between us. It had never been like this in the past, but I couldn’t talk, my feelings strangled me. Swallowing the tension, I asked, “Did you really do nothing of import the last couple months?”
“Nothing, as I told you. Nothing in the Night Court could hold my attention.”
I smiled, and his purple eyes lingered on my lips, making me flush.
I cleared my throat, turning away, but only a moment later, my gaze returned to him.
From the corner of my eye, I studied his muscular frame.
I wished that he wore the same clothes as his cousin—a scandalously low shirt and dreadfully tight trousers.
I could almost imagine how lovely he’d look.
My gaze flicked back up to his face; the sharp lines of his cheekbones were begging to be kissed, and I was more than happy to comply.
Trying to force the blush from my cheeks, I asked, “Are you cold?”
“Dark fae don’t get cold, much as light fae do not overheat. In the spring and summer months, if I was here, I would struggle with the sun and heat.”
“I didn’t know that.” I hadn’t spent much time reading the Sídhetír Memoirs or learning about the fae, because it had reminded me of the chain around my neck. One that hadn’t existed in reality.
“I will share whatever you wish to know.”
I wanted to know everything about him, but I wasn’t sure how to form the words.
We rode under the empty apple trees, the horses' hooves crunching on the snow, while the clouds started to gather in the distance. Was Aidan upset? Emotional control wasn’t his strong suit, and I hoped we weren’t in for a snow storm.
“Do you like being here?” I asked, not glancing at him as we exited the orchard, because I didn’t know how I would respond to what I thought his answer would be.
“Yes, more than anything. I would remain if I could.”
Heat swamped my chest. “Why can’t you?”
“Much like my cousin, I have responsibilities. Unlike Cethin, I cannot claim the same excuse.”
“What do you like about being here?” I asked, leading my horse toward the looming woods.
His eyes traced my face, and the smallest quirk pulled at the corner of his lips. “Many things.”
I swallowed. Dear Lord, I wanted to be one of those things.
When we reached the edge of the forest, we remained outside of the treeline.
The wind rattled through the limbs, and a coldness settled in my bones.
The hair on the back of my neck stood as a slimy feeling like mud slithered down my spine and a tug started in my stomach.
I peered over my shoulder at the forest.
Nothing appeared among the trunks, but the frigid feeling didn’t dissipate. It burned and sent ants crawling over my skin. One glance at Lord Abnus told me he wasn’t experiencing the same sensation.
I nudged my mare forward, away from the treeline and closer to Lord Abnus, but she snorted, taking a step back. “Honey,” I said, patting her. She tossed her head and whinnied. “You’re alright.”
“Mr. Byrne?”
Before I could answer, Honey reared. I clutched her mane, gasping, as she took off.
Lord Abnus called my name, but the rest of his sentence was stolen by the wind.
The pounding of hooves on the snow matched the rapid tempo of my heart.
With my hands fisted and legs clamped, I couldn’t reach the fallen reins.
At any moment I was going to fall, and that thought, as well as the ensuing pain, kept my grasp tight on Honey’s mane.
Something seized me around the waist, lifting me into the air with ease. A shriek ripped from my throat as the ground became a blur of white beneath me.
“Mr. Byrne. Oren,” a rumbly voice said in my ear.
My neverending scream didn’t stop as my hands scrambled over the two bars holding me. What in the bloody hell was going on? I was flying. Flying. The frozen air burned my lungs and stalled my breath. My face turned to ice and shivers shook my body.
Slowly the ground grew closer as the voice whispered my name, over and over again. When my feet touched the snow, my knees turned to jelly, but the bars kept me upright.
“Mr. Byrne, I’m right here.”
“Lord Abnus?”
His face pressed against my neck. “Yes, it’s me.”
I shoved his hands away, and he instantly let me go. I whipped around and threw my arms around his waist, burying my face in his chest, as my heart tried to escape via my throat. He gathered me close, soothing a hand down my back before grabbing a fistful of my hair.
“You saved me.”
“I said no harm would come to you while I was able to prevent it, and I meant it. You’re safe with me.” He rubbed his forehead against my hair, and I melted into him. His voice was soft as he said, “I have you, Oren. I’ll always have you.”
I remained tight against him, not wanting to move. Ever. A sense of rightness flooded me. This was where I belonged, no matter what anyone said.
Sheets of snow interrupted us; the world turned to white in a blink of an eye.
No horse, and no way to know where the manor lay.
The first hug I’d ever received from Lord Abnus, and snow got in the way, or I could say Aidan, because the weather was most likely his fault.
We had to seek shelter. Lord Abnus might not get cold, but I certainly did, and I’d freeze long before I figured out where we were.
He draped an arm over my shoulders and directed me through the whirling snow. The howling wind shoved me back, chilling me. I huddled into his side, but very little warmth came off him.
“Wh-where?” I asked, teeth chattering. My greatcoat, while fine, wasn’t enough to ward off this cold, especially with how fast the temperature had dropped.
“There is an outbuilding of some kind not far from here.”
“How?” I bit out. I swallowed, as the temperature continued to drop. How did Lord Abnus know Sídhetír better than I did? I couldn’t even guess where we were, between Honey running and Lord Abnus flying away with me. A shot of worry went through me for the horses, but I pushed them out of my mind.
“The snow,” he whispered against my ear, his warm breath sending pulses down my spine. “My magic is stronger this time of year and in the snow. If it was night as well, I would be even stronger.”
I shivered, trying to answer, but I couldn't because my teeth wouldn’t stop chattering.
“Trust me, Mr. Byrne.”
I did. Sweet Lord above, I did. Whether trusting a dark fae was wise or not, I didn’t know, but I couldn’t stop myself.
Something about Lord Abnus drew me in like a moth to the flame, and I wanted to burn on his light, regardless of the danger or the cost. He held my heart, my soul, and at this very moment, my life.
An outbuilding the size of a shed appeared in the swirling whiteness. Lord Abnus pushed me inside without a moment of hesitation. Shelves lined the space filled with odd bits and bobs.
“Hunting cabin?” he asked, glancing around. “Do humans hunt in the woods?”
“If they’re brave,” I replied, shaking. “Or desperate."
Some people hunted and trapped in among the trees, facing the threat of fae attack.
In the past, we’d searched for lost hunters under the trees, not to mention the odd villager or child who’d gotten lost. Now, though, Aidan could sense the land under the trees.
If someone got lost, he’d have a far easier time finding the wayward human.
Lord Abnus pulled a blanket from a stack of fabric and shook it out before draping it over the ground. “Lie down.”
Heat zipped south, and I jerked as my cock twitched, coming awake despite the cold.
My inappropriate libido wanted more than huddling for survival.
I settled on the ground, shivering. Lord Abnus yanked the rest of the blankets off the shelf, spreading them over me before snuggling against me.
His arm went around my waist as he buried his face against the nape of my neck.
Warmth flooded my cheeks, and it took every fiber of control to not push back against him.
“My body temperature is not as high as a human, but it’s better than nothing. I cannot use magic to warm you. A light fae or Lord Byrne as a half-light fae could, I assume. I don’t know how much natural fae magic he possesses.”
I scoffed. “Aidan could simply end the snow storm he caused.”
He gave the slightest chuckle, stirring the fine hairs at the base of my neck and making me tremble. I’d never heard him laugh, not once. I wanted to hear it again, but louder and longer.
My cock stiffened, and I fought a groan. I wanted to push my ass into his groin and see if he felt the same as me. My heart was pounding so loud in my ears, I feared he could hear it. How sensitive was fae hearing, and why didn’t I know the answer?
“Mr. Byrne,” he whispered, and I could detect a tension in his tone that hadn’t been there previously.
The howling wind vanished as all of my senses focused on the feel of Lord Abnus holding me and the sound of his rumbly voice. His grip tightened on my shirt and his breathing harshened. His cold nose slid up the side of my neck as his breath whispered over my skin.
“Lord Abnus,” I groaned.
Unable to stop myself, I shifted back until my hips were cradled within his.
A hard length pressed into my ass. I swallowed.
Did he want this—me—as much as I did or was he simply reacting to the closeness?
And how much did he want? Attraction wasn’t the same as love, and love was what I wanted—needed. I could settle for nothing less.