Chapter Two #2
The blond beauty finally spoke, sounding as perfect as his form. “You’re not needed. We’ll be safely in Faerie with my Royal Guard’s protection.”
At the mention of his Royal Guard, the men surrounding him tapped their halberds on the floor.
Celina started crying.
Violet eyes turned her way. They turned to lavender as Stone watched.
Celina immediately settled.
Those unnatural eyes focused on him. “We’re wasting time.”
Stone held his ground. “Frost goes nowhere without me.” There was no denying the determination in his voice. Royalty didn’t mean shit to him. He answered only to Celeste.
The mesmerizing gaze swept over him. “Not just anyone can storm into Faerie, no matter how righteous the cause.”
Deidra patted his arm. “Stone is good, Stellar. He’s eaten food served by Jacen.”
Stone had actually forgotten that was a thing, but yeah.
Frost often held backyard gatherings where Deidra’s husband always manned the grill.
He didn’t eat any longer, but he had taken small bites of the food offered to him by Jacen for just this reason.
That answered one question from his morning lapse.
That was how he had seen into Faerie. Stone was more certain than ever that moment had been real.
He had seen the way Lysander faded. Terror struck his heart.
“Let’s go. We’re wasting time.”
As if Stone’s reminder broke his resistance, the royal fairy, obviously named Stellar, turned away. Everyone immediately fell into step, keeping him safe from every vantage point. Stellar swept his arm, and an invisible curtain opened, giving them passage straight into Faerie.
Stone had no idea how anything worked in the hidden realm.
He just stuck to Frost’s back and kept his eyes moving.
Despite the beauty surrounding them, bad things happened everywhere.
Frost had a child and mate to go home to.
It didn’t take long for Lysander to come into view.
A thick blanket covered his hammock suspended by nothing in midair.
An unnaturally blue creek flowed beneath him.
One translucent wing poked out between the hammock and blanket.
Tiny shimmers of light danced on the very tip while the rest looked lifeless.
Deidra aggressively patted Frost’s arm. “He’s right there.” It was an unnecessary announcement, but Stone got it. He felt helpless too.
Stellar motioned the hammock closer, and the bed obeyed. “I’ve brought the healer.” Stellar reached beneath the blanket as if grabbing Lysander’s hand. The love etched on the guy’s face had Stone ready to fuck up that beauty. Now wasn’t the time.
“He can’t fix me, and you know it.” There was a sad yet loving whisper from beneath the blanket. “It’s okay.”
Stellar snapped, “It’s not okay. You’ve been my best friend for nearly our entire lives. If you won’t live for me, at least give me a name so I can tear out his insides when you’re gone.”
Frost rocked from foot to foot, obviously waiting to jump in the moment he was allowed to do so.
A gnawing at the back of Stone's gut and mind had him ready to explode. Everything felt wrong. There was a hole growing in his chest. More light sprinkled onto the ground like glitter from Lysander’s wing.
The full memory of this morning washed over him.
They had locked eyes. Lysander was his mate.
“Just let me go.”
“Fuck that.” The roar burst from Stone. He didn’t give anyone time to react.
Stone used his vampire speed against the surrounding guards, bypassing them in one swift move.
In a flash, he had Lysander in his arms. His mouth covered his mate’s.
A flash of light nearly blinded him even with his eyes closed.
Stone spoke against Lysander’s lips between kisses. “You don’t get to leave me like this.”
“Fascinating.” Frost’s mutter reminded him they weren’t alone. He pulled away, completely on board to do whatever it took to make Lysander live. His glowing fairy was back. No more drooping wings.
“I see.” Stellar’s voice had changed. He sounded less sure of himself. “You said he was a vampire. I guess I didn’t know who to suspect first. Maybe I’m not as much your—” Stellar stopped. His gaze landed on Deidra. “Thank you for accompanying me. I need to get back to my place, it seems.”
At any other time, maybe Stone would have tried to puzzle his way through the encounter. Right now, he still felt sick, and he didn’t know why. Lysander looked better but still weak. He had no idea why everyone seemed to deem him well.
Deidra linked arms with Frost. “I’ll escort you back.”
Stone had never been more torn in his life. He had to guard Frost, but it was Lysander. Stone felt the way he still struggled. Which duty was he meant to follow?
Deidra made a dismissive motion when Stone tried to stand.
“I’m taking him right back to his office.
He’s not in danger. Plus, Frost is probably more dangerous than anything bent on harming him.
You stay here and fix my cousin. It seems this is your fault in the first place.
” The way Deidra’s voice hardened had him guilt-ridden, and he had no idea what he had done.
Stone might have argued if everything hadn’t felt like it wasn’t real. He felt like he walked through a dream and couldn’t see anything clearly, except Lysander. Only when he looked at Lysander did the world snap back into focus.
Light green eyes with rays of blue stared back at him. “I thought you said you never wanted to see my face again.”
Stone got more confused every time anyone spoke to him.
“I don’t remember saying that, but I know that means nothing.
Nothing I do lately seems to stick to my brain.
Everything vanishes and I can’t make my mind hang on to it, but I’m here.
Please tell me what’s wrong? What’s happening to your wings? ”
At his question, Lysander’s wings disappeared as if he didn’t want Stone to see them. “I haven’t truly fed in weeks.”
That one threw Stone for all the loops. “So eat.”
A soft, weak-sounding chuckle vibrated from Lysander.
Even at death’s door, the laugh sounded sexual.
Lysander was just pure lust. The truth dawned.
He felt a little dumb. “Oh. Why won’t you do what you need to do?
I know it’s not from lack of offers.” Even as Stone said the words, a jealous rage roared through him.
No one else was allowed to touch his mate.
He knew the reaction wasn’t fair. If Lysander forbade him from drinking from anyone else, he wouldn’t understand.
Blood was food. That was all. For Lysander, sex was magic, light, and energy.
Truthfully, fairies were akin to energy vampires.
Stone should be looking at this as he would any other food source, but he couldn’t. This was his mate.
Lysander’s gaze moved over Stone’s face, as if looking to see if Stone would get smarter. When he came to the obvious conclusion that Stone would never figure him out, he put Stone out of his misery. “I don’t want to touch anyone else. It wouldn’t be right.”
Stone hated how that confession simultaneously made his heart soar and sink.
He ached to claim his mate—to be claimed by his mate.
But Stone had a sickness he didn’t know if he could spread.
Neither could he fail this beautiful gift from Celeste.
A fairy. Stone nearly laughed. He couldn’t say she hadn’t matched his appetite.
Still, Stone wanted to protect Lysander. “Maybe it wouldn’t be right if I touched you.”
Lysander nodded as if he saw every thought and fear inside Stone. “Then I’ll touch you.”
Lysander’s fingertips ran down Stone’s torso.
His shirt disappeared beneath Lysander’s touch.
Stone stared so hard at Lysander, his vision doubled, forcing him to blink.
He had to stay in this moment. They had so much to talk about, but Stone didn’t know how long he had before his mind wasn’t his any longer.
No matter what, he couldn’t let Lysander starve because of him.
Nor could he force himself to give Lysander permission to go somewhere else.
While holding Lysander’s gaze, Stone kept his voice serious. “You know hammock sex is hard, right?”
The hammock dropped, turning into a bed before hitting the ground. He was almost bucked off the edge at the impact. Stone wasn’t one to let something like being graceless stop him from getting what he wanted.
He straddled Lysander’s body. “Now do the pants.” Now that he had Lysander where he wanted him, he felt more like himself than he had in months.
Lysander touched Stone’s hip, and his jeans disappeared. He glanced behind him. His work boots were still firmly in place. “That’s how it’s gonna be, huh?”
A mischievous smile stretched across Lysander’s face. Not even his weakened state dimmed his carnality, which practically dripped from him. “When you’re about to work, you need the proper equipment.”
Happiness rushed through him, the way it had always done when Stone found himself alone with Lysander. Goddess, he couldn’t have asked for a better pairing. If he had to spend eternity with anyone, he was glad it was Lysander. He always made every thought and worry vanish.
Lysander stroked Stone’s erection. His skin tone improved by the second. “I’m already wet for you. You should take advantage of that.”
Fuck, he was hot. Lysander’s brand of magic made everything better. He never had to stop to find lube. Still… “You’re my mate. I want better for you than just to get fucked.”
Their connection grew closer at his admission. He felt the pride rise inside Lysander. Lysander needed Stone to recognize their bond. The knowledge came as clearly as if those thoughts had been his own.
“Considering I might actually die if you don’t get inside me soon, I’m pretty cool with just getting fucked. Plus, I love the—”
Lysander’s words were cut short by his cry as Stone quickly changed positions and impaled him.
A bright glow radiated from his body, and his back bowed.
Yeah. This was his person. Stone went wild.
Lysander’s hole was like nothing he had ever experienced elsewhere, and Stone was a self-proclaimed man-whore.
He had enjoyed centuries of every creature in existence.
In retrospect, he should have recognized Lysander as his mate immediately.
Stone had been told his entire life that mates were different.
That no one else would quench his thirst after their coupling.
He believed it, since he hadn’t—willingly—wanted anyone else since.
Stone had to slam the door on those thoughts.
He didn’t know how much Lysander could see in his mind yet.
The last thing he wanted was for Lysander to get hurt.
Plus, Lysander felt fucking amazing beneath him. Stone wanted to remember every second.
His fangs scraped Lysander’s skin. He was scared to bite. Stone wasn’t so far gone that he had forgotten he was sick. He couldn’t harm his mate.
Lysander didn’t give him a choice in the matter.
He snatched Stone’s hair and dragged him into a kiss.
Before Stone saw it coming, he had Stone’s neck in his mouth with another swift tug.
Blinding lights popped in his vision as Lysander’s teeth sank into his skin.
If Stone had been the least bit capable, he would have begged Lysander to stop.
He would tell Lysander everything and ensure he understood why this was a bad idea.
Nothing but blinding ecstasy existed in his mind and body.
He couldn’t even move from the way his cock pumped jets of cum into Lysander’s ass.
Stone couldn’t come down. The mind-bending orgasm seemed to last forever.
Someone could walk right up and kill him.
Stone still wouldn’t know he was dead. He couldn’t even breathe.
His hips wouldn’t stop rolling, trying to get as deep as possible.
Lysander licked the place he had bitten, and Stone’s mind cleared a little.
A gust of wind chilled the cum coating Stone’s torso.
That was the only proof he had that he’d pleased Lysander.
At least he hadn’t totally failed Lysander… yet.
“You won’t destroy me. I feel how badly you want this. The longing coats your mind. It’s all I can see.”
Lysander had claimed him, and now he saw the ugliness. Damn. Lysander had claimed him. This time, that thought fully sank in. Lysander was right. The longing crippled him. His fangs itched to bite—to take his rightful place.
“Please? I want that.”
At Lysander’s plea, Stone kissed his neck, equally teasing them.
His body tingled with anticipation. He might come again.
It would be just explosive. Stone was sure of it.
He was still hard inside Lysander, ready to make him leak with cum for days.
He sucked the spot he had kissed. His hunger grew bigger than anything he had ever experienced.
Stone swore he already tasted the magic-filled blood coating his mouth.
Nope. Not today, slave. A claimed mate will give you grounding I can’t tolerate right now. I’m not done with you yet.
“No.” Stone didn’t know if the guttural denial was Lysander’s or his.
He couldn’t even see Lysander any longer, much less feel him. Everything surrounding him was just gone. He fought like hell to find the light. Any light. Nothing existed but an inky void.
For fuck’s sake. Stop fighting. You’ll get your pathetic mate back soon enough.
“Let me go.” Stone screamed the words and pushed as hard as he could against the walls of his mind. For a moment, he stood feet from Lysander. Lysander looked terrified. Fear filled every inch of Stone. “What’s happening to me?”
Stone would never know if Lysander answered. Things went black again. This time, he was gone.