13. Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Zelyah
A gent Cooper, apparently also known as Prince Valerian, has a bead of sweat dripping down his brow. Is he nervous now that I know the truth about him? Maybe this trip was worth the anxiety after all.
“Yes, Edwin?” Even his tone sounds more authoritative. His features are sharper, more defined, and as much as I don’t want to admit it, he looks fucking hot. I wonder if it has something to do with coming to his realm, it enhances his features somehow.
I slowly slide back over to my side of the carriage bench, feeling Agent Cooper’s eyes tracking my every movement.
“We’re glad to have you back. You’ve been missed,” he says. Then he adds with a chuckle, “Especially by the women.”
That grabs his attention, and he faces away from me. I almost unleash my power of control so he’ll look at me again. I’m not one to be possessive, I’ve had to let go of a lot of my belongings because I’m always on the run, so it comes as a shock when I feel territorial over Agent Cooper. I think it must be because I’ve been staying with him, and he’s the only one I know in Faerie. Yeah, that makes more sense than me being outright jealous. I’m not the jealous type, especially when I can get whomever I want with my power. Doesn’t mean I’d actually do it.
“I bet,” he says with a faraway look, and I’m not sure what it is, but I hate his expression. He looks like he’s thinking about the women he’ll encounter here.
“How long are we staying?” I ask.
It didn’t dawn on me to ask before. I just automatically assumed we’d leave after dinner, especially because he knows I have a date with Easton tomorrow, and by date, I mean a way for me to escape the house and feed. That’s the only reason I entertained the idea of going out with him. Easton is always inattentive, and he would provide me with the perfect opportunity to hunt and feed. It’s a brilliant plan if Agent Cooper doesn’t fuck it up for me by making us stay the whole weekend. If that happens, I’ll need to feed here, and that would be too difficult to accomplish. It’s already hard enough tracking down dirtbags to feed on in another city with Agent Cooper up my ass. It would be impossible to do that in such a dangerous and unfamiliar realm.
“We leave tomorrow morning.” Well, fuck.
“Why can’t we leave today?” I try not to act like the idea worries me, but it does. What happens if he tries to push it out another day? I don’t think I have the power to hold my glamour together.
“You’ll see.”
I don’t like his extremely cryptic words. What the hell did I get myself into? Thankfully, I don’t have to feed until tomorrow, but I need to make sure we leave in the morning. The carriage finally rolls to a stop. As I peer out the window, shock locks my muscles in place.
“What in the fuck is that!” I scream.
An enormous castle sprawls before me, more staggering than anything I’ve even seen pictures of. My mind reels trying to take in the scale and enormity of the fortress in front of me. This can’t be real. The carriage door opens, but I’m frozen, unable to move. Where I’m from, castles like this don’t exist outside of fairytales and fantasies. Yet here one stands in all its glory. I’m awe-struck, and the image sears itself into my brain.
“Miss, may I help you?” the driver asks as he holds the door open. I look down at him as he waits for me to get out.
“Yes, of course.” I hold onto his hand while my delicate-heeled shoe touches the steps. It’s even more stunning up close.
“Who lives here?” I look up, not paying attention to my surroundings.
“The king,” Agent Cooper answers before jumping right back into his conversation with Edwin.
I’m in such awe that I don’t put two and two together. “So, your dad lives here?”
“Yeah,” he replies with a hint of boredom.
“Wow.” I’m not sure what else to say.
There are plenty of people outside, and once they notice us, their eyes light up. As their gleaming eyes settle on Agent Cooper, a flurry of emotions plays across their striking features. Some gaze with cool calculation. Others look caught off guard but quickly school their expressions into practiced neutrality. A few regard us with unveiled curiosity, briefly glancing at one another in shared excitement.
“I thought you said this would be a dinner.” I look at the lingering stares. This was not what I expected. I’m not sure exactly what I thought this would look like, but it sure isn’t this.
“It is.” He finally steps next to me, also taking in the castle.
“Then why is the whole . . .” I’m not sure what to call it, “country coming to dinner? Is this normal?”
“No. It’s because I’m making an appearance today. My father has decided to invite the important people from Faerie, but it’s not the whole country, I can assure you.”
Yeah, whatever you say, prince.
“Prince . . .” someone calls out to him, but he ignores it and stares at me instead.
“I thought you were Agent Cooper,” I say accusingly, knowing he doesn’t owe me anything.
“Not here. Here I’m Prince Valerian.” He stares at me like he’s trying to read me. He believes that our dynamic will change now that I know he’s a prince, but that’s the total opposite. It makes me hate him more.
“Does everyone in the FBI know?”
He rests his hand near his sword. Sword? I guess it’s strange for me to see this. I’m used to seeing him with a holster and a gun.
“No, only my boss and my best friend.”
“Agent Rodriguez?”
“She’s not my best friend.” So, his partner doesn’t even know. That’s interesting. With her being his colleague and all, I thought he’d confide in her about his secret life. “Zel, this place is dangerous. Whatever the circumstances, do not leave my sight.”
That definitely depends on how long he makes me stay here and if I need to feed.
“Prince . . .” A gorgeous woman with blue hair and gray eyes comes up to us. My hackles immediately rise, and my hand twitches. I wish I would’ve brought something other than gum to defend myself. I thought this would be a small cottage in the countryside or something, not this grand palace.
I’m quickly pushed aside by the woman. All I can do is stand there and look confused. I’ve never wanted much attention because having people notice me was dangerous. But fuck it, I’m feeling a little salty right now. I use a very tiny amount of power to attract the faeries to me. A flock of men start heading my way.
“Are you with someone?” the first man asks.
Another one says, “I’ve never seen you before.”
“Twirl around for us,” the one from behind me voices.
They think I’m a human they can compel because they can’t smell me as another one of them or a supernatural. I chuckle and play their little game, doing as he says. They can’t make me do shit, but I don’t let them know.
“You can stop now,” the same guy says.
I look over at Agent Cooper. He’s still flirting with the girl, but another two barely dressed women come up. It doesn’t take long before he’s surrounded. Everyone tries to get his attention.
“Do you want to take me inside and maybe show me around?” I wink at the faerie standing in front of me, and his smile lights up.
These men are all handsome. That’s what I hate about them, they lure innocent human men and women with their looks and their dreamy words. I extend my hand, and he grabs it immediately, while my entourage of men trails behind me. I don’t even look back at Agent Cooper. I’m sure he’d rather have the company of the half-naked women than mine.
The interior of this fortress—because that’s what this place is—is even more magnificent than the exterior. The door is embellished with ornate moldings. The walls are covered in turquoise, just like Agent Cooper’s eyes, or whatever the hell his name is here. The curtains are a deep blue silk with gray accents. The main lobby has a sixty-foot ceiling, two grand staircases on each side, marble floors, and in the middle, there’s a crest that says Spring Court. The ceilings have intricate patterns that look hand-carved. These people must be perfectionists because it is flawless. Suspended from the ceiling is an elaborate chandelier. Right below it sits a three-tiered fountain decorated with turquoise flowers that I’ve never seen before.
“My home is just as spectacular,” the handsome fae says to me, but I’ve quickly forgotten about him.
I’m making it my mission to find Agent Cooper’s room to see if I can uncover any secrets to use against him. You never know when you might need a little blackmail. The man I walked in with gets distracted by another newcomer. I drop the glamour and walk away from people the way I normally do so I won’t be seen. I take the opportunity to make my escape. As I look around, it seems like everyone is in their own world, so I slide up the stairs unnoticed.
There are human servants, and I want to puke at the way some of these faeries are treating them. They’re glamouring them, making them do what they want, and the humans happily comply with smiles on their faces. Some are here because they lost their way and ended up in Faerie. Others have been stolen from their homes. They all look to be in their twenties and thirties. That’s the age most faeries prefer. They don’t age here; they stand at a standstill. They could be one hundred and still look twenty-one.
This place has so many rooms. I make a mental note of all the extravagant and slightly creepy portraits, using them as a guide to figure out my way back. I leave the chatter behind, climbing up another set of stairs. As much as these heels make me look and feel pretty, I wish I had my combat boots instead. The heels make a loud clicking sound, and I try to tiptoe. I turn into a hallway and nearly stumble back, but another man grabs me. Shit, I’ve encountered the guards. He says something to me in a foreign language, and I just stare at him dumbly.
He rolls his eyes and then asks, “Are you lost?”
They wear black button-up uniform shirts with the Spring Court emblem on the right-hand side. It looks dressy and useful for combat—unlike my outfit in every way. They also wear black leather pants and tall boots with turquoise accents.
What is it with this place? Everywhere I turn, I’m reminded of Agent Cooper’s eyes.
“What are you?” The one next to him asks, and my body tenses.
I look like a human and not a supe. I can’t come out and say, Hey guys, I’m a Succubus. I’d be killed on the spot.
He yells in a foreign language and more guards appear. They all start to circle me. I walk backward but immediately bump into a guard. I take a couple of steps forward and move in a different direction. I want to unleash my power, but I rein it in tightly. I can’t let it out, not here, not ever. Small amounts of glamour when the prince isn’t watching me is one thing, but unleashing my power would be too dangerous. I back up again slowly and hit the wall. I turn around, noticing it’s another guard. This one is stockier than the rest. Another man speaks in the same strange language, and my hands start to shake in panic.
Fuck! Why do I get myself into weird situations?
I regret attempting to snoop around. This was a bad idea. One of them tries to touch my hair, and I swat his hand away. They all laugh. Another one grips my arm hard. My power rises to the surface, and I try to contain it as best as I can, but it’s hard when I’m being attacked.
“Leave me alone,” I growl, but it’s useless, they won’t do as I say unless I add some of my energy.
“Why should we?” says a gruff voice behind me.
I turn to see a fae with a long red beard and piercing dark eyes staring back at me.
“You’re just a mere human, nothing more than a toy,” he continues with disdain.
Anger flashes through me at his fucked-up words. I already hate this asshole. “I’m a shifter,” I lie.
“No, you’re not. You don’t smell like it.” Another gets close to me to sniff. He grabs my dress trying to pull me to him, and I push his chest away from me.
“Fuck off!” I yell. “I’m here with Prince—”
“Sure you are.” His not letting me finish a sentence makes me see red. Maybe no one will notice if I release just a little power here. After all, it’s secluded enough. The remnants of power will linger, but no one here will think twice about me.
My power pushes through, making it easy for me to grab and wield it. I see my reflection in the mirror across the hallway, and my eyes have started to glow blue. I need to feed anyhow, and on the off chance I get caught, I’ll just pin the killing on each of them. It will be easy enough to make it seem like they got into a brawl and murdered each other, then I’ll just look confused about the power.
Yes, it’s a good plan.
“We’re going to take you and . . .”
Someone with a beautiful lyrical voice speaks in another language, and they all back off immediately. My heart thunders in my chest. I turn around to see their heads turned downward. I’m placed gently on the floor, and they step back. Someone grabs my arm and spins me around forcefully. I’m taken by surprise as my whole body shifts, and I come face-to-face with Agent Cooper.
“Didn’t I fucking tell you not to leave my sight,” he growls in my ear.
I’ve never been more relieved in my life. He’s not freaking out, so I assume that my eyes have gone back to normal.
“Now come on, dinner is about to be served.” There’s a hint of relief in his voice, but the way he scowls at me, I’m not sure if I’ve imagined it.
I look at the mirror one more time and my eyes are brown. Agent Cooper would have handed me to Radnor for another lie-detecting test if he’d seen my eyes glow blue. We go back down the two flights of stairs to the grand hall. There’s a lot more chatter now. As we walk into the dining hall, I take in the sight of round tables and elegantly dressed servers moving fluidly between guests. Their serving trays hold an array of sparkling drinks in crystal flutes. Laughter rings through the hall like music, and I immediately feel out of place.
“It’s all fake,” Agent Cooper says, looking out into the crowd. “They’re all plotting the best way to backstab each other, and they’re gossiping about other faeries, other realms, and who knows what else these people want.” We reach our table. “Sit here,” he says abruptly.
I look around at the other faeries at my table. They’re glaring at me, probably trying to figure out why the prince told me to sit next to them instead of having me serve them. Well, this is going to be awkward. I look back at a couple who are well-dressed. The wife has a stack of white-blonde curls piled onto her head and pinned in place like a 19th-century costume wig. She glares at me with distaste. I respond by smiling at her sweetly and then winking at her husband, adding a tiny bit of my glamour. He blushes, and his wife slaps his shoulder roughly while he snaps out of the trance. The others at the table pay me no mind, so I leave them alone. As long as they don’t bother me, I won’t fuck with them.
“Is this seat taken?” a familiar voice asks.
I look up to see Radnor’s handsome face smiling down at me. He doesn’t wait for me to answer, just pulls the seat out and sits down next to me. He’s also wearing a guard suit, and I must admit, it fits him nicely.
“Radnor, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be . . . I don’t know, interrogating people, finding out if they’re lying or not?”
He chuckles, and I find myself leaning closer as we talk. Radnor is surprisingly easy to have a conversation with.
“Prince Valerian is my best friend,” Radnor reveals. I push back from the table in shock, nearly toppling my chair. “You okay there, Zel?” Radnor asks, chuckling at my dramatic reaction.
“That sour patch over there—” I point across the room where Agent Cooper is talking with other people, “—is your best friend? What? How?” I look back at Radnor confused. There’s no way we’re talking about the same person.
“Yeah, Prince Valerian, but I guess you know him as Agent Cooper. He’s my best friend. We grew up together, and when he left for your realm, he took me with him. With my skills, the FBI Unit took me right in.”
“Oh, I bet they were happy to find you. You’re a keeper,” I say. His eyes smile at my words. Wanting to clarify, I add, “I meant for the FBI, you’re a valuable resource.”
“Sure, Zel.” He winks seductively, the same way I’d done to the man sitting across from me, but he doesn’t have to put out any power with his. At least, I don’t think he does.
“Can I have your attention please?” I drag my eyes to the man standing on the right of the grand table. He’s speaking behind the podium.
Agent Cooper stops greeting people when the man calls for everyone’s attention. He politely dips out of a conversation, takes the three stairs up front, and sits at the grand table with a few others. All eyes in the room watch him, especially the women in attendance. I hate to admit it, but he does look like a handsome fairytale prince up there. The ladies seem to agree, based on their hungry staring and whispering.
I’m surprised to see Radnor take the seat next to Agent Cooper at the head table. I whip my head around and find the spot beside me empty, and my body deflates. I thought I had someone in my corner.
“Everyone, can I have your attention please?” The man at the podium calls out again.
The chatter in the room dies down as all eyes turn toward him expectantly.
“Let’s welcome King Roban of the Spring Court,” he announces.
As the king enters, I find myself wondering how many courts there are in this realm. I’ll have to ask Agent Cooper for more information later. Once the trumpets start, the chatter stops. Everyone looks at another door located a couple of steps from the table. It opens, and a very good-looking man appears. He’s wearing silver and turquoise colors that match his eyes. There’s no denying, this is Agent Cooper’s father. He walks out with an air of confidence.
One of the servers fills my cup, and I smile politely as I bring it to my nose. The sharp smell of alcohol sends a jolt of excitement through me, and I down the drink in one go. The sweet berry flavor wars with the burn of high-proof liquor, and I immediately want more. I signal the person for more, and they fill it up again, not questioning the way I drink it down like a glass of water.
I lose track of time. I eat until my belly is full. Everyone dances, and I think I do, too. Everything becomes blurry, and I become giggly after the second drink. I signal one of the waiters for more of the drink, but no one brings me any more. After a while, it seems like I’ve been cut off, and I know it must be the sour patch man who has a hand in stopping me from drinking the glorious liquid.
I haven’t seen Agent Cooper for a while. He’s probably getting laid by one of these women. I decide to search for him because he’s my ticket back home, after all.
If I can’t drink anymore, he could at least take me back to his place. I march out of the hall with confidence, even though I have no clue where I’m going. I open a door to a bathroom and see a couple making out.
“Oh, sorry,” I say before closing the door.
I walk further down and open another door. My jaw hits the floor. Woah. The lighting is dimmed and red, and the air smells sweet and full of . . . lust and need. My breath picks up. While the grand size of the chamber doesn’t faze me, the full-on orgy inside makes me pause. Bodies writhe everywhere in a tangle of flesh I can hardly separate, contorting as cries of unbridled ecstasy fill the air, and the participants indulge in their desires.
A man with curly brown hair is on his knees being thrust into by a man behind him. “Just like that Lukas, take every inch of me.” The man in the front grabs his locks soothingly while the one behind him slaps his ass hard enough to leave a handprint. The guy on all fours whimpers. “Shhh . . . You’re doing great.” His eyes say it all, he loves pleasing both men at the same time.
Instead of pulling away, I find myself drawn in, tempted to join the writhing bodies and give in to desire. One minute I’m by the door, the next, on my knees observing a threesome up close. A purple-haired female rides her male partner as a redhead looks on, pleasuring herself. The redhead notices me staring and smiles in invitation. As she leans in to kiss me deeply, for a fleeting moment, I imagine it’s Agent Cooper before me instead. How those plush lips would feel claiming mine. My skin burns, imagining his hands roaming my curves as we shed our restraint.
But no, we hate each other. He’s the man who accused me of murder and who apparently keeps a watchful eye on me at all times. I force the traitorous thoughts away and focus on the taste of the sweet Faerie alcohol on the redhead’s tongue. I just need more wine to scrub my mind clean of him again.
I slide between the two women and sit down. The couch is soft a cloud. The one with the purple hair pulls me away gently and brings her lips to mine, they’re so soft and plush. She follows the V of my dress with her index finger, and I shiver at the contact. She pulls my left sleeve down, and one of my tits bounces out with no effort. They were practically halfway out already. She reaches for my nipple with her hand, and I moan in her mouth.
My power wants to unleash itself here. It recognizes what this is. It’s letting me know it’ll be safe to feed here with all the lust that’s going on. It’s so thick in the air. I think subconsciously my mind brought me to this place. I was drawn to it. The one with purple hair pulls away. She looks at me and smirks before her head lowers, reaching to my nipple. I lean back onto the couch as she gently sucks on it, inhaling sharply at the sensation.
I’ve never done something like this before. I’ve always been too scared. Sex is a part of me, and I’ve been scared of accidentally sucking the life out of someone who didn’t deserve it, just like I did with Nick. The alcohol is making me either brave or foolish. The redhead gets up from the other side and stands in front of me, bringing her mouth close to mine again. She’s had another sip of that sweet wine, and I want to taste every last drop.
I open my eyes briefly as a man gets on his knees, pulling the woman’s legs apart. He sticks his tongue out and licks from the bottom of her pussy to the top. She shivers and cries out in pleasure into my mouth. I deepen the kiss, wanting more of her arousal.
My breasts are out on full display. I’m not sure when she took the other one out of the dress or if it fell out on its own. The one with the purple hair bites my nipple as she softly plays with the other one.
“I’m going to come,” the redhead whispers into my mouth. Seconds later, as she screams her release, I kiss her, drowning out her whimpers.
The redhead pulls away from me. It’s her turn to get on her knees. The man gets up, his cock on full display. He brings his dick to her lips, and she opens them, swallowing him whole. He isn’t gentle either, choking her every time he thrusts forward.
“I want to eat your pussy,” the woman with purple hair says, and I open my legs wider in invitation. Her eyes sparkle as she pulls my dress up.
The couch bounces slightly, but I pay no mind to whoever sits next to me. But the next words make me freeze.
“Oh, you wicked little Succubus,” someone whispers in my ear.
Shocked, I pull away from the woman and slowly face the other side of me.
It’s the king. He knows. The king knows.
The revelation terrifies me to my core. My heart pounds faster, my palms get sweaty. All I can think of is how he’s not going to let me leave Faerie.