Stone lifted his gaze to the central opening some thirty feet in the air and watched as Harris levitated down into the cave followed by one of his Guardsmen.
When they drew close, Stone pointed in both directions. “We’ve got teens hiding out in several adjoining caves.”
Harris gestured to the second Guard squad now descending into the grotto. “I’ve got this, Stone. Head out, if you want. I’m bringing in another four Guardsmen as well, so we’re good.” Harris glanced at the wounded couple on the sandy beach. “From the look of this crew, they weren’t part of the Ancient Fae’s main force, that’s for sure.”
“I agree.” Their clothing was in a bad state for one thing. In recent months, Margetta had transformed her army, outfitting them in decent uniforms. She’d built not just a battling force, but a support machine for keeping them fed, trained and clothed.
He instructed Harris to call for him as needed then levitated back up through the central circular opening. He passed the additional Guardsmen arriving to help find all the teens and get them back to their parents. Two of Harris’s initial squad were tending to the wounded wraith-pairs. One of the men was on his phone arranging transport.
He found Rosamunde, still in her Aralynn form, back in the forest with the troll boy. She was sitting on the ground beside him, her arm around his shoulders. He had his knees drawn up and his arms around boney legs. He kept curling his toes into the balls of his feet. He was weeping. “We just wanted to have some fun.” He wiped at his cheeks but kept his head down.
Stone glanced at Rosamunde. She met his gaze. He’s only thirteen.
Stone nodded. “Hey, what’s your name?”
The boy looked up at him. “Todd.”
“Listen, Todd, I was doing the same thing at your age. I was into spelunking like you wouldn’t believe. I got in trouble a few times and my dad loved to double my nightly chores. He used to joke that he wished I’d get in trouble more often.”
At that Todd’s eyes went wide. “You used to cave dive?”
“I was pretty hopeless. Besides, I take it there were a few girls with you tonight.”
Todd grinned then pursed his lips. “Is everyone okay?”
“Everyone’s fine. My men are searching the caves for your friends now. I only care about one thing, making sure you each get back home safely.”
Todd gained his feet and swallowed hard. “Is there anything I can do?”
Stone loved the courage of his people. He settled a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “My Guardsmen are bringing out your friends now. Why don’t you join them so they know you’re safe as well and make sure the girls get home first, okay? We protect our women.”
Todd puffed out his chest. “I will.”
Stone moved aside and watched as the kid headed to the central hole, shoulders back, spine straight. Rosamunde rose to her feet to stand next to him. “He’d climbed up to this level to jump through the hole into the water. He’d barely escaped being seen. Poor kid.”
“He’s a brave one, though. I’m impressed.”
“Is everything taken care of in the grotto?”
“Harris is in charge.”
“Well, then.” Her sudden smile made something inside his chest ache. She continued, “He’ll have the grotto scoured in a trice.” Her hand crept to her chest which of course drew his eye to her cleavage.
His heartbeat suddenly thudded in his ears.
He might not be able to forgive her for Charborne and all the other events she’d failed to report, but he couldn’t deny his profound attraction to her.
Lifting his gaze to her face, he saw she was frowning. Something was bothering her. “What is it? I can tell you’re distressed.”
She shifted her gaze to him. “You won’t like this, Stone, but not only can I feel your blood hunger beginning to rise but I’ve built a supply for you. You need to feed and I need to get rid of all this extra.”
Her cheeks were a rosy color. She drew a deep breath as she let her hand fall away from her chest.
Stone didn’t know what to do. “We can’t keep this up. You know that, right?”
She held his gaze for a long moment. “But you understand this means I’ll need to find another Mastyr. Rez, maybe.”
At the mere mention of Rez’s name, Stone’s temper about shot through his skull. He put his hands to his head and turned in a slow circle. “Don’t ever mention that man’s name again.”
“Fine, I won’t. But you might as well get used to the rest of the reality. Either I feed you or I find someone else to take the extra supply I keep building.”
“Fine. Then for now, you feed me.” He growled. He was pissed. He was being forced down this rabbit hole by the demanding nature of her blood rose abilities and he didn’t like it one bit. “But we’re too close to other people right now. Come with me.”
He didn’t wait for her to acquiesce. He grabbed her and slung her easily into a cradled hold. He flew northwest away from the site.
You could have warned me, she pathed, that you meant to rocket me into the sky.
We just need to get this done. He kept his gaze focused on the forest below and when he saw a small clearing, he dropped down. Once on the ground he released her then turned in a slow circle to listen to the forest.
When he was satisfied they were alone and safe, he turned back to her. But damn if he wasn’t pissed all over again.
She drew her shoulders back. “Listen, Stone, I have an idea. I know that drinking from my wrist would take way too long, so how about if we do it this way.” She pushed her mane over her shoulder then turned her back to him. “Come at me from behind. You won’t have to look at me. That should help.”
Now that the scent of her blood was in his nostrils, desire for her began to rage all over again. Her choice of words about coming at her from behind didn’t help at all.
But the deed had to be done.
He set aside his anger and disgust for her centuries-long decisions, and focused on the line of her neck.
His fangs descended swiftly as he drew close.
He slid an arm around her waist, drawing her tight against him, her back to his front. He heard her gasp and moan at the same time.
He wasn’t surprised. He was fully erect and just to punish her, he ground into her letting her feel him.
You’d better stop. My wolf loves this.
Then maybe you should get rid of Aralynn, at least for now.
Probably a good idea.
~ ~ ~
Rosamunde didn’t want to transform out of her Aralynn state. All her wolf senses loved what she was feeling and not just Stone’s arousal. His arm around the front of her waist was doing something to her.
But he was right. They had to make this work somehow. “I’ll do it now.” She whirled through her transformation, but remained in the same position. He’d loosened his grip on her slightly, but now that she was Rosamunde again, he drew her tight against him once more. Vampires liked to have full control when they fed.
It was an odd sensation to have two separate reactions to Stone. Aralynn loved that he was behind her. For a wolf, anything at the back of the neck gave rise to all kinds of reactions and pleasures. Yet as Rosamunde, the spooning embrace felt so warm and comforting that she never wanted to leave.
As he began to lick her neck in long swipes of his tongue, shivers chased up and down her shoulders and back, her sides and even all the way to her toes.
She closed her eyes, savoring everything, his tongue, his body, his arousal, his maleness, the strong virile scent of him. Oh, sweet Goddess, the way he smelled, like a flowing stream over mossy rocks.
She ached now deep between her legs and her mating vibration was leaping around as though not understanding why Stone’s frequency hadn’t joined hers.
I’m going to bite you. His voice in her head made her gasp. His fangs struck and she cried out.
If she’d thought she was feeling sexual before, the feel of him sucking heavily on her neck had her knees turning to
water. She could hardly hold herself upright.
Fortunately, he had an iron grip around her and kept her from falling. His free hand slowly moved to her breasts and began to massage. She wasn’t even sure he was aware of what he was doing.
But it felt so good.
She covered her hand with his and helped him so that soon she was arching her back and pressing her bottom into his erection.
His hips began to rock. She couldn’t help the veil of violet mist that she began to release to create even more privacy. She wasn’t sure if they’d take things all the way, but she wanted to be ready.
You think I’m going to fuck you, Rosamunde?
I don’t know. This feels beyond us both right now.
Like hell. He suddenly drew back and licked the wounds on her neck, then pulled away from her. He even turned his back on her.
She felt his anger and disgust all over again. Her mist evaporated and a cold sensation began to flow down her body. She didn’t recognize it at first but soon thought it felt like grief again, her friend from childhood, her torment.
She still seemed to be paying for what Margetta had done to her all those centuries ago, meeting her at the edge of the veil of mist in order to force Evelyn into the open. No doubt Margetta had used her fae abilities to mesmerize her and therefore to make it impossible for Evelyn to do anything else but to leave Ferrenden Peace and battle her sister to save Rosamunde’s life.
Now, Stone had shut her down completely because of Margetta’s torturous visions. Would she never be free of her aunt?
She was about to tell Stone that she would return to the castle to await the usual prescience that would define their next mission. But just as she opened her mouth to speak, Vojalie appeared in front of them and she looked frightened. “You both have to return to the castle now. If we’re to save the Nine Realms, you must both be there.”
Stone turned toward Rosamunde and even moved closer to her as he addressed Vojalie. “You’ve had a vision?”
“A definitive one.”
Rosamunde grabbed for Stone’s hand and he didn’t reject it. “What’s the nature of the vision?” She asked.
“Margetta somehow finds the castle and attacks it. You’ve got to be there, both of you, to stop it. And clear the castle as soon as you arrive. I’m returning to Davido at Joseph’s. We’re struggling tonight. For reasons I can’t explain, holding the veil of mist intact is proving extremely difficult.”
Rosamunde felt dizzy. “Then Margetta is getting closer to breaking through to Ferrenden Peace.”
“It appears she is.” As quickly as Vojalie had come, she vanished.
~ ~ ~
Rosamunde, still holding Stone’s hand, looked up at him. “Will you come to the castle with me?”
“Yes. Of course. I trust Vojalie implicitly.”
Rosamunde felt the cutting nature of his words, designed no doubt to remind her of his opinion of her. But she didn’t care about that at all right now. She trusted Vojalie as well and knew that whatever was about to happen in Ferrenden Peace or how Margetta would be able to attack the castle had to be addressed right now.
“Ready?” she asked.
He nodded solemnly. “Let’s go.”
She teleported him to the castle grounds on the southeast side of the royal property.
To Rosamunde’s surprise, Vojalie joined them at nearly the same time then quickly took Rosamunde in her arms. She held her close and pathed, What happens this night will determine the fate of the Nine Realms. You’ll need to be very brave. Tell me you understand.
Rosamunde drew back. She’d never seen Vojalie this distressed. She didn’t understand either why she couldn’t have said these things to Stone as well. Of course.
Vojalie pivoted slightly to address Stone. “Davido and I will be at Joseph’s and will do everything we can to keep the veil of mist in one piece. Stone, I ask only one thing of you, to remember that the power of love is much greater than any other force in our world, than any seductive, exalted vibration could ever be. Remember that!”
Stone appeared as though he wanted to answer Vojalie, but the lovely fae woman vanished once more.
Just as Stone had done earlier, Rosamunde turned in a slow circle extending her fae senses in order to see if she could detect any intruders. But the garden felt very safe to her. She immediately pathed with the head of her Castle Guard, and had him start evacuating the castle. Her staff would make use of escape tunnels that led a mile distant to the west.
The royal lands were a noisy place at night as the Nine Realms night birds swooped here and there, fighting for territory and the best nesting sites.
Yet a moment later, a wave of silence suddenly swept over the garden.
Stone pathed, Rosamunde, what’s happening? Why have the birds stopped chattering?
Rosamunde knew now why Vojalie had come to her and why she’d insisted that Stone be with her. She turned to face him as the first dagger-like strikes of pain pierced her mind. Stone, this is a Margetta vision.
You mean, like the one you had about Charborne just before my parents were slaughtered.
She nodded solemnly.
Stone glanced down at his feet. But the earth is rumbling as well. Is that normal?
No. She shook her head. I think, in fact, I know this is about you. Margetta has come for you. The vision that will arrive is meant to tempt you.
He glanced around. Is she here? I thought you told me that with these visions, she could only get here if you communicated during the vision.
No she’s not here and yes, it’s my belief that a single telepathic thought directed anywhere beyond either of us right now will allow her to enter Ferrenden Peace.
She grabbed the sides of her head. Tears rolled down her face as the pain grew in strength. When the elf-lord power hit at the same time cramping her legs, she threw her head back and screamed.
Stone grabbed her and when he did, the elf-lord power began to channel away from her and at least part of what she was suffering dissipated quickly.
Though she was in agony as though her skull was about to explode, she could sense just how much Stone was savoring the elf-lord power.
This was very much about Stone and Vojalie’s words now made sense.
Margetta’s voice suddenly penetrated her mind. This is your last chance, Rosamunde, the last vision I’ll ever send you. I know of your love for the Mastyr of Tannisford, so it seems only fitting that I destroy what he loves most.
The vision was suddenly on her and in it she watched a series of images as Margetta’s army swept down on Stone’s Communication Center. She watched as bombs exploded and the building collapsed completely. Margetta had never used explosives before, but it appeared she would tonight.
Rosamunde trembled. She heard the screams of the women and the terrified shouts of the men as they failed to evacuate the building.
Through her pain, she lifted her gaze to Stone. What she saw there frightened her beyond words. His eyes were wide and his skin glowed with the elf-lord power. “Stone, you’re seeing the vision.”
He nodded. “All of it.”
Rosamunde squeezed his arms hard. “Don’t do it! Please, don’t contact your people. Can’t you feel that Margetta is focused on us right now, because of the vision? She’s doing this to get a fix on our location.”
He sneered. “You keep forgetting that I’m not like you. I can’t let these people die. I won’t and now I can prove to you how wrong you’ve been all these centuries.”
She tried one last time. “If you contact your center or any of your men, Margetta will come straight here, to us. Then she’ll have the two things she covets above everything else: She’ll have you and she’ll have access at last to the source of the elf-lord power.”
He gripped her arms in return as though locking her in battle. His hair began to writhe as the elf-lord power moved through him stronger than ever.
“You’re a coward, Rosamunde, and now you’re going to see what you?
??ve really done to the Nine Realms all this time.”
“Stone, please. Don’t do this!”
But Stone only smiled.
Chapter Fourteen
Stone felt … exultant. Victorious. He could now prove how wrong Rosamunde had been all these years then she could live in shame the rest of her life.
He didn’t know what it was, maybe being so close to the castle and to the elf-lord power, but he could feel the heavy vibrations all around him now. He knew then he could become a true conduit.
His muscles flexed and un-flexed. He moved slowly around the garden, savoring the feel of the elf-lord vibrations.
And Rosamunde was right. Margetta was with them; here, yet not here, like a sticky syrup clinging to the onslaught of the terrifying visions.
“It doesn’t matter if she’s intent on coming for me tonight. The only thing that matters is the safety of my people. I’ll battle the Ancient Fae to the death, if I have to.”
“Stone, it’s not that simple. I’m telling you, once she gets in, she’ll attach to the elf-lord power and we’ll lose the Nine Realms. Why won’t you believe me?”
He lifted a hand to her. “Enough! I’m not letting Margetta destroy my Communication Center.”
He closed his eyes and opened his telepathy. At the same moment, he brought Rosamunde into the pathing stream as he contacted Harris. Get all of our people out of the Com Center. Margetta intends to reduce it to rubble. Harris do you hear me?
But nothing returned and his heart rate doubled.
Harris. Talk to me.
Rosamunde remained silent, but she was trembling and tears flowed down her cheeks.
Harris?
But that’s as far as the communication got because the next moment, a golden light filled the entire garden and suddenly Margetta was right in front of him. Her stench filled the otherwise fragrant space, but she was beautiful in a scarlet velvet gown with her blond hair arranged in immaculate ringlets that hung to her waist.
He drew Rosamunde close to his side and kept moving her backward away from the Ancient Fae.
Once more, he tried to reach Harris. Are you there? Evacuate the Communication Center. Now!