“Whatever vendetta you have against humans, let me bear your wrath. Please let my wife go,” the man pleaded, though to Tarron’s surprise, it didn’t come out in a groveling manner. Tarron almost respected the man for not begging like a sniveling idiot, almost. He had been a little taken aback by how easily the couple had accepted finding out that elves actually existed. Although, when Tarron traveled through the reflective surface with them, they pretty much couldn’t deny that the supernatural did indeed exist. The husband, especially, had moved past the whole I’m a dark elf and onto what do you want rather quickly. It was a tad refreshing not to have to attempt to convince them of what he was. He was able to focus more on making them realize how inferior they were to his race and that it was hopeless to try and defeat him.
“Your wife is much more appealing to me than you are. Why would I let her go when I could have fun with her while we wait for sweet Cassandra? Besides, she’s female. She, above all others, deserves my wrath. Deceitful, loose, fickle bitches. That’s what women are.” His words were laced with the venom of his hate. It was like a living thing, swimming in his blood, and Tarron wasn’t even sure he could change if he wanted to. He wouldn’t really touch the man’s wife. Such a thought made his stomach turn. But it didn’t hurt to scare them both. Their terror was humorous to him because it just proved how useless they truly were. How humans had survived as long as they had was beyond him. But their time was coming to an end. Soon the dark elves would rule more than just one realm and Lorsan would not be leading them, not if Tarron had anything to say about it.
He stood abruptly and turned from the two captives. He was tired of watching the woman shake and the man glower. Instead he walked over to the window and stared out into the dark night. He pictured Cassandra’s face in his mind and imagined what it would be like when she was finally in his arms. He would have to make sure she knew her place, of course. But once she realized that she was his, she would do as he told her. Then the fun could begin. It had been so long since he’d touched a woman―not since Lucy. Until he’d laid eyes on her descendant, he hadn’t wanted to. But the beautiful blonde with eyes as green as the grass in his realm had captivated him and his fingers itched to become familiar with every dip and curve. His lips turned up in a wicked grin. Yes, they would have lots of fun and he would finally have what he needed and the void would be filled. Finally.
Cassie felt the gentle touch of lips against her neck causing her to shiver with awareness as sleep began to fade. The sun was shining through the window of her bedroom attempting to woo her into believing it was going to be a bright, joyous day. She stared at the curtains that had hung there for as many years as she could remember. The memories of the night before and everything else came rushing in. The sun could shine all it wanted; it wouldn’t change how dark the world was becoming. Her mind was flooded with images―some bad, some good, and some very good.
“Very good?” Trik’s voice rumbled from behind her. His touch allowed him access to her mind and he wasn’t shy about listening in whenever he wanted. “I would say those particular memories are a whole hell of a lot better than very good.” His arm was wrapped around her bare middle; his large hand splayed across her stomach stroking her flesh in an intimate way that only a husband could.
Husband, she thought with excitement and also a small amount of shame at realizing that her parents had not been present during their exchange of vows. And that was when the pain hit. Her parents were gone. Taken by a madman—elf, whatever, and held against their will because he wanted Cassie.
“He can’t have you,” Trik growled. “I don’t share.”
“Did you get in trouble for not playing well with others on the playground?” Cassie asked dryly.
“I play just fine with you.”
She trembled with desire at the suggestive tone and fought the urge to turn around and beg him to have his way with her.
“Why are you fighting it, Beautiful? We are married in the way of your people. I thought that meant all access.” His voice was laced with false innocence that had her sputtering at his candid words.
“Did you seriously just say all access?”
She could hear the smile in his voice when he responded. “My, my, wife of mine. Your mind has become quite the gutter since losing your innocence.”
“Okay, you have got to quit saying things like that,” Cassie said breathlessly as she turned around to face him. When his eyes dropped down to her naked front she realized her mistake.
A wicked gleam filled his silver eyes as his gaze drank her in like a man who’d been deprived of liquid for far too long. His fingertips began to trace where his eyes landed, and Cassie bit back a moan that would only encourage him.
“Trik, we need to get up,” she said attempting to reason with him. “There’s a world to save and parents to rescue and, and—” For the life of her, she couldn’t think of the other pressing emergencies that required their attention. How could she possibly think when Trik’s mouth had taken the place of his fingers?
“Shh,” he told her as he continued his pursuit. “If the world is going to come to an end, then this is definitely the last memory I want to have of you. I can die with a smile on my face because I had the honored pleasure of bedding my Chosen.”
“You are disturbed; you know that right?”
“Hush,” was his only response and even if Cassie had wanted to say something she couldn’t. Her brain was effectively scrambled by Trik’s unwavering, thorough attention.
A little while later there was a knock at the door. Cassie wasn’t sure who it was because she hadn’t bothered to move from the place she had ended up. Sprawled across the bed, warm and well loved, her faculties had not come back online at that point. Trik seemed to be much more alert. Tricky dark elf, she thought to herself. So she let him climb across the bed and deal with whoever was at the door. She had no idea what time it was but knew it was past time for them to have been putting a plan in place and then into action. As much as she wanted to find her parents and to save humanity, she had needed Trik. There was something found in the arms of a soul mate that couldn’t be found anywhere else. The passion, comfort, and security that Trik gave her when he loved her could not be duplicated or fabricated by anything or anyone.
Trik’s hand on her exposed calf drew her from her thoughts and Cassie began to force herself to move. When she sat up with the sheet wrapped around her, she was a little surprised to find Trik already dressed.
“Everyone is gathered in the living room,” he told her. “Why don’t you grab a quick shower and then meet me down there?” He leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“For what?” Cassie asked as her brow wrinkled.
“For letting me love you this morning and for being every bit as incredible as I knew you would be.”
He was out the door before she could respond. Cassie sat staring at the place her husband had just been, shell shocked once again by his boldness. She should be used to it, but she wouldn’t hold her breath waiting for the day when she didn’t blush when Trik made such sensual and graphic comments. He was hundreds of years old; it was a safe bet to say that he wasn’t going to change. And she was okay with that.
She climbed out of the bed and headed for the shower pushing thoughts of Trik and their morning away, forcing her mind to focus on what was ahead of them. Before Trik, she had been a normal teenager worried only about school, clothes, and boys. Now she was as far from normal as she could get. Instead of school, she had a whole race of ‘people’ to worry about. Instead of clothes, she had weapons and war to think about, and instead of boys, she had a husband who just happened to be the Elfin King. Life would never be normal again.
Trick stood with his back against Cassie’s closed door. His jaw was tight with the anger he had fought to keep from showing her after having spoken to Cush. He hadn’t liked being interrupted. His times alone with his Chosen would be few and far between, an
d he wanted to savor any opportunities they had. But he was king and no matter how much he needed Cassie, his race needed him as well.
Cush had come bearing bad news. He had told Trik that he’d been outside checking the perimeter of the house—old habits of a warrior die hard—and he had felt something in the front yard. He said he walked toward the street and the closer he got the stronger the feeling became. It was the residue of magic, dark magic. They had had visitors recently and they hadn’t even known it. It must have been Lorsan and why he left them unharmed after having caught them unaware, he didn’t know. Trik did know that he had failed to protect the people in his care and he was beyond pissed with himself. “Stupid, amateur mistake,” he growled to the empty hallway. He’d been so focused on Cassie and wanting to comfort her as she dealt with the fear and pain at the loss of her parents that he hadn’t bothered to think that, perhaps, someone should be keeping a lookout.
He took several deep breaths. There was no point in letting his anger distract him. He needed to have every single thought focused on what he could do. He had promised Cassie that he would get her parents back, safe and alive. He would not let her down, not again.
Chapter 2
“Every parent both dreads and looks forward to the day their children find the one with whom they will spend the rest of their life. They dread it because it is the ending of a season of life, but they look forward to it because it brings them joy to see the ones they poured themselves into find love. They dread it because they fear that their children might experience the loss of that love in some form, but they look forward to it because when that love is fought for, when it is chosen and nurtured, it is one of the greatest gifts they will ever experience.” ~Lisa Scott
Elora paced the living room. Her eyes were on the floor, watching her feet leave impressions in the thick carpet. She was chewing on her bottom lip completely unaware that she had made it bleed as her mind conjured up every horrific scenario that could happen. When they started their little journey, escaping the dark elf prison, their only concern had been the dark elf king and the Rapture that he was handing out like candy to humans. But then The Book of the Elves had been stolen and they had discovered that Cassie’s parents had been kidnapped by a crazy dark elf determined to claim Cassie as his own. That had added a whole other list of worries to the pile.
It wasn’t as if they were completely helpless. They did have the rightful elf king on their side and he had the backing of the Forest Lords. That made him pretty bad ass, right? They also had some incredible elf warriors. The thought had her eyes darting to the right to check on the warrior who had claimed her heart. Cush was temptation in its purest form. From what Elora could tell there was no such thing as an ugly elf, but Cush took the rugged handsome look to a whole new level. Focus, Elora, she mentally snapped at herself. There would be time to drool over his hotness later―she hoped. Now was not the time.
Just as she was making her loop around the room to head back in the other direction, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her into an equally strong chest. Warm air caressed her cheek as soft lips pressed to her ear.
“As much as I enjoy the view of your long legs in that cute skirt and those boots, your pacing is a tad nerve-racking.” Cush’s rich voice spoke to more than just her mind. His words reached her soul and miraculously brought her a measure of calm that nothing else could. “What has you so worried, Little Raven?”
“You were the one who discovered the left over magic out front.”
“Residual magic,” he corrected.
“And you are the one who said it was dark magic,” she continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “How can you ask me what has me worried when we know Lorsan or one of his lackeys was out there staring at the house like some sort of creeper?”
“Nothing can be done about it now. There is no sense in giving energy to worrying about it.” His lips were still near her ear, still driving her crazy. The low chuckled that rumbled in his chest told her he knew exactly what effect he was having on her. Cush’s hand came up and cupped her face turning her head so that she was looking up at him. He used his thumb to pull her bottom lip from the relentless abuse she’d been subjecting it to and shook his head at her. “It should be a crime for you to cause injury to lips as beautiful as yours,” he murmured. His head had dropped even lower and Elora didn’t have time to enjoy his words because she was too busy enjoying his lips pressed to hers. Cush’s arm tightened around her waist like a steel band and pulled her more firmly against him. She wanted to turn around so she could wrap her arms around his neck, but she couldn’t move within his powerful hold. Elora loved the groan that left him as he pulled back from the kiss.
“You’re dangerous, Elora Scott.” His light blue eyes were as clear as glass as he stared back at her with an intensity that should have her scared. Instead she was excited. She would blame that little issue on the dark elf blood that was running through her veins. Once she’d learned that her father had been a dark elf, she immediately understood why she fought certain urges that, heretofore, had been unexplained. Elora was pretty sure the attraction she felt toward Cush could get out of hand if she let her dark elf half reign. That side of her wanted Cush to kiss her roughly and not hold back all of his strength. That side of her wanted things that made even her blush.
“Either I need to stop touching you, or you need to think about little bunnies and rainbows,” Cush said a little breathlessly.
Oops, Elora thought. She forgot that as long as they were touching Cush could hear her thoughts, just as she could hear his. And even if he wasn’t trying to listen, if the emotion behind the thoughts was strong enough, he would hear it anyway.
“Sorry.” Her voice was small as her embarrassment swept over her skin.
“You don’t have to be embarrassed,” Cush responded in her mind. “You are my Chosen, and because you want it, someday very, very soon you will be my wife. It will be my honor to love you in any way that you need, and I will fulfill any pleasure your little inner dark elf requires. Believe me, no part of me will complain.”
Elora was pretty sure at that point that she would be permanently stained red from the blush his words had caused. A clearing throat from someone in the room saved her from having to respond. She reluctantly pulled her eyes from his and turned to face the room. While she’d been pacing, Oakley and Tony had been sitting on the couch talking about whatever it was guys talked about when they were killing time. When Cush had grabbed her and captured her attention, it was like the rest of the world faded away. She had totally forgotten that they had company while she was busy shoving her tongue in her man’s mouth.
“I didn’t mind,” Cush whispered as he answered her thoughts.
“Shh.” She elbowed him as Trik walked into the room.
Lisa came in from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She’d made breakfast for those who had bothered to come down that morning and then refused help in cleaning up. Elora knew it was her mom’s way of dealing with her own worries and thoughts.
Rin, Tamsin, and Syndra filed in and Cassie was last to appear. Finally, their little hunting party was gathered and it was time to get to work. Elora could tell by the look on Trik’s face that things were about to get serious.
Trik scanned the room taking in every person while his mind cataloged how they could best be useful against the dark elves. They needed to be smart in the way that they went after Cassie’s parents as well as how they would attack Lorsan. There would be little room for error because making one could well mean someone’s life.
“I will be honest,” Trik began. “I’m still trying to decide how we will pursue our enemy and in which order. It seems that we must be entirely too strong for one foe, so fate has decided that we needed another. Of course, it could just be my punishment for centuries of wrong doing. It will take a lot to atone for my iniquity and, perhaps, saving my race as well as the race of my Chosen will be a good start on the road toward redemption.” r />
“You are not the only one with skeletons, literal or not, in his closet,” Tony spoke up. “The point is, you’ve made your choice and have turned from that life. We don’t have to look back anymore. The only thing that is important is that we keep moving forward.”
The group seemed to nod in agreement, and having their approval eased the tightness that had been building in his chest.
“Can I make a suggestion?” Cassie stepped up next to his side. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. He felt pride at having her be at his side not just as his Chosen but as his partner. “There are going to be risks regardless of what plan of action we take. Perhaps, it would be smart to consider splitting into two groups. We can cover more ground that way. One group could go after Tarron and the other could head to Vegas to deal with Lorsan.”
It was one of the plans that Trik had already been considering. But like Cassie said, there were risks. Obviously, one of those risks was that splitting up would make their forces weaker. There was strength in numbers and Trik didn’t know how he could get any more light elves into the human realm if Lorsan was watching the portals. If Trik commanded his warriors to come through the portals, he might simply be sending them to their deaths before they had the opportunity to help. However, if they stayed together as one group, it would take longer to deal with both threats.
“We will support whatever decision you choose,” Cush assured him, not that Trik expected anything less from them.
After several minutes of consideration, he finally came up with a decision. “We’re going to split. I realize that means splitting our power, but I don’t think time is a luxury that we have and staying as one group would make everything take longer. Cush” ―he pointed to the warrior― “you will lead Elora, Oakley, Lisa, and Syndra. I will take Cassie, Tamsin, Rin, and Tony.” Trik looked over at Tamsin. “I hate to separate you and your Chosen, but it allows us to more evenly divide our magic wielders.”