Page 22 of Hunted By the Fae Warden

She shudders and a pleasurable moan vibrates from her throat. The scent of her arousal becomes stronger, and my mouth waters as I contemplate tasting her, licking her to completion, and feeling her shatter against my mouth.

An aerial image of Linnshire suddenly appears in my mind like a godsdamn warning. I try to push it away, but it persists. On the edges of this vision, shadows encroach from the surrounding forest. Greshhlins. Blasted greshhlins.

What am I doing?

I’m on the verge of claiming a female whose powers won’t match mine. Because she has none. Because she’s human. Our kiss turns savage as I clutch her face and delve my tongue deeper, but the image of Linnshire persists, and doubts creep into my mind.

In all my life, I’ve never felt so conflicted, so torn over the right course of action. One might argue that it’s never wrong to follow your instincts and claim the fated mate the gods have placed before you. One might argue that surely the gods couldn’t be wrong.

And yet…

Lord Kaiden Valloc will take a mate from the far reaches of the realm, a female of great beauty and even greater power. It will be so.

My father has always believed that once I claim my fated mate, our problems with the greshhlins would be solved. He’s always believed that my female was the missing link, the resource we desperately needed to stop the malevolent spirits once and for all, the very creatures who killed my mother as well as thousands of Linnshire faefolk over the centuries.

I must also consider that if I mated with the little human, her safety might be threatened upon our arrival in Linnshire, once my posting in Trevos concludes. Unable to fight greshhlins, she would have to remain locked within the walls of the Linnshire estate.

I break the kiss and stare down at lovely Mira. Her face is flushed and she’s breathing heavily. Guilt ravages me. We both just confessed that we cannot stop thinking and dreaming about one another, and here I am contemplating the reasons we shouldn’t mate. The reasons we should part ways.

A horn blows in the distance. Fuck. It’s coming from the castle, a call for fae commanders, royals, diplomats, and others of importance to gather in the receiving hall. Prince Lucas and the vast majority of our soldiers are leaving Trevos today, and I suppose the prince wishes to make a grand address before his departure.

“What’s that?” Mira’s eyes flare with alarm and she glances over her shoulder, though I doubt she sees much because mywings are still tucked tightly around her, shielding the view of the city. “It sounds sort of like a fae battle horn.”

“All is well, little nymph,” I say in a reassuring tone, hoping to ease her fears. “Prince Lucas and most of the army are leaving today. I regret that I must go to the receiving hall in the castle. No doubt the prince wishes to deliver an address before he heads out.”

“Oh.” Her visage turns thoughtful, and she releases a soft sigh as her hands roam over my chest, stroking gently and rousing my baser instincts. “Well, thank you for helping me today. I-I am not sure what happens now, nor am I sure what I want to happen. You’re fae. I’m human.”

“It’s not uncommon for a fae to keep a human concubine or pleasure slave.” I want to kick myself for the words I just spoke, but I cannot take them back. Concubines? Slaves? The aghast look she suddenly wears tells me all I need to know about her thoughts on being kept as a pet. Yet I can’t bring myself to utter the word ‘mate’ in her presence.

But if I physically claim her, even under the pretense of being my pleasure slave, a full-fledged mating bond would undoubtedly form between us. Perhaps I shouldn’t dance around the truth.

She pushes at my chest and tries to escape my lap, but I keep my arms and wings around her, holding her in place. Holding her captive. My cock pulses hard and huge beneath her bottom as she thrashes around while cursing me under her breath.

“I’m no one’s concubine, and I’m no one’s slave.” She finally stills and jabs a finger in my chest. “How dare you? You ought to be ashamed for making such a suggestion. It makes you no better than the men in the street.”

I suppress a roar of outrage, knowing such a reaction would only frighten Mira. I’m averse to scaring her, but apparently, I’m not averse to pissing her off. The horn blows twice more,reverberating across the kingdom of Trevos, reminding me that our time is limited.

I cup the pretty human’s face, forcing her gaze to mine. “I will admit I’m a violent male, but I am nothing like those men. Not when it comes to you. Those men intended to hurt you, possibly violate you, and possibly even kill you. I would never hurt you.”

Tears gleam in her eyes. “Fair enough, but I won’t be your whore. Take me home. Please.”

With a growl, I stand with her in my arms, then I shoot into the sky and head for the castle.

CHAPTER 14

MIRA

Despite my vigorous protests,Kaiden not only takes me to the castle, but he lands on a small balcony and carries me into a massive, ornately decorated room. I take notice of a large bed that’s draped in velvet and silk and my mouth goes dry.

“What part of ‘I won’t be your whore’ did you fail to understand?” I snap as he sets me on my feet. I immediately back up against the far wall, putting as much distance between us as possible.

The nerve of this fae! If he thinks saving me from attackers gives him the right to keep me as his personal plaything, he had better sleep with one eye open. Already, I’m scouring the room for anything I might use as a weapon. There. I spot a knife on a side table across the room, as well as a letter opener on a desk.

“Are you really planning to stab me?” he asks as he follows my gaze. He offers me a wry grin that makes me want to punch him in his dumb, handsome face.

“Directly in the heart.” I cross my arms over my chest and lift my chin, though I doubt I look very intimidating to a huge fae male who’s over two heads taller than me.

Oh, and would it kill him to put on a shirt?

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