Page 57 of Claimed By Prince Daddy

My lips parted, a reply on the tip of my tongue before I felt a presence. I snaked my arm around Ember’s waist and hauled her behind me. “Someone’s here.”

Through the tree line that bordered our right emerged five soldiers. Their golden metal plating creaked against each other as they stepped onto the dirt path. One of the solider’s lifted his helmet’s visor. Green eyes stared at us with a look of contempt.

“I told you Brucar, that I smelled wolf,” the soldier said to his comrade.

The muscles locked in my body at that. I felt Ember press into my back, her hand fisting in my tunic.

Shit! The spell must’ve worn off. I should’ve kissed her and spread my scent over her again after the market.

Ember let out a low growl now that her cover was blown.

The summer fae soldier cocked his head. “You see?” He told the others. A chorus of laughter rose from the four soldiers. “The bitch growls.” A sardonic smirk formed on his lips. “How about we shut her up for good?” The soldiers inched closer, their hands going to the hilt of their swords.

“Touch her and die,” I growled, thrusting my hand out to shield Ember.

Another soldier spoke up, a man with honey-brown eyes. “This doesn’t concern you,shadowfae,” he spat the word like it was a curse. “You’re in our territory, and you hold no jurisdiction here. Now step out of the way, or die with her.”

Ember pushed against my back. A quick glance behind me showed her fangs bared, body coiled in preparation for a fight. I pushed her back with my arm.

No way in hell am I letting her take on five well-trained summer fae warriors.

The smirk slipped off of the green-eyed soldier’s face. “Very well,” he hissed. He raised an arm, yellow sparks materializing in his palm. He thrust his hand out, and the sparks elongated into shards and flew toward us like missiles.

I swept my arm upward in an arc. A wall of shadow flames surged upward. The shards melted as they came in contact with the wall. I sliced forward, and the wall dissipated, revealing the soldiers gaping at me.

“S-sir,” one of the soldiers spoke to the green-eyed one. Probably he was in charge. “Those shadows…the flames…that—doesn’t that power only belong to the king of the shadow fae?”

“Impossible!” The head solider snarled. “What the hell would the king be doing here, and with a mutt of all things?” He pointed a finger at us. “Finish them!”

I dropped into a fighting stance as the four soldiers charged. They flew at me with otherworldly speed. I allowed a smirk to curve my mouth. I was faster.

The first soldier lunged, spinning around to deliver a fierce kick to my head. “I grabbed his ankle and spun around, flinging him into the air. Ember moved before I could stop her. Two soldiers went for her.

Fear shot through my blood. “No!” I formed a ball of shadow flame between my palms, but before I could blast the soldiers into cinders, Ember sprang into the air.

A blinding light filled the air, and out came a massive silver wolf. Wicked fangs bared, and the silver wolf landed on the first soldier flattening him in the dirt. He let out a sharp cry beneath her paws. She launched toward the second soldier,wicked fangs bared. The soldier unsheathed his sword, but before he could raise it, Ember’s fangs sank into his throat—shattering the metal plating and snapping his spine.

The soldier went down like a stone in water.

Ember looked at me over her furry shoulder, and the look was imperious.

I gave an open-mouthed grin.I was wrong. She can handle herself. And look damn fine doing it.

That left two soldiers left. They glared at us with open hatred. Together, they shot toward us like arrows. I raced to battle with them head-on. The green-eyed one shot more shards at me, followed by a slash of his sword. I materialized a wall of shadow, disintegrating the shards. Then sprang to the side as his sword swept past me. Whirling, I caught the soldier in the ribs with a blast of my power that sent him sailing backward, his back careening with a tree trunk—his spine snapping.

I spun around, ready to help Ember take down the last remaining solder. My eyes snapped wide. Ember stood over a soldier. Claw marks fanned his front, slashing through the armor to the tender flesh beneath. Crimson pooled from the wound.

Ember padded away from the body, approaching me. I stared up at the wolf. In this form, Ember towered over me, at least by three hands. Her massive shadow swallowed me. A shimmering light erupted like a kaleidoscope of colors, and then Ember appeared in her two-legged form. Her clothing was whole, having materialized on her body with the help of magic.

She folded her arms across her chest, and I couldn’t help but notice how it plumped up her already full bust. “I’m not thetype of female to play the damsel,” she said, voice tart. She’d obviously taken offense to me trying to shield her.

“I can see that,” I said, eyeing her body count. I scanned the tree line. “We should get out of this area. There could be more soldiers on patrol.”

Ember nodded and raced after me. We ran through the fields keeping a breakneck speed until we heard the lull of conversation and the smell of market food up ahead. We slowed on a grassy knoll, the outdoor market becoming visible down below.

My chest rose and fell sharply as my lungs fought for breath. Ember stood beside me, panting.

“We…,” she panted, “have to…go back. We can’t leave…Melodina.”

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