Page 1 of The Stones for It
Chapter one
Kelsea
“Where are you taking me?” I asked for what felt like the hundredth time since I’d been dragged from my comfortable nest of feathered wings and post-coital bliss.
And for the hundredth time, the cheeky kitsune fae claiming to be my fated mate threw a salacious grin over his russet wing arch. Violet eyes sparked with mischief.
“You’ll see.”
Neiron pulled me along behind him, weaving along a network of dark branches as we crossed from towering tree to towering tree through the endless black and gold canopy. Too many stories up.
His hand dwarfed mine as he gripped me tight. Dark fur covered the back, but his palm was velvety smooth. Sharp claws lightly grazed my wrist anytime I tried to tug free, though.
As usual, the Psycho King wasnotplanning to let me go.
I’d never admit it, but with how far the forest floor lurked below us, I was grateful to be anchored to the winged fae.
Sunny orbs of light drifted below, mere specks of fairy dust in the night. Golden leaves glittered all around us in the moonlight, their metallic points sharp like a knife. The sweet scent of blackberries permeated the warm air, though I’d yet to spot a single one in these cursed woods.
Another breeze pierced the rich canopy with a rustle of leaves, whipping my indigo hair into a flurry and toying with the lacy hem of my babydoll-style dress. I swayed with each step, barely feeling the bark prick my bare feet as my heart leapt into my throat.
My death grip on Neiron’s hand tightened. “I swear, if I wasn’t high on endorphins from your fat knot, Vixy, I’d shove you out of this tree.”
“Sweet siren, you know I’d catch you if you fell,” he crooned, pulling me closer behind him as he pranced from one branch to the next with all the nimble glee of a rabid squirrel. “And then I’d knot you again to make up for it.”
I glared at the back of his fluffy head, complete with adorably swaying tufted fox ears. At least he kept us to thethicker branches, so I wasn’t gambling my life on the width of a gymnastics beam.
We’d been traipsing through the enchanted forest for about half an hour, and I was no closer to answers. Ever since I’d been Selected by the fae, and ripped from my mopey little life in Scotland to be dumped in Faerie, I’d learnt very little about what the hell was going on.
All humans knew of the mysterious invitation you hoped never to receive, but we didn’t know what it was for. Only that anyone who received one disappeared. Never to be seen again.
All I knew now was that the arrogant fae Council had chosen me, along with a bunch of other unlucky humans, for their people to chase around a magical forest. The entitled, and disturbingly horny, pricks wanted to claim us for their various courts, fighting over us like a pack of rabid wolfen over a bone.
The worst part wasn’t being kidnapped; it was being separated from the viciously sweet snake who’d been sent to abduct me in the first place. Rattle claimed I was his fated heartmate, and I had to admit there wassomethingmore between us.
I had no idea where the other Royal Hunters had taken him when they’d knocked me out and dragged me here, but the press of time and fear weighed heavily on my shoulders.
Anything could be happening to him right now, and I had no way of finding him. Except, maybe the crazy kitsune dragging me around the forest.
Apparently, Neiron was also one of my fated mates. I wasn’t quite convinced, despite the strange pull I felt towards him, like an invisible chord in my chest tugging me closer.
And that we’d just had mind-blowing forest sex.
I was pointedly ignoring the slickness and slight ache between my thighs from all we’d shared. At least the floaty whitedress the fae had stuffed me into was still intact, if a little muddy and bloodied now.
“Seriously, though, where are you taking me?” I tried again, tugging on Neiron’s hand to get his attention.
He stopped short, and I narrowly avoided slamming into his neatly folded wings.
“To see a wise old friend.”
Before I could comment, he tipped aside.
Right off the damn branch.
And yanked me over the edge with him.
A scream lodged in my throat, battling to seep past my clenched jaw. Wind and golden leaves rushed past as we tumbled.
