Winter of the Shadow Fae, page 10
“To him,” I growled. “I should’ve known something like this would happen.” I jerked out of his hold and opened a portal to the mortal realm. “I’ll be okay. Trust me.”
If death was what the Shadow fae wanted, that’s precisely what they would get.
When I stepped through the portal into Kai’s cabin, he was nowhere to be found. But, as always, I could feel him and I knew he’d be able to feel me too. He wasn’t far.
I stormed out of his house, the door slamming behind me so hard it broke off its hinges. I could feel the magnetic pull to him, and I took off into the woods toward it. His words last night echoed in my mind. When I use the power my father gave me, it heightens my desires. This means my need to kill you will be greater, but it'll also enhance my wanting to be with you. It’ll be a constant battle warring within me. It’s going to get to a point where I might be unable to fight it.
Was it all just bullshit? But then again, if it was the truth, there was no telling what I was about to walk in on. Would his desire to kill me outweigh the rest?
The faster I ran through the forest, the closer he became.
Up ahead, I could see him standing with his back to me, an ax in his hands. Lying in front of him was a felled tree, chopped into a million pieces. His shoulders lifted up and down from exertion, and sweat soaked the back of his gray T-shirt.
“It’s over, Kai,” I shouted. “You want a war, you got it.”
He spun around, his eyes blazing as he tossed the ax onto the ground. “What are you talking about?”
He stalked toward me, but I unsheathed my dagger, making him halt. “One of the Keepers is dead because of you. She was murdered when she tried to help someone cross over to the Hereafter. Your people killed her to lure me in.” He stared into my eyes but then looked away. “Was that your plan all along? To kill innocent fae in the hope it’d be me helping them?” When he didn’t look at me, my rage intensified. “Answer me, dammit!”
“Yes,” he growled, clenching his fists at his sides. His stormy gray eyes met mine and he sighed. “That was the original plan, but things changed. I told my brothers I was going to go after you myself.”
I held out my arms. “Well, here I am, jackass.”
Kai shook his head, his forehead creased with fury. “I had nothing to do with what happened, Ella. I was with you last night.” He stepped forward, but I refused to let him get near me. “I told you what would happen if I used my magic, and I’ve been fighting the urges all fucking morning. That’s why I’m out here, taking my aggressions out on the goddamned tree. I don’t want to hurt you!”
“Then tell me the truth . . . did you order the hit?”
Kai held up his hands and stepped closer. “No. I know nothing of it, but I have no doubt it was my brother.”
He tried to get closer, but I called upon the wind, which tossed him back. Unfortunately, it didn’t do much good, considering he also had an affinity for wind. He got to his feet and continued his pursuit.
“The next time your brother does this, I will be there and I am going to kill him,” I said.
Kai was almost in front of me, so I threw a fireball at his feet, spreading it around him. He stopped cold and stared at me through the flames.
“If you stand in my way,” I continued, “I’ll end you as well.” The air to my left shimmered, and I could see the Land of the Fae through the haze.
“Ella, wait!” Kai called, the flames slowly dissipating around him.
I looked into his eyes one last time before stepping through the portal. His guttural roar was the last thing I heard before shutting him out.
Chapter 17
Kai
Fuck!
I wanted to follow Ella back to the Land of the Fae, but I knew she’d fight me. I could feel her anger the second she stepped into the mortal realm.
I wasn’t going to let her go so easily.
I’d been fighting the war within me, hoping like hell I could hold onto how I felt when I was in her mind. It was the only thing keeping me fucking sane.
But now my brother had disobeyed me. He was going to start a war, and I’d have no choice but to fight.
Pushing my body to the limits, I ran as fast as possible to my cabin. When I arrived, the door was ripped off its hinges, courtesy of Ella, no doubt.
I had to find Ridge.
I grabbed my phone off the kitchen table and called him, but the bastard didn’t answer. If he went out on a killing spree last night, he would’ve spent the early morning hours celebrating at the bar. Which meant he’d be at his house, passed out.
I ripped my truck keys off the hook on the wall and stormed out to it, the engine roaring as I slammed on the gas. Ridge lived just down the mountain, and it didn’t take me long to get there. His blue truck was in the driveway when I arrived, and Aric was on the front porch, smoking a cigarette.
“Hey, brother,” he hollered as I got out of my truck.
“Where is he?” I growled, storming up the porch stairs.
Aric blew out a puff of smoke and stepped back, hesitating. “Inside . . . still asleep.”
I charged through the front door, and Bane shot up from the couch as I thundered past him. Ridge’s bedroom door was shut, but I kicked it open. He didn’t even flinch; he just opened his eyes and stared at me as if he was bored.
“Good morning to you, too,” he grumbled.
I stormed over to the bed and grabbed him by the neck, jerking him over to the wall. “What did you do last night?” I shouted, squeezing his throat.
He grabbed at my wrists, but I was stronger. I could smell the stench of liquor and cigarettes on his breath when he opened his mouth.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, choking out the words.
I slammed his head against the wall. Even if I didn’t have truth-seeker abilities, I could see the gleam in his eyes.
“If you lie to me one more time, I’ll snap your neck.”
“Don’t you think that’s a little extreme?” Bane said from the doorway.
Jaw clenched, I glared at him over my shoulder. “I’ll do the same to you.”
When I turned back to Ridge, his face had started to turn blue. I let him go and he dropped to the floor.
“I’m doing what we were supposed to do in the first place!” he spat, his anger-filled gaze lifting to mine. He rubbed a hand over his neck and stood. “You said you would go after the royals, but you haven’t done shit. What the hell have you been doing anyway?”
“That’s none of your fucking business,” I challenged.
He glared at me. “How do you even know what we did?”
“I have my ways. Not to mention, you’re sloppy as shit. They know it was you, and they’re going to come after us. At least I would’ve had the sense to cover my tracks. They wouldn’t have known a goddamned thing.” Seeing the fury on his face only made mine worse. “All I can say is that you’ve started something you won’t be able to finish. Just watch your back, brother. I’d sleep with one eye open if I were you.”
Ridge scoffed. “Are you not going to help us?”
I always knew one day Ridge would go off and do something that’d get him killed. He was my brother, yet, it was only a matter of time before his resentment toward me turned to hate; I could see it in his eyes.
“This is on you,” I said, backing up toward the door. “You can figure out how to stay alive on your own.”
Turning on my heel, I pushed past Bane and down the hall.
I was done.
Chapter 18
Ella
When I left Kai, there was a feeling in my gut telling me to go back. He was right. It had to have been Ridge who killed Alette. I had to know for sure and after stepping back into the Land of the Fae, I hid in a portal outside Ridge’s house, so Kai couldn’t feel my magic.
I had to see it for myself.
His brothers were searching for my kind to kill them . . . and me. It was clear they weren’t going to stop. But nevertheless, I was ready. So, when they decided to strike again, I planned on being there.
Kai had told me the truth from the beginning, but it didn’t change the fact that he was still my enemy. Unfortunately, I had an even bigger dilemma.
I rubbed the aching spot on my chest, knowing very damn well why it was there. When I was with Kai in my dreams, it was the first time my heart felt whole. But after I confronted him and left, the emptiness came back. There were two sides to Kai, and the one side I needed, I couldn’t have.
Needing to clear my head, I walked out the front door of my house and lifted my head to the sky, letting the snowflakes fall on my cheeks. It was peaceful all around me, but inside my mind, there was a battlefield. Kai wasn’t the only one fighting his urges between good and evil. I was doing the same.
A whistle sounded off in the distance, and I turned around to see who it was. Marin waved excitedly, and in her other hand was a basket and a blanket. Her long dark hair and her midnight-blue dress billowed in the snowy wind. Even from a distance, I could see the happiness on her face. I had a feeling I was going to be hearing all about her time here with Owen. But sadly, I couldn’t tell her about my sordid affairs with a particular Shadow fae leader.
Even though Marin was my best friend, I didn’t want to tell her the truth and see the disappointment on her face. There was a chance she might understand what I’ve done and the reasons behind it, but I didn’t want to take the chance on her not.
When Marin got closer, she held up the basket. “I brought us a picnic. I thought we could have some girl time before I see Owen.”
I smiled. “A picnic, huh? What’d you bring?”
Her bright blue eyes lit up. “All of our favorites. We have some faerie wine, cheeses, fruits, and the best of all . . ..” She opened the basket, and I peeked in to see the triple-layer chocolate cake.
“You’re right. That is the best of all,” I said, laughing.
She looked around and smiled. “Do we want to sit by the creek?”
It was the perfect spot.
Nodding, I looped my arm with hers. “Let’s go.”
When we were kids, we used to have fun playing in the forest and climbing trees. There were times I wished I could go back to that. Things were simpler then.
Marin and I walked together through the forest, and I didn’t realize how much I missed spending these moments with her. I looked over at her and tightened my hold on her arm.
“It’s been four days since I’ve seen you.”
Her cheeks reddened. “I know. I swear time has flown by.”
A heavy sigh escaped my lips. “Yes, I know.”
“Ella, is something wrong?” she asked.
Everything in my life was wrong, but I didn’t want to burden her with my problems.
“No,” I lied, smiling at her. “Besides, I want to hear about you and Owen.”
Her grin widened and she squealed. “There’s so much I have to tell you.” Finally, we arrived at the creek, and I took the blanket, spreading it over the snow. “But first,” she said, sitting down and opening the basket, “let’s eat. I’ve been dying to get into the cake.”
My stomach grumbled with anticipation. Unfortunately, I’d been so busy the past few days that I’d barely ate anything.
Marin set out all the food and I enjoyed every bite. Even the two large pieces of cake didn’t last long. In the end, we finished with a glass of faerie wine; it was the perfect picnic.
Marin grabbed a handful of snow and let it filter through her fingers. “Owen’s family is super sweet, Ella. I’ve had an amazing time with them this week.”
“I’m glad,” I said, reaching over to place a hand over hers. She looked at me and bit her lip nervously. “What is it?” I asked. She stared at me for a few more seconds, obviously wanting to say something but scared to. “You can tell me, Marin.”
Sucking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly. “Okay, I’m going to come right out and say it. I know you’re going to say it’s too soon, but Owen and I have been talking about the marriage bond.”
That was the best news I’d heard all week.
“Marin, no, that’s not what I want to say at all.” I threw my arms around her neck. There was so much joy in my heart it felt as if I could explode. “This has truly made my day.”
Marin deserved to find happiness, and Owen was an excellent match for her. She squeezed me back and started crying.
“I don’t know why I was so scared to tell you.” She let me go and wiped away her tears. “I guess it’s because Owen and I haven’t been together long.”
I waved her off. “That doesn’t matter, Marin. If you know you’re supposed to be with someone, you can’t put a time limit on it. Whether you’ve been together for five days or years, it doesn’t matter. Finding true love is a gift.”
A gift I didn’t know if I’d ever get to experience.
Marin glanced up at the sky, her face beaming. When the snow landed on her cheeks, it melted against her shimmery Spring skin.
“I love him, Ella. I honestly don’t know how I’ve made it this far in life without him.”
“And it’s crazy to think he’s been right here this whole time. I’m shocked you never noticed him before.”
She looked at me and laughed. “I know, right? Maybe we weren’t ready to find each other until now.”
Was that how it was between Kai and me? In a way, it was good timing because if Kai hadn’t come into my life, I’d be one step closer to bonding with Iston. I knew that wasn’t an option now, not after how I felt and what I’d done. I just hoped it didn’t cause a rift between my people and the elves.
“So, have you and Owen talked about whether you want to live in Winter or Spring?”
A mischievous grin spread across her face. “You’re seriously going to ask that? You should know the answer.”
Excitement bubbled in my chest. I’ve always wanted her to switch allegiances to Winter, but she didn’t want to leave her family.
“I know I should be salty that you didn’t choose Winter for me, but I’ll take what I can get.”
She flung her arms around me, hugging me so hard I could barely breathe. “It’s going to be great, Ella. Now all those childhood dreams we had can finally come true.”
I let her go and took her golden hand into mine. “Are you going to miss your Spring skin? You’ll be as pale as me when you switch courts.”
Marin giggled. “I love the snow, and I love your creamy skin. I’m looking forward to it.”
That was one of the extraordinary things about the Land of the Fae. If someone were to switch courts, their body would change to adapt.
Winter was who I was.
Marin smacked my arm playfully. “Oh, and with you and Iston possibly getting married, it’ll give us a chance to have children at the same time. So, if we have girls, they can grow up to be best friends. That’s also the same if we have boys.” She waggled her eyebrows. “And if we have one of each, maybe they’ll fall in love one day.”
We used to talk about that all the time when we were little girls. Our dream was to unite our families and pass down the bonds of friendship. I didn’t want to tell her that wouldn’t happen anytime soon, but I did need to tell her about my decision not to bind myself to Iston.
“Marin, there’s something I—”
The sound of the palace horn blowing cut off my sentence. Marin’s eyes widened and she gasped. “I know the sound of that horn. Your father’s back.”
My stomach dropped.
If he was back, that meant Iston was too.
Chapter 19
Ella
Marin and I packed up the remnants of our picnic and hurried to the palace. When we arrived, there were so many people gathered in the Great Room, listening to Iston and my father talk about their hunting adventures.
As I stared at Iston, I kept wishing for that spark inside my soul to break free and demand I make him mine. He looked different to how he usually looked, with his ash-blond hair ruffled, and dressed in a simple dark green T-shirt and jeans instead of his usual warrior leathers. Iston was the wise choice. He was sexy and fun, and I cared about him, but he wasn’t what my heart truly desired. I wanted the impossible, and it was going to be my undoing. I hung back in the crowd so Iston couldn’t see me.
Marin pulled on my arm, but I stood firm. “I’m not ready yet,” I said, keeping my voice low.
Her forehead creased in confusion. “What’s going on?” Marin looked into my eyes and her mouth dropped. “You’re not going to marry him, are you? Why didn’t you tell me?”
The ache in my chest came back with a vengeance. I didn’t want to hurt Iston, but there was no escaping it.
“I was about to tell you when the horns blew,” I confessed.
Marin glanced around frantically as if trying to find an escape. I would welcome that escape with open arms.
“Come on, let’s get you out of here,” she urged.
I was about to follow her when I looked back and saw Iston’s sea-green gaze on me. He smiled and there was no mistaking the desire in his eyes. It was evident what he wanted, especially after spending a few days away from me. He left my father’s side and started through the crowd toward us.
“Dammit,” I hissed. “He’s coming.”
Marin sighed and held my hand. “I’m sorry, Ella. I know this isn’t going to be easy.”
The closer Iston got, the more my insides rebelled. “No, it’s not.”
Marin let my hand go just as Iston closed the distance and lifted me in his arms. He buried his head in my neck, breathing me in.
“I’m so glad to be back. I wish you knew how much I missed you.” Before I could say anything, he tried to kiss me, but I backed up before he could. Then, his demeanor shifted, and he stared at me. “What’s wrong?”
So many people were around, and I knew we couldn’t speak in front of them.
“Let’s go outside,” I said, taking his hand.
