Eclipse

Eclipse Descended from a long line of aristocratic vampires, Dawn has been married by proxy to an elf prince to settle the cold war. But when her brother is caught in a failed attempt to kill their king, she must trust the husband she hardly knows to save her brother’s life. Prince Aaron cannot ignore the fact that Dawn's brother confessed to wanting to murder the elf king, who is now missing, even for the sake of peace between himself and his new bride. Unless a living body can be found, Dawn will surely never forgive him for ordering her brother’s execution. Even if he should succeed, Dawn’s body is out of Aaron’s reach. He is cursed by the dragons, and everything his skin touches turns to gold. Despite Aaron’s attraction to his wife, he must keep a careful hold over his lust, otherwise a single touch could mean her life. Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy, Vampires/Werewolves Length: 34,764 words 

 

ECLIPSE

Mandy Rosko

EROTIC ROMANCE

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: Erotic Romance

ECLIPSE Copyright © 2011 by Mandy Rosko E-book ISBN: 1-61034-589-4 First E-book Publication: July 2011 Cover design by Jinger Heaston All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Eclipse by Mandy Rosko from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Mandy Rosko’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Rosko’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

 

 

ECLIPSE MANDY ROSKO Copyright © 2011

Chapter One “When you arrive, the first thing your husband will try to do is kill you. Kill him first.” Dawn’s mother’s words rang with the same sharp, unforgiving twang as the blade that soared passed her ear. She’d heard the whoosh of air just in time to jerk her head to the side, but the knife still left a tiny stinging slice in the curve of her lobe, which dribbled blood down her neck. She crouched low to the hardwood floor as another, more properly aimed weapon, targeted her throat. Just barely did she avoid being nicked, but now her blood was pumping hot and heavy, adrenaline sharpening her senses to the warm scent of her own blood and the elf in her room. He smelled salty like sweating skin. Underneath that was a taste of damp earth, and the sound of his angry, racing heart. She stared at the tall, imposing figure with glowing green eyes who stood in the doorway of her room, empty fists clenched now that both daggers had been dispensed. Didn’t mean the sneaky let’s-gether-while-her-back’s-turned arsehole didn’t have another on him somewhere. Georgiana, her mother, had been wrong. Her husband had arrived to kill her, but as she had been on Blue Mountain, the tiny island

 

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kingdom filled with elves and dragons, for a good twenty-four hours now, it obviously wasn’t the first thing he’d tried to do. Bastard had been waiting for her to lower her guard. “Where is he?” he roared, voice monstrous with rage. It was dark, and even though elves thrived in the sunlight, Dawn’s rooms had been shut up with heavy curtains and lit with low-burning torches so that her sensitive skin wouldn’t scorch. The effect created was long shadows stretching up, over, and around both her and her attacker. Regardless, she could still see perfectly, and his face was hardly pretty as he snarled. She was kind of impressed. Her husband pulled another dagger from his belt and took a menacing step into her room. “I can see ye just as easily as ye see me, vampire.” He sneered the word as though it were a curse on his tongue. It probably was. “Face yer actions.” Dawn kept her position on one knee, her other foot ready to spring her away if she needed, but now she allowed him to see the daggers strapped to her body. Georgiana had them smuggled onto the island with her daughter as a wedding present. The only motherly thing the woman had ever done for her. She still couldn’t figure out how the woman had gotten them here, but Dawn wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. A long dagger hung from her hip, the most prominent weapon and the first one his green eyes landed on. Two throwing knives, small, light, yet strong, were tied to her upper arms, almost at her shoulders. Two more were held in little holsters at her wrists, and another two sat waiting and hidden in leather sheaths under the zipper of her boots at her ankles. Dawn wasn’t one to speak during a coming fight. Talking allowed the enemy to discover things about her, time to plan, think of ways to kill her. But she couldn’t help one sarcastic jibe, pulling one of her hip daggers and twirling it in her fingers. “If you’d tried this while the sun was up, you would’ve had a better chance. So, thanks for the

 

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warning. After I finish with you, I’ll leave and your precious truce will be done for.” The man before her snarled. Elves weren’t the peaceful creatures everyone took them for. This guy looked like he wanted to take a chunk out of her with his teeth. Elves and vampires were cousins after all. “We found two more of yer kind slinking around His Majesty Aelmon’s chambers. They were armed to their fangs, so do not deny that ye are a part of this!” Two more—? Dawn’s insides went as cold as her mother’s countenance. Georgiana’s voice came to her again. “I’ll arrange for some of our own to bring you home. You won’t be with them for long.” Shit! Who had she sent? And why were they sneaking around the throne room instead of helping Dawn escape? Better still, how could they have been stupid enough to get caught? Vampires and elves have been participating in a cold war of sorts since vampires were first created. Cursed, was the proper term, by the elves. The Outsiders were what most of the older elves called them, usually with their lips curled and noses scrunched. The same way the elf before her had looked. Dawn hadn’t been alive when it happened, not even her grandmother had been born, but the story had been passed down. Always told with anger and bitterness against the elves. When it became obvious that humans were populating the earth faster than any other creature, the elves decided that, rather than be hunted by man who was so slow to learn and accept, it was better to leave. So they did. The elves packed up and set sail, traveling until they landed on an island to their liking. Lush forests would provide them with what they needed to build and grow food, and the misty mountain, grayish blue

 

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in color, lent itself to the name of the island. And it had a bright beach for play. They claimed it as their own. Spells were cast around the wider area surrounding the island to keep it hidden. The humans came to know it as the Bermuda Triangle. No one could get in without the elves’ permission. But when those elves explored and found a group of dragons lived there as well, the real trouble began. Neither group could prove who had arrived first. Some of the elves talked of peace and sharing, even as the dragons set fire to their new homes. Others, the minority, the Outsiders, wanted to fight back. They wanted revenge for their burned homes and fallen friends. They wanted to throw the dragons off the island, and fights broke out. The king of the time, an elf who’d fled one land filled with bloody wars and killing, did not want to hear talk of fighting and dying for another, cursed the Outsiders for daring to question his laws, and banished them. The elves who were once elves transformed into something entirely different. Whereas they used to bask in the sun, it set fire to their skin. Instead of fruits and vegetables, they came to thirst for blood as they had thirsted for the blood of the dragon clan. The creatures that were no longer elves left the island, shamed, angry, and eventually adopting the name of vampire. Not a product of Satan, demons, or created from hell, but created by the elves. No one knew how the dragons and elves resolved their problem, as it was common knowledge that neither side enjoyed the company of the other. But both species did end up staying, and although none of the original vampires from those days long ago were still alive, their descendants, and everyone who had been transformed since, were still frowned upon by the elves. Dawn had never thought much of it. It was a story from before her time. She liked how she was. Then she came home one night to find

 

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her mother in her room packing a suitcase for her and telling her she had been married and needed to leave. Dawn wasn’t sure what irked her more. That she had been married by proxy without her permission or been shipped off so quickly. It seemed the king of Elves, Aelmon, the grandson of the king who’d cursed them, wished to make peace with the vampires by marrying his oldest son to a wealthy vampire from an old family of good breeding. A family who still thought nothing of parents choosing their children’s spouses. The sing of another flying blade woke her. Dawn ducked and rolled as the dagger thudded into the wooden board covering the window, next to its brother. Grass-green eyes turned red with anger. “Ye are guilty! Where is King Aelmon!” “I don’t know where he is.” The man before her lifted another blade from its sheath. “If any harm has come to him—” “Kehn! Calm yourself! Put yer weapon away!” The new voice called Dawn’s attention away from the threat in the room. A mistake, but she couldn’t help herself. Kehn? Her husband’s name was Aaron. When she’d been sent off, she didn’t even get a description of what her new husband looked like, and now it seemed this dark-haired elf was the wrong guy. Kehn spun and stepped back at the sight of the new arrival, a taller elf with yellow hair that touched his shoulders. When Kehn bowed, still sending Dawn hateful, suspicious glances, she knew the new guy in her room was her husband. The crown prince. There was no light behind him, not even from the torches. If there had been, though, Dawn knew it would have embraced him like an old friend. His broad shoulders were attached to a strong neck that connected to the most gorgeous face she had ever laid eyes on.

 

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A hard jaw that framed pink lips brought a shake to her legs, but the way they sat, under stone cheeks, as though he spent every waking moment frowning, puzzled her. His yellow-green eyes flashed as they locked onto her amber ones, widened slightly at the scene, then sparkled before his old English medieval voice spoke again. “I did not expect to greet my bride for the first time while she was on her knees.” Dawn launched to her feet. Her cheeks filled with blood. She would have given him her back had she not been concerned he would throw a knife into it. “It won’t happen again.” “Ye will bow to him and address him as Your Highness,” Kehn hissed. Aaron clasped his hand on Kehn’s shoulder. His fingers must have been tight beneath the gold-colored glove because Kehn flinched and stepped away. Not exactly the respectful thing to do to one’s prince. Either Aaron didn’t notice or didn’t mind being treated like he had a contagious disease. “There shall be none of that,” he said. “’Tis my wife you speak of. She and I are equal.” “Highness—!” Aaron silenced Kehn with a piercing look, his features hardening like the stone she had just thought him to be made of. Dawn blinked at their exchange. Prince Aaron not only said the word vampire without a disgusted lift of his chin, but also referred to her as his equal. “Curiouser and curiouser,” cried Alice. Dawn stiffened. Of all the things she’d prepared herself for, this had not been one of them. Yeah, right, an elf thought a vampire equal to him. Again his eyes, the color of fading grass in the autumn, appraised her. He took his time, assessing her hair, face, and neck before moving to her shoulders and chest. His gaze lingered on her breasts

 

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just a little too long for her liking before moving down her stomach, hips, and legs. Logically, she knew he was trying to determine if she carried any more weapons than the obvious ones, but she couldn’t convince the hissing feminine spirit inside her of that. “Would you like me to take a picture for you?” Aaron’s eyes shot back to hers. She smelled his blood rushing as his face turned pink before he regained control. “A picture?” “The instant paintings,” Kehn explained. “Photographs.” Aaron nodded without taking his eyes away from her. They were still vacant, however, as though he weren’t fully listening. “Ah, aye.” Dawn’d nearly forgotten. Elves, the ones on this island anyway, lived like the last thousand years never happened. The way they spoke, their mannerisms…they even wore tunics, hose, and breeches instead of shirts, socks, and pants. Even the room she was in screamed of old world living. There were woven rushes under her feet instead of carpet, and the oak furniture had the charming look of being whittled by hand and then artistically painted with floral vines and fairies. The only semi-modern thing about it was that the windows were big enough for her to fit through, barely, if she needed an escape. Not much point of keeping them small for defensive purposes when you lived on a land that had no war. The only problem would be how to get through them with the heavy boards covering them. She could punch through, but not before one of the two elves behind her stuck her with a knife. Despite the distraction, Dawn did not relax. Both men had stopped talking and now blocked the door as they watched her. Did she even want to know what they were thinking? Both pairs of arms were crossed as they scrutinized her. They were probably envisioning the easiest way to hide her body. But wait, would an elf prince even need to justify killing his wife? He was the damn prince.

 

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Kehn and her…husband didn’t rush to attack her. They just stared at her. It made her antsy. “What do you want?” “The vampires we captured claim to be Blake and Nox from your family clan. Do you know them?” Aaron asked. Dawn sucked in a breath. Blake, her brother, and Nox, his idiot friend. Georgiana sent them? Both were capable fighters, sleek and agile, she knew, but the simple fact that they were emotionally connected to her was no doubt the thing that put the three of them in this position. She could see it already. They’d lost their focus, gone in the wrong direction, interrogated the wrong guard in an attempt to find out where she was, maybe doing that last bit a little too long, and now they were caught. And right when the stupid elf king was apparently missing. “I know them,” she said finally. If it meant saving her brother, then she would humble herself and be respectful. “Blake is my older brother. Nox is a family friend. They came to take me home. They didn’t do anything with your king”—she cleared her throat—“Your Highness.” “According to them, they came here to kill my father.” Fuck respectful. “That’s a lie!” Her teeth elongated and mouth watered with the urge to sink her fangs into flesh and suck the lying life right out of him. “We questioned them—” Aaron said. “You tortured them!” Dawn corrected. Aaron shook his head. “I promise ye, we’ve done no such thing. It would not be good for the treaty if the prince had been found to be torturing his new brother, would it?” Dawn’s chest rose and fell heavily. Her heart beat erratically, but as she listened to Aaron, her body and heart calmed. It...made sense. That one part did anyway. “There’s no way they came here to kill anyone. How could you’ve made them confess?”

 

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“We had no need to torture them,” Kehn said, casually picking at his nails and barely looking at her. “But we did threaten to throw ye into the sun if they didn’t.” “Kehn,” Aaron warned. She fucking knew it. Dawn flew across the room. Her knees crashed into Kehn’s chest, knocking him backward. Her fingers locked around his throat, and she opened her mouth to make the bite. The thin slit of a dagger’s cold blade touched the delicate skin protecting her jugular. She froze. Kehn stared at her, fear bleeding from his pores while Aaron radiated calm from behind. It was only because he held the blade while his other gloved hand gripped her shoulder. The bastard. A warm breeze fluttered in her ear. “Lady Dawn, release him.” Not a breeze. His breath. Knowing what it really was caused goose pimples to tingle under the long sleeves of her leather jacket. She didn’t release Kehn, yet Aaron didn’t sink the blade into her throat, one of the weak spots on a vampire’s body, right where the carotids were. If cut, she’d be an active spray bottle. But Blake’s life depended on her. How could he expect her to release the arrogant creature beneath her? “Please,” he asked, his whispered words sending another warm breeze across her cheek. “Aaron, touch her, cut her, I care not, but get her off!” Kehn snapped, regaining some of his courage now that his prince had his back. Just to be scary and petty, Dawn gave him a visual of her tongue sliding across her teeth and briefly resting on one fang before she loosened her hands. “Dawn.” There was a warning in Aaron’s voice now, and more of his pleading. This was not the way to get what she wanted. She had to steel herself, take a calming breath, and force her fingers to relax their grip on the elf’s neck.

 

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“You’re free, little birdie,” she said, ignoring the knife still at her neck as she lifted herself off him. Aaron all but flew away from her as she rose to stand. Weird. Maybe it was custom. Maybe royalty didn’t normally touch the people beneath them, and when they did it obviously made those on the receiving end uncomfortable. She didn’t have time for their bowing and scraping formalities, not when her entire being itched to just act, to do something. “I want to see my brother and Nox. I want to make sure you didn’t do anything to them or lock them in a room where sunlight can touch them.” “Ye are in no position to make demands.” Kehn snorted, righting his robes and shivering, as though it disgusted him that she’d had her hands on him. She stared at Aaron. “I want to see my brother,” she said again, then, softly, “please.” It was indeed a magic word. His lips lifted at her use of it. “Kehn—” Kehn looked stricken. “Nay, Highness, ye canna be serious!” Aaron stepped out of the way of the door and gestured to it. “Your princess would like to visit her brother. Kindly lead us to him.” Princess. The word threw her for a loop. Huh, damn. Guess she really was. Kehn’s head snapped between his master and the woman he despised until finally his shoulders slumped. “This way, Highness.” He growled. His unhappiness with the situation made her grin. Being married against her will to a handsome elf prince was going to have advantages after all.

 

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Chapter Two Kehn led her and Aaron away from the living quarters of the palace and down three spiral staircases that led deeper and deeper into the earth. The air became thicker with cold and moisture the farther they went. The stones of the walls were damp and growing foliage, definitely not the average basement. Her guides hardly seemed to notice. Despite popular mythology, vampires, her kind of vampires, didn’t thrive underground. Professor Helsing chased down a couple of vampires who liked their crypts and coffins a little too much, and it got to be common incorrect knowledge. Only in recent times had people begun to associate vampires with the things those creatures really preferred: wealth and luxury. But now Dawn would be comforted with the knowledge that Blake wasn’t in a place where the sun could easily reach him. At the bottom of the gray stone slabs that acted as stairs, there was no floor, just more damp earth that had been walked on so often it was stamped down into a hard, uneven surface. They passed by two sets of guards who watched these horrible halls in the torchlight, all of whom stared openly at Dawn, until they came to a thick wooden door with black iron hinges. It even had a tiny rectangular window with more black bars at the bottom. The wood was slightly warped by the wet air, but otherwise it looked as sturdy as steel. Aaron ordered the door opened by the elf guard with the keys. With his eyes on Dawn the whole time, the nameless elf leaned his leaf-shaped spear against the wall, pulled a set of keys from a hook on the wall, and did as he was ordered.

 

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It was dark in the room. There were no torches inside the little cave-like cell, but that didn’t matter. Dawn could see as easily as though it were daylight. “Blake.” She rushed to him, fell to her knees in the dirt, and put her arms around his bare neck. He was naked but for a pair of black boxers. Nox was in the same condition, and while both men leaned against the wet wall, their eyes brightened at the sight of her. “Are either of you hurt? What happened?” Her hands searched them for injuries and made a different sort of discovery instead. She now understood why neither fought to break down the door, regardless of how thick it was. Along with being stripped, Blake and Nox were chained to the stone wall with manacles so thick she doubted they could ever break. They weren’t rusted from being down here either. They were either taken care of with an obsessive attention or had been put down here especially for them. Blake returned her embrace weakly. What the hell had they done to him? Apart from a bruised cheek, there weren’t any signs—that she could see—that he’d been tortured. “Dawn,” he said, his voice not as tired as his body. That was a good sign. “I’m so sorry. We failed you.” She pulled away enough to cup his cheeks in her hands. His eyes radiated the pain he felt from his admitted failure. “Blake, what happened? They said you came to kill their king.” “We did,” Nox answered. Dawn…had absolutely nothing to say to that. She shook her head. “No.” “It is as we said,” Kehn said. “Keep quiet,” Aaron snapped. “Blake?” she asked, hoping to have him prove the lot of them wrong. With a sigh, he nodded, agreeing with Nox. The admission stung. Dawn winced from it. She’d been sure she would walk into whatever prison her brother and Nox had been

 

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thrown into, see them beaten to within inches of their lives, and know they had confessed to something they had no intention of ever doing. But when she came into this dungeon, where the only torture could be the mildewy smell and the only hardship was having their outer clothing stripped away, well, it certainly wasn’t enough to prompt such a proclamation. And yet they willingly confessed to her...They did it. They tried to kill a king. It blew her away. “You mind-blasting idiots,” she said. “How the hell did you even get on the island?” For them to have been caught and be down here, enough time had to have passed for them to have been on the island. They both sent her guilty looks. Unbelievable. “You were following my yacht?” “It was the only way to get on the island without the elves knowing,” Nox said. “Enough of this. They killed our king but refuse to say what they’ve done with him or if they’ve come with others,” Kehn said haughtily. Blake rattled his chains, strength renewed. “We told you we didn’t kill him! We couldn’t find him!” “Shut up, Blake,” Dawn snapped. The confession of “we came to kill him but couldn’t find him” wasn’t any better. “Conspiracy to murder is not an improvement,” Aaron said, mirroring her thoughts. Dawn winced. The man behind her was her husband. A prince and first heir to the elvish throne. There had to be some way she could convince him to release her brother. Dawn rose to her feet and walked toward her husband. Then she sank back to her knees, touching her forehead to the cold earth in front of his feet. “Dawn!” Nox and Blake cried out in unison, their chains rattling. Dawn chanced to look up when Aaron’s feet stepped back. His eyes were wide and mouth gaping. “What are ye—”

 

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“I beg you to release my brother and my friend. It’s my fault they’re here. As for your father…” She swallowed hard. She’d already promised herself, and him, that she would never kneel before him again. She had to make this count. “I believe my brother has been misinformed.” Aaron raised a single brow. “Misinformed?” She nodded, returning her eyes to the submissive pose. A long centipede scurried inches from her hand. She remained stock-still. “I know that, for the sake of peace, we were meant to live under the same roof, but my mother made plans for my brother and Nox to retrieve me so I could go back to the States. That was all. It had nothing to do with your father.” Aaron sighed. She could picture him and Kehn glancing at each other. “Yes, it did,” Nox said. Nox’s voice damned her entire argument. She clenched her teeth hard enough to put indents in a steel bar. Fucking. Idiot. She whipped her head to him, willing him to shut up. “No, it didn’t,” she insisted. “But it did.” Blake was the one to speak this time. “She specifically told us that the only way you would ever be free from your marriage would be to kill the elf king.” “That makes no sense!” she yelled, rising up but still on her knees. “How would killing one man destroy my marriage with another?” Nox shrugged. “Perhaps she meant for us to kill the king, then take you home so that you could be queen safely. Far away from the threat of assassins who wouldn’t want a vampire for royalty.” Nox scratched his chin while he pondered. “She even gave us dragon-style daggers so we could blame it on them.” “What?” Dawn whipped her head to Aaron, who pulled two daggers from beneath his cloak to show her. He held them gingerly by their handles so that the blades pointed at a downward angle, totally nonthreatening. Rubies glistened on the blades. The golden hilts were styled to look like rising fire engulfing a

 

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naked woman, who was stretched along the handle, writhing in ecstasy. They were matching blades. Dawn had never seen dragon blades before, but if these two were fakes, they must be of similar style and quality for her husband to keep them as evidence. She didn’t know a lot about dragon art, but it was common knowledge that dragons adored blades as much as the elves adored using them, but the dragons loved their daggers mostly for their decorative purpose. They didn’t need them in combat. Georgiana, a lady of fortune but little worldly knowledge, would not have known that. The weapons were useless to anyone in dragon form. The ability to harden into rocks, breath fire, and claw through trees made the daggers a fashion accessory at best, forged to make their piles and piles of gold and jewels look prettier. If a dragon wanted King Aelmon dead, he wouldn’t kill the elf while in his human form. Certainly not after a thousand years of peace. This was waaaay too fishy. “If they had succeeded in their plan to plant these daggers, elves and dragons would have entered a war unlike any we have ever known. As it is, I only see hardships for the peace between vampires and elves,” Aaron said. Fan-fucking-tastic. Dawn opened her mouth to defend Nox and Blake, then stopped. There was no sarcasm or cruelty in those yellow-green eyes of his. Only sympathy and...pleading? What was with his constant need to silently beg her for her cooperation? He was the fucking prince. He should be threatening to behead her or something. His willingness to discuss such monumental problems threw her for a loop. She had no idea how to react except to just listen to what he had to say.

 

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Maybe that was why he acted the way he did. So far she was being pretty obedient as far as his requests went. “All I want is my father safely returned to me, Dawn. Nothing more,” he said. Her name on his lips sounded strange. Aaron was of the kind that still said milady and all that. And yet it wasn’t the first time he’d said it, and it still brought a teeny, tiny shiver to her spine. She shook it off. She had more important things to think about. Why would her mother give her only son false information like that? Why send him on what was essentially a suicide mission? No answers came to her. Nox’s musings about her mother’s true intentions was the only thing that made sense. It made her sick. “I don’t know where your father is.” Aaron nodded. “Bell is still outside, speaking with the trees, trying to discern where they saw him last. If he is alive, I will release your brother and his friend. But if not...” There was no need for him to finish. “Blake and Nox will be executed for high treason.” Aaron nodded. “Aye, but if the council believes ye were an accomplice in this plot, ye could be as well.”

 

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Chapter Three Aaron stepped into her room without knocking. Though the windows in her room and down most of the hall outside were boarded up, it was morning, and some light still reflected off the pearly white marble of the castle walls and the many golden statues and mirrors that decorated the wing and entered her room behind her husband. Dawn hissed as her skin heated, not enough to burn or catch fire, but she jumped from her seat and sank further into the shadows of her chamber to escape the rising heat and protect her skin. Aaron quickly shut the door. “My apologies. I had forgotten.” “Do you always barge into a woman’s room uninvited?” she snapped. Her nerves twitched and tingled nonstop since her visit with Blake and Nox, who were still locked in a dungeon beneath the beautiful, seemingly innocent elven castle. It might not look like the elf palaces from the Lord of the Rings movies, but the elves who lived here had still managed to make a stone castle as entrancing as any picture out of a Scottish tourist book. She considered joining Blake and Nox just to be away from all the brightness. This place really was something different in the morning sun, and there was gold everywhere, all the way down to the handle of her hairbrush, the frame of her bed, and then all those statues that lined the halls. Elves were loaded. Aaron’s brow furrowed. It didn’t sit well on his perfect skin. “Ye are my wife,” he said, as though that was all the explanation required. Of course. A wife was a husband’s property in this place, and he was a prince, so there was that mindset to deal with, too. She was

 

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going to have to put down some ground rules after she got her brother and Nox out from under his nose. “Well, how very pleasant for you.” She mocked his polite speech while sitting back down at the vanity provided for her. It was carved of some richly colored wood she couldn’t name and painted along the side with green trees, long-tailed yellow and red birds, and more fairies. Of course, the metal that held the mirror in place was made of gold. She dabbed her fingers in a jar of the sunscreen she’d brought with her and rubbed it into her cheeks. Her face cooled instantly, and she sighed. It felt like putting ice on a burn, but it would never be enough to allow her directly into the sun. “Any word on your father?” she asked, trying not to look at him through the mirror. She would have to try really hard to be able to do just that, however. The mirror wasn’t a very good one. Her reflection was warped and murky. Medieval times, she reminded herself. She could make out her basic shape well enough to comb her hair and put on her makeup. She could even see the figure behind her when her eyes began to wander. Aaron’s robes were bright red today with a golden trim. The cloth left everything to the imagination, with barely a hint to the form beneath. He’d all but been on top of her when he put that blade to her throat. She knew the muscles he had under there. His shoulder-length, sun-blond hair was slicked and tied back, bringing more focus on his cheekbones. His hands were still in the golden gloves. He looked like he was getting ready to greet a room filled with important people. Did the elf king make all the decisions, or was there a council? Did the people here vote? She consoled herself that she wouldn’t be staying long enough to find out. “As a matter of fact, there has been.”

 

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Her fingers halted before they could scoop up any more lotion. She put the jar back on the vanity and wiped the cream still on her fingers into her hands and wrists. “And?” Would he tell her the man was dead? That he was preparing to execute Blake and Nox at that very moment? If that were the case, she’d declare war on him right then and there. “It seems he went for a walk. He came across a forest serpent and injured himself in the battle. He survived, with the help of a dragon.” “Wait, what?” She whirled on him. “He was injured by a snake and needed to be saved by a dragon? I thought you were enemies. And how would he need to fight a snake? Did it bite him?” She pictured a grown man demanding a duel from a garden snake. It was too ridiculous. “Serpents here aren’t like the snakes you know of back in the Americas. They can grow to be longer than some very old trees, more than capable of swallowing a full grown, and armed, elf.” “And your father went for a walk in a forest filled with that kind of predator? He’s lucky he isn’t dead.” She left out the part where she also thought he was incredibly stupid. Aaron nodded. “Aye, he is, but Bell tells me that, according to the trees, he did not go into Titanboa territory. The snake had wandered, and they found each other.” “Bound to happen if a man goes for a walk with those things around.” Shit. Dawn regretted her harsh words the instant they left her lips. She couldn’t help it, though. She freaking hated snakes. Aaron’s eyes hardened like ice, his lips thinning. “He is not an irresponsible king. He walked in the forest and lost himself in the beauty of the trees. He is an elf. It has been known to happen. I know ye do not understand that.” Dawn looked away from his blurry image in the mirror. Though she was embarrassed, her face hardly produced a flush, which he must have noticed with his last comment.

 

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It wasn’t her fault, however. Since arriving on the island, she hadn’t gone hunting, hadn’t had the chance to feed herself on the blood she needed. Now that she was on her second day without food, there wasn’t enough blood in her to produce a full-blown blush. Not like the first time they’d met. At least she could blame her stupidity on her hunger. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean it to sound like that.” “Apology accepted,” he replied. She couldn’t tell if he meant it or was just being polite. She severely wished his deep, accented voice didn’t produce tingles in her, though. “When will you release my brother?” “I will not.” Her teeth lengthened of their own accord as she spun on him. “You said—” “I gave my word that if we found my father, alive and well, that I would release yer brother and his friend despite their admitted attempt to kill him.” His eyes narrowed. “Which is much more than I should have promised.” He stepped closer to where she sat. His eyes locked onto hers, freezing her. Vampires were a part of elves, their darker half. But because vampires also came from elves, it meant that elves had the strength to match any vampire. She was sitting, he was standing, and it was daylight outside. He had the advantage. If Aaron wanted, he could grab her, force her from her seat and throw her out into the hall where the sunlight was brighter, just for looking at him crooked. She wouldn’t go down without a fight. He stared down at her but did not touch her. She suddenly recalled how, while he’d held a blade to her throat, Kehn screamed for him to either touch her or kill her.

 

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She hadn’t thought much of it at the time. But now that she did, she had to wonder. Did Aaron posses some sort of ability that was too strong for her to handle? His skin appeared healthy enough. He couldn’t have anything. He leaned closer. She thought he meant to kiss her, but he continued to stare at her, wonder in his eyes. “You are not what I expected,” he said. “What?” “I assumed that vampires cared for naught but themselves. Ye obviously feel love for yer brother and, to some extent, his friend as well.” “Of course I love my brother.” Blake used to bring her out and teach her to hunt when Georgiana was too busy to do it. He bought her first motorcycle, then taught her how to ride it. Nox was Blake’s best friend and always around, making jokes and scaring away her potential dates when she started noticing boys. That made him, in her eyes, her second brother. The jackass one, of course, but Aaron didn’t need to know any of that. He still looked like he was trying to swallow her answer. “You thought vampires couldn’t feel love?” Her eyes hardened. He stood straight. “Ye have proven me wrong on that. But when I was told I would be wed to a vampire, I expected a sallow, frail thing to appear. I thought of black hair and sickly skin.” He reached out and took a strand of her light hair in his gloved fingers, careful not to touch her cheek. “I had been sent those instant paintings…photos of you. I did not expect this light cherry color, freckles, or warm eyes. Ye could almost pass for an elf.” “You’ve been getting pictures of me?” How long had that been going on? She’d only found out about the engagement last week. He nodded. “I have.” “You’re changing the subject,” she accused, though she didn’t jerk away. The last thing she wanted was to show him how

 

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uncomfortable his words, and his closeness, made her. “Why aren’t you going to release Blake and Nox?” He released her hair. “Because there’s still no proof that my father lives. They came here to kill him, on the order of yer mother, and then put the blame on the dragons for their crime. Bell has finally managed to make the trees speak to her, but their language is difficult to decipher. If she is correct, they last saw him injured, being taken to the mountain where they cannot see.” He stared at her, as though willing her to understand. She did, barely. Talking trees were a hard thing to take in all by themselves, and she glared at him. “You think they were already working with the dragons?” He nodded. “That is a possibility, or the great oaks could be mistaken. If the dragons have our king, why not tell us? I am sorry, but until my father is found, I cannot let them go. It would be seen as a sign of weakness among my people. We have kept this information to ourselves, but of the handful of elves who are aware of the situation, most are calling for blood.” And they said vampires were bloodthirsty. She should have seen this coming. Should have known better than to hope it could all be so simple. Even in this world, a prince still had others to answer to. Dawn seethed at him. Aaron sighed at her look. “My brother and I spoke to the council. They are aware of my father’s situation.” So he had dressed for an important meeting. Not a good thing. “They are demanding a swift execution, and my arguments that it would not bode well for the peace agreement is not getting through to them.” “You bastard!” Dawn launched to her feet. He backed away fast. “First you say you might let them go, then you—wait. What?” The rest of his sentence caught up with her. “You stood up for my brother?”

 

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He sucked in a breath. “As much as I am able. I explained my promise to ye, our new princess, and reminded them that we did not have a body, and of the peace treaty. Killing the new princess’s brother could easily destroy everything...” He trailed off, as if there were more he wished to say, but he didn’t explain further. “Did you tell them about what the trees said?” That sounded so weird coming out of her mouth, but she was getting desperate for any good news. He nodded. “Aye, but that hardly matters. The word of the trees cannot be taken in as evidence.” “Why not? I thought elves loved trees.” His stare was stony. “As I’ve said, the language of the trees is difficult to decipher. ’Tis not even a true language. Bell has been trained to listen to their sighs, the sound of the leaves as they shift together. That is how they speak. But one gesture from a branch swaying in the wind could have many separate meanings.” Terrific. “Even had it been simple, both vampires confessed to traveling to our island to kill our king. They are guilty in the eyes of the council, and I can hardly fault them for their anger.” Dawn clenched her fists. Inside, she was seething. She wanted to destroy everything in her room but couldn’t. She felt caged and hated every inch of it. Stupid, idiot Blake and Nox for not keeping their mouths shut. “What can we do?” Dawn asked. “Retrieve my father, of course.” “Retrieve him?” Aaron looked at her as though she should have thought of it already. “Of course. We are unaware if the dragons have killed him or are merely holding him for ransom. I do not believe a dragon would save an injured elf merely to kill him, regardless of who he is. I believe that he is too injured to travel, and something is keeping him in their care. I have suggested to the council that a search party be assembled and that we go into the mountains to find him.”

 

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Her brows shot up at the word we. “You’re going? You’re their crown prince. How can they send you?” “I am the eldest son, ’tis true, but despite what your clan has been led to believe—” His face tightened here, as though embarrassed. “— I am not the heir. My younger brother, Aulson, is. He will see to everything while I am away.” “Not the heir?” He nodded. “Correct.” She didn’t get it. If Georgiana really sent Blake and Nox to kill Aelmon in the hopes of making her queen, she couldn’t have known that her daughter’s husband wouldn’t inherit the throne. “I have been trained for battle. I am the captain of the guard.” Aaron’s back straightened with pride at the admission. “That’s...nice.” He must have mistaken her shock for indifference. He seemed to deflate at her words before he cleared his throat. “Kehn and I will go through the forest with Bell, who will help us retrace his steps. If the king can be returned to the castle alive and in decent spirits, the council may show mercy on your family and allow their release.” “Sounds like a long shot.” He looked at her. “But why the hell not?” she amended. “If it’s the only option open for us.” Aaron nodded, satisfied. “There is one more thing. For yer safety, ye shall come with us.”

 

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Chapter Four He had to be kidding. “Are you out of your mind? I can’t leave. I’m staying here to watch Nox and my brother.” She’d park herself in that cell with them and stand guard if she had to. Otherwise, for all she knew, she’d leave on their little quest just to come back to find her brother’s throat had been slit while he was chained up in that pit. Aaron’s tongue went over his teeth. “This is not for debate, princess. The decision had been made.” “I’m a vampire. How much help do you think I could be in a land that consists of sunshine through most of the day?” “The canopy of trees will allow little sunlight to touch ye, and my understanding was that vampires could sustain sunlight with the proper garments.” “You mean those princess gowns with the trumpet sleeves?” She pointed to the giant chest at the foot of her bed where she’d found a couple of gowns just like that. Thankfully a maid had never appeared to dress her in one. Maybe she wasn’t supposed to have a maid. Aaron’s eyes became stony. “All right, fine. I might have something that can help me travel, but I don’t know the layout of the island.” She’d arrived on her family yacht at night but had been immediately escorted to the castle and, from there, straight to her room. Apart from catching that glimpse of their dungeon with her brother inside of it, she’d seen nothing else, was not familiar with the terrain, the people, the roads, the apparently dangerous creatures that

 

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roamed it. She knew nothing and would be utterly useless to their group. Yet Aaron wanted to take her. “You’re just trying to keep me from my brother,” she accused. “What do you think’s going to happen if I stay? I’ll arrange a prison break? And then go where?” “The council does have its concerns,” Aaron said, lips thinning. “But that is not my motive. Ye’re a vampire. We are at our most powerful in the sun, but you are strongest during the night. ’Twill take two nights before we arrive in dragon territory.” His eyes softened. “I need you, princess.” It was the word need that got her. Aaron said he needed her in that silky, cigarette sexy voice of his, and she could not for the life of her say no. Literally, her life was depending on this. She gripped the back of her chair until her knuckles turned white. If they wanted to make her go, it was possible. She still wore the modern things she’d packed before being shipped off, but she hadn’t thought to pack any hiking gear. The best she had was her biker leathers. A tight, black leather jacket with matching gloves. The best she could do for her legs would be her dark navy jeans, and with her black helmet and tinted visor, she’d be protected well enough during the day. Tree canopy or not, she wasn’t taking chances. This was all Georgiana’s fault. She’d told Dawn to kill her husband, knowing full well her daughter was in no danger of being attacked, then told Blake to kill the elf king. All the while she was out to inherit something through her daughter, most likely the elevated status among her elite friends that having a queen for a daughter would bring. Hers would be a family of royalty! Never mind that it was elvish royalty. A queen was a queen. And if Blake were killed in his mission, well, the sympathy for the death of a son who had attempted to rescue his darling sister would be outstanding.

 

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Georgiana couldn’t have known that Aaron wasn’t the heir, or even that he had a brother, or she would have sent more people to kill him as well. Hell, to kill the entire elvish council if she could. “I’ll go,” she said finally. “My thanks,” Aaron replied, and then turned to leave her chamber. “I’ll give thee privacy to change yer garments.” Swell. He’d paused at the door, though, not looking at her as she’d already begun removing her sweater. It was going to be hot enough in that jacket and helmet. A tank top would be better. She halted with the wool halfway up her torso. “Is there anything else?” He fingered the metal door handle but still did not look at her, gentleman that he was. She kind of wished he would look. “I will find a way to save yer brother,” he said, interrupting her thoughts, “and yer friend.” That…took her aback. She opened her mouth, a thank you and a question on her tongue, but he opened the door a crack and slipped out before she could say anything. What could she say? Dawn stood there for some minutes, flabbergasted. Why was it that she had to be married to the one elf who treated her like a lady, but then she had to be accused of aiding a plot to murder his family? This could have actually started out nicely if not for all the interference. She shook herself and got to work, dressing in her jeans and tank, grabbed her jacket, gloves, and helmet, and everything else important. She threw the leather jacket over her shoulders, zipped up, then put the tinted helmet over her head. When she finished, a guard was already waiting to escort her outside. He looked her up and down quizzically, the leather and round helmet odd to his eyes. To his eyes she probably looked like a space alien.

 

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Well, he was one to talk, or think, whatever. He looked like a gladiator. There was even a spear in his hand, and he wore a battle skirt. Dawn was kind of miffed that there was only one guy in charge to watch her. She could take at least two. He was polite enough, though. He led her through the halls. Dawn could tell when she left her wing because the windows she passed were no longer covered but for the thin, barely-there lace curtains interwoven with beads and tiny shells. The cool morning breeze was wafting inside, ruffling the lace and rattling the beads. She only wished she could feel it on her hot skin. Still inside the castle and the sun was already making her sweat. They met Aaron, his annoying friend, and a female elf in a small, empty courtyard with grassy walks, climbing roses along the stone walls, and a single, small fountain in the center of it all. Dawn’s eyes were on the woman. She was beautiful, with long, sun-golden hair braided behind her, and large emerald eyes. Her long, pointed ears were pierced in three places with tiny golden hoops and pearls, but that was the extent of her jewelry. She wore no rings or necklaces as far as Dawn could tell. The elf woman’s face was smooth. Dawn could find no flaw, no pockmark or blackhead. Her skin was a pale peach that matched her tunic. With only one other woman in their group, this had to be Bell. A beautiful woman had been the last thing Dawn expected. Maybe she should have known better, considering elves were rarely homely. Her knee-high boots looked as though they’d been made specifically for her feet and slender legs. She had a bow that was nearly as tall as herself over her back, but despite this, Dawn didn’t get the warrior vibe from her. To their credit, no one stared at her biker getup the way the guard had. Though, maybe that was because Bell was the one everyone preferred to look at. “So, now what?” Dawn asked.

 

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Kehn shifted a sack over his back. “We walk,” he said. “What?” Her head snapped around, looking…for she didn’t know what. It wasn’t like they could drive into the mountains in a car, and they were definitely not in front of the stables where they could get horses or carts. “We’re just going to walk all the way?” Kehn glared at her, Bell only looked confused, like she didn’t understand what Dawn’s problem was. Aaron rubbed the bridge of his nose. “The horses cannot go where we are going. The paths are too narrow for them, and if we are required to go directly into the mountain, the horses would never be able to carry us high enough to reach a dragon’s den.” “Perfect,” Dawn muttered. So, not only was she being dragged with them, but she’d be getting a whole lot of exercise inside this getup, too. And just like that, not another word spared, the little party started moving, right into the garden bushes that thickened into the trees of the forest, until finally Dawn couldn’t see the palace behind her. There weren’t even any gates or guards surrounding the property. She kept waiting to run into them, along with a pair of guards to let the group pass, but nothing came, only more trees. Elves were that trusting that there weren’t even gates to surround the castle? No wonder they’d been so insulted that Blake and Nox had tried to blame their crime on the dragons. Having no gates was a hell of a sign of trust to put into a species you were on shaky ground with. They hiked silently for about an hour before someone decided to speak. “We shan’t reach the place of His Majesty’s attack until nightfall,” Bell said, leading the way. The wind carried her chiming voice the way a mother would carry a precious infant. “We shall have to rely on the vampire during that time.” “We can see perfectly well in the dark,” Kehn muttered, looking at Dawn from the corner of his eye. So he wasn’t onboard with this setup either. No surprise.

 

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“The vampire’s sight is better, her sense of smell sharper,” Bell replied. Though her voice sounded like bells, it was strictly nononsense. The vampire has a name. Dawn wanted to say it but opted to keep her mouth shut as whatever little respect she may have had for the tree-talker dwindled. Still, she’d love it if the tree branches suddenly sprung out and scratched Bell’s pretty face, and she wasn’t hoping for that out of jealousy or anything. No such luck. Although it didn’t look like Bell was going out of her way to avoid the reaching branches, if Dawn didn’t know any better, she would have thought they were moving out of her way to accommodate her, to make the travel easier. They seemed to be doing it for Kehn and Aaron as well, whereas they were doing their damndest to get at Dawn. “Are ye not accustomed to silent and swift movements, vampire?” Bell asked when Dawn loudly swore a third time, yanking the gnarled tree branch away from her helmet where it had left a long scratch down her visor. Something for her to look at for the rest of the trip. Fucking elves. “Her name is Dawn,” Aaron said. Bell stopped to face him. Dawn and Kehn halted as well. Confusion clouded Bell’s eyes. “She is Lady Dawn of the Blue Isle,” Aaron repeated. “She is yer princess. Address her as such.” For the first time since throwing it on, Dawn was grateful to be wearing the helmet. She still couldn’t blush, but facial features alone could give away the load of are-you-kidding-me shock that was no doubt pasted all over her face. Bell blinked at Aaron’s command, but then collected herself, looked back at Dawn, and smiled. She even did a little bob on her feet as a sort of curtsy but without the dress. “Of course. Forgive me, Highness. I meant no disrespect.” She sounded as though she meant it, too.

 

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“That’s all right.” Dawn cleared her throat to get it sounding normal again, though she knew how muffled her voice probably came out through the helmet. “How are we going to get your father anyway?” “I have been inside a dragon’s den before, several decades ago,” Aaron said. “I know a path that will take us up the mountain unnoticed.” Kehn touched his shoulder, the first time Dawn had ever seen him willingly touch his friend, and he still hesitated a little. Aaron shrugged off the hand, annoyed. She felt like she was watching a soap opera. The more she watched, the more mysterious drama unfolded. Obviously there was still some animosity toward the dragons, at least on Aaron’s part, regardless of what anyone said about their peaceful sharing of the island and lack of soldiers to protect it. But what was it? Dawn didn’t ask. Married or not, she was still the outsider here. The party moved on, the forest becoming darker and denser as the hours passed, yet Dawn still kept her motorcycle helmet on. Eventually the path became too narrow for even two to walk comfortably side-by-side. Kehn stayed in line behind Bell, yet nearly walked on her heels, occasionally throwing glances to Dawn, who stayed behind him, though she was at a distance of ten paces. Minimum. “I’m not going to attack her,” she snapped when Kehn looked back at her for a fifth time. Kehn turned away and resumed guarding their guide. Aaron stayed in the back, much farther behind, at least twenty paces away from her. She sighed. He was hardly afraid to come near her before. He was likely just getting tired, she told herself. Dawn slowed her pace so he would catch up. He didn’t. She all but dragged her feet, falling even more behind Bell and her boyfriend.

 

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Aaron still didn’t come up in her peripheral vision. She stopped and turned. Just in time to watch him halt in his tracks. “What are ye doing?” he asked. “What are you doing?” He sent her a confused scowl. “I want to walk with you,” she said. If they were going to be travelling until they got to the spot where the damn king went missing then she at least wanted someone to talk to. “There is hardly space for that,” he said. Dawn recalled how twitchy Kehn got when Aaron had touched his shoulder, and yet he’d been so close to her, had caressed a lock of her hair as though he hadn’t done such a thing in his entire life. Was this custom of royalty never allowing touching so ingrained into him that, in a small group such as this, he wasn’t willing to be near anyone? Either that or he lagged behind to prevent her from running off. No. That wasn’t it either. “Come and have a conversation with your wife,” Dawn demanded, stopping entirely. Despite the helmet, her ears detected that the soft footfalls of the two elves ahead of her were no longer moving. They’d stopped abruptly at the command. Let them simmer in it. She was a newly made princess, and she was going to give orders. She wasn’t going to be shackled to a man, elf, whatever, with ideas on touching so strict he kept a distance even from his wife. It was great he wasn’t trying to jump her bones ten seconds after meeting her and all that, but enough was enough. Aaron regarded her with a calculating expression. Then his lips lifted with a tiny smile. He bowed his head to her. “As you wish.” He resumed his trek, stopping when he was beside her. The brushes and branches clawed his tunic and cloak, but they were next to each other. It seemed even the tree branches couldn’t make enough room when he was so far into them, but he did manage to keep that pretty face of his from being scratched.

 

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“Thank you,” Dawn said. “Your Highness!” Kehn snapped. He stared at Aaron, so close to Dawn, with his mouth open so she could see the back of his throat. Bell was much more polite and covered her mouth with her hands. Their heartbeats were through the roof. “I’m not going to attack him,” she snapped. “Calm down.” “It’s not ye we are concerned for,” Bell said. What? “Let’s resume our walk,” Aaron said, storming ahead. “In case ye have all forgotten, my father is still missing.” Bell and Kehn made as much room for their prince as they possibly could without leaping right into the trees as he passed them. To test the waters, Dawn did the same. She walked with her head up and back straight through the space they’d made while they were still distracted. They didn’t exactly jump back as she came near, but they eyed her carefully, and it wasn’t because her suit still freaked them out. Something was definitely happening here. Maybe Aaron did have something, something everyone on this island was afraid to catch. It would explain why the elvish council and the royal family would agree to marry her to a first son, a first son who would not inherit the throne, at any rate. They walked quietly now, and Dawn didn’t want to break the silence. Aaron was leading now, no longer willing to humor her by walking side-by-side, or talking, and she watched him carefully, searching for any misstep or sign of…anything unusual. What had she been married to?

 

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Chapter Five They continued on, speaking no more unless it was to dissect clues as to the whereabouts of the king, dead or alive. There was the odd broken twig, and occasional footprint in the pine needles, but since elves were so light on their feet, those clues were few and far in between. Luckily, Dawn hated to admit, Kehn was an excellent tracker, and if these little clues told them anything, it was that they were headed in the right direction, and that the trees had been correct on which way to go. Night came. Even with the darkness of her visor, Dawn felt the shift in temperature, like a furnace she’d been standing next to had suddenly powered down. Thank God. Dawn ripped the helmet from her head and gulped in fresh air the way a man drank ice water after spending hours in a sauna, or a desert. Next, she tore off her gloves and unzipped her leather jacket, letting her skin breathe. Her hair stuck to her neck and cheeks in sweaty, wet globs. Her white tank clung to her chest and stomach in a similar fashion. She might as well have climbed out of a pool, but the dampness on her coupled with the night air was an extra relief, ironically enough. But even that wasn’t enough. “I’m thirsty,” she said, voice rasping, tongue heavy. She couldn’t take it anymore, and if she was going to continue on with them, she needed to feed. Kehn and Bell watched her curiously, still keeping their distance. Aaron pulled his water skin from his belt and held it out for her.

 

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She shook her head. “Not that kind of thirsty.” He jerked his hand back. “I—yes, of course,” Aaron said, his eyes suddenly searching the dark canopy above. Bell tensed and took a step back. Kehn put himself in front of her, a blade suddenly in hand. She snarled at them. “I know how to hold off. Relax yourselves.” “Expect no trust from me, vampire,” Kehn said. “I can go for days without sleeping. Remember that if yer thirst becomes too much for ye.” “Kehn.” Aaron’s voice held a warning. “As the lady said, calm yerself.” He looked back to the dark canopy above him, held out his arm, and made a perfect-sounding hoot. It was so flawless Dawn thought the noise came from an actual owl, hiding somewhere in the trees, but it had been from him. Aaron made the sound again, and she watched as his throat vibrated with the noise, Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. An answering hoot, this time from the trees above, returned his call. An owl, golden in color with the biggest eyes Dawn had ever seen in a flat face, swooped down from its nest. Long wings stretched wide, it angled its body vertically as it neared, claws extended and reaching for Aaron’s arm to perch. It clasped on, flapping lovely wings before finding purchase and folding them on its back. Aaron stroked the bird’s feathered chest with a crook of a finger, a gentle touch that Dawn envied. She loved birds, owls especially, but her chance to ask didn’t come. Aaron whispered something into the ear of the owl, who tilted its head, as if to better hear. Whatever it was had been in such a soft voice that even Dawn’s sensitive hearing couldn’t pick it up. Whatever it was had been quick. Aaron jerked his head back to avoid the flapping wings when the bird pulled himself back into the air, screeching with purpose. When the owl disappeared, Aaron removed his gloves, stretched his fingers, and sighed.

 

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Dawn had no idea what that had been about, but it had been interesting. Her husband was good with birds and obviously had a voice that brought them to him from the safety of their nests. She should have known. He was an elf, but watching him gently handle that bird and speak to it as though it were an old friend, he suddenly looked just a little different to her. “Highness!” Bell called. Dawn groaned. What was she going to complain about this time? But both Bell and Kehn were on alert. Their body language not casual, but tight, ready to spring, and not at her either. Something had set them off. It put Dawn on edge, her eyes searching through the heavy trees and brushes for any possible threat, giant snakes included. She heard nothing. She saw nothing, but she didn’t relax. “What’s out there?” Aaron asked, hastening to put his gloves back on. “I do not know. Bell?” The elf woman pointed down at the mossy ground with her bow, which she’d pulled out as though she expected to use it very soon. “This is where the serpent attacked,” she said. Dawn’s tight muscles went lax. The attack had been long enough ago that she doubted the giant snake would still be near. She stepped closer, careful not to step into whatever Bell pointed at, and then, finally, took note of the differences in areas of the forest floor. Damp leaves, twigs, and grass were firmly pressed into the earth, as though a hefty weight had crushed them. That serpent must be as big as a bus and as heavy as a bulldozer. What had Aaron called it before? Titan serpent? Whatever he’d said, only now did Dawn have a real idea to the size of the thing. She continued to study the spot. Right next to this mashed down area, the same bits and pieces of the forest remained in their natural state. The few stalks of grass weakly reaching up through the debris, for whatever little sunlight they could find, had not been so ruthlessly flattened.

 

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“What do ye think, vam—Highness?” Bell asked. Nice save. Dawn followed the long, snaking trail that moved in a sloppy S pattern. Pine needles, leaves, and clumps of dark earth had been pushed up from where the giant snake had slithered along. The trail it made with its body was thick enough for a car to drive down. “I’d do just about anything to keep from ever meeting one of these bad boys.” Then a sharp, wonderfully intoxicating scent touched her noise. It smelled of warmth, life, and a touch of spice. Her mouth filled with saliva, and her fangs become just a little longer, just a little sharper, and she had to reign herself in. Whatever had put the scent of blood in her nose wasn’t something she would be feeding on. “Princess, what have ye found?” Aaron asked, having noticed her behavior change. Dawn shook her head. The king? No, the strength of the scent was too much. No humanoid creature released that much blood. “I think we’ve found the snake.” Dawn moved away from the group and followed her nose, the already strong scent becoming nearly unbearable, even to her, yet still bringing a growl to her belly and a tingle to every vein in her body. “Stay close. Dawn!” Aaron said. He caught up to her but did not attempt to restrain her. He halted abruptly, his hands flying to his nose as the smell hit him. He shook himself before returning to her side. There was a blade in his hand as he walked next to her, his eyes alert for anything moving in the forest. He was protecting her. Dawn’s heart sped up, pumping what little blood she had in her at an electric pace. The earth sloped downward just beyond the tree line to their right. The giant…Titanboa? Yeah, that sounded about right. It was stretched out between the trees, at the bottom of the hill. The buzz of flies and insects surrounded the carcass. There were some chunks of it that had been opened up and ripped away where other animals had feasted, but otherwise it was in good condition. She

 

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sensed no heartbeat pumping lifeblood inside it. This giant elephant of a snake was definitely dead. But Dawn still shivered. Disgusting snakes. They were worse when they were dead. Who knew? “By the Goddess,” Bell said, awe and fear in her voice. She and Kehn remained at the top of the slope. Dawn was already climbing down with Aaron. “I thought these things were common around here,” she said. “Aye, but this creature is massive, even by our standards,” Aaron answered. “This beast must have lived for no less than four centuries to have grown to this size. It has many scars on it, a sign of past battles,” he said, pointing his gloved finger along said scars which Dawn did her best to not look at. At least now she didn’t have to worry herself with thoughts of monster snakes coming to get her when she slept. Apparently, they weren’t all quite this size. “I can only pray my father is not at the bottom within the creature’s mouth,” Aaron muttered. “I don’t smell any elf blood,” she said, but that was mostly for comfort. She didn’t know what elf blood smelled like, and even if there were some, the amount of snake’s blood would have overpowered it anyway. The eye sockets of the creature were picked clean out, and it lay there, motionless, eyeless, and with its jaw hung loose at a crooked angle. It was kind of an inappropriate time, but the fangs of the creature kind of reminded her of her own fangs, only instead of sucking back blood, they would be used to shoot out poison. The king was not caught within those teeth. “He’s not here, and I doubt he’s in its belly either,” she said to Aaron. “It’s too unlikely the king would’ve been eaten, and then immediately after this thing would simply drop dead.” Aaron returned his sword to its sheath. Kehn finally worked up the stones to rush down the slope, his boots not so much as disturbing

 

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the foliage on his descent. Bell remained where she was, eyes searching the distance. When Kehn got to the bottom and approached the dead snake, Dawn thought he meant to kick the carcass to confirm the death, but he crouched to examine it instead. “What do ye see?” Aaron asked. He grabbed Dawn’s arm when she moved forward for a better look. She eyed him questioningly. “It’s dead.” He looked to the snake, then to her, as though that thought hadn’t occurred to him when he grabbed her. “Look,” she said, whispering so she wouldn’t embarrass him in front of his friends. “I’m not sure how it works here, but where I come from, my kind don’t need protecting from every little thing.” The snake might gross her out, but so long as it was dead, she was okay. Kind of. She might be spoiling a nice, sweet gesture that turned the burners on beneath her skin, but it needed to be said. His eyes flashed as he stared at her, amusement and laughter within them. “I’ll deem to remember that.” “Would the two lovers deem to pay attention?” Kehn called. Although they hadn’t been standing all that close, Dawn found herself all but leaping away from Aaron. “Stab wounds from your father’s sword,” Kehn said, pointing at the various clean slices between the ripped out bits of flesh. Aaron stepped closer to the head of the creature, searching for something. With a leather boot, he kicked the head, turning it limply over for a better look at the goings-on beneath it. A black cloud of ants scattered as the head lolled, revealing another long gash just under the jaw. It had damn near been beheaded. She could see inside the neck, the white of bone and thick mucus where the blood had clotted. Suddenly, the scent of its blood no longer called to her. There was no way she would ever have degraded herself by sucking on a snake, but everything about this creature’s

 

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death brought a whole new level of disgusting to the table that could almost make her go on a blood diet. Almost. But then she saw the small, glittering something that stuck out from the edge of the wound. “What’s that?” “I see it.” Aaron reached out, grabbed it, and pulled, revealing a long sword. It had been caught, and the golden hilt had been pressed so deep into the rotting, bug-crawling flesh that it had nearly disappeared inside of it. Ugh. “That’s so gross.” Aaron hardly seemed to mind the insects and slime as he held the blade, turning it about and examining it. It was decorated and jeweled. Definitely the weapon of royalty. “Is that your father’s?” she asked. “Aye.” Aaron bent down and wiped the blood and gore into the grass. “I can no longer assume the bite marks were put there by a scavenger.” “From your father’s rescuer, the dragon,” Kehn confirmed. “He was in beast form when he attacked.” “Wait.” Dawn looked at one of the chunks of flesh missing from the giant serpent. It was the size of a beach ball. “A dragon made those?” Aaron nodded and stared down at the creature. “They were both lucky to have faced such an old creature. Its slow attacks and bad eyesight were what saved their lives.” “Seriously?” Dawn asked, surveying the carnage. The snake’s blood was everywhere, and trees that she’d assumed had fallen with age and weather, she now knew had come down when the monster crashed into them. “I guess you don’t think the dragons killed him anymore, right? Your father, I mean,” she asked. Aaron narrowed his eyes. “He was rescued by a dragon, but they are keeping him for reasons unknown to us. For that, we are to continue with caution.”

 

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“Very wise, Highness,” Kehn said. “Great,” Dawn said. “So how do we let the others know we found the snake?” The three elves stared at her, confused, like they didn’t understand her question. “The other search parties,” she clarified, “the other people who were sent out to find your king.” “There is no one else,” Aaron said. “What?” Dawn staggered. “How can there be no one else? Why isn’t your whole kingdom out here looking for him? He’s your king.” “Because the whole kingdom is searching the palace and cities to be certain he isn’t hidden within the walls or streets, dead from a vampire attack,” Kehn said. “You—” “Princess,” Aaron interrupted, halting the string of insults she had ready, “as mentioned before, the language of the trees is not exact. We were the only group given leave to search the forest, and only because I requested it.” Which meant that Blake and Nox owed Aaron their lives a lot more than Dawn originally thought. If what he said was true, then pretty much everyone in the Blue City thought their king was already dead. Hell, they were probably having a funeral for him right now, and this whole search thing was just designed to keep the vampire princess from sullying it. “But this proves…Bell was correct with her translations. He’s probably alive and in the mountain somewhere.” “A courier will be sent to inform Prince Aelson,” said Bell, her tone softer now that Dawn had given the elf woman her dues. “But we will still be required to act on our own.” “All right, why?” Dawn asked. “Would ye find traveling onto neighboring land with an army behind ye wise?” Aaron asked. He had her there. “No.”

 

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The flap of bird wings homing in on them did not startle her. She heard it before they did. She did jump when the bird, the owl from before, appeared in front of her face, frantically flapping its long wings in irritation. She thought the owl meant to perch, so she raised her arm. Hooting indignantly, the bird dropped what it had been struggling to carry. Something she hadn’t noticed until its claws released and the fury thing fell. Dawn’s quick hands reached out and snatched it before it could touch the bloody ground. A rabbit. A dead one. Warm from the fresh kill, the blood inside had yet to go cold. Its scent teased the neurons in the back of her nose deliciously. She shot her eyes to Aaron. He looked away from her. “Bell, tie a message to our friend’s leg. He will be our courier. Now we move on.”

 

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Chapter Six There was no other activity during the night that required Dawn’s special awareness of the dark. Despite Kehn’s claim that he could go for days without sleeping, they made camp in the trees, picking thick branches to sleep on. Dawn had never been more uncomfortable. The rough tree bark couldn’t be softened even when she made a pillow out of her jacket, and resting by moonlight was new to her. But she needed to do it if she wanted her body to be full of energy for their hike into Blue Mountain. She was exhausted and wide awake at the same time, her eyes occasionally darting to Aaron, who slept in the branch next to hers, looking as comfortable as though he’d done it a thousand times before. He barely took any clothes off while he slept. In fact, when he did remove a layer, there was another beneath, more of that goldencolored cloth. He had a thin sheet of it that he folded over the branch he used. It was ridiculous. It made him look like an exotic statue, laying there in all that gold. It was weird how she wanted to take it all off him. Eventually, after about forty-five minutes of sleep and a neck so stiff she could’ve had rigor mortis, they woke for their day, and Dawn had to put on her leathers and helmet again before the sun could come awake, too. The elves breakfasted on berries Bell had gathered, and Aaron called another of his owl friends to retrieve another rabbit for Dawn to feed on. She would never admit it, but she really could get used to someone doing her hunting for her.

 

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“We will not be traveling through Titanboa territory,” Aaron announced, “but more could have left the safety of their nests. We will proceed with caution.” “Agreed,” Dawn said. She never wanted to see a live one of those things. Period. Kehn could give her dirty looks for being a coward all he wanted. She didn’t care. It hadn’t mattered. Despite their efforts to move quickly and quietly, they were attacked an hour later. Dawn hadn’t heard it coming. The stupid helmet over her ears was barely a hindrance, but the creature was deathly silent in its approach, and it pounced like a whip from between a pair of thick shrubs, an emerald and lime diamond pattern along its body. It snapped at the person closest to it. Aaron. The fangs of the serpent had only caught his robes, shredding long pieces away from both layers he wore and exposing his perfect torso. The three elves flew back, landing on their feet like cats, their weapons out in a flash. Dawn turned her attention to the monster. It slithered closer in a fluid motion, forked tongue flicking from a narrow mouth, and lifted itself until it stood eight feet high, and that wasn’t counting the rest of its body. It surveyed them with gold slits for eyes. This one was not quite as long or as thick as the dead one before it, but it made up for that with the advantage of speed and surprise. Dawn put her daggers in her hands, loosened her body, and bent her knees, ready to spring if it decided any one of them looked like they’d be worth swallowing whole. It hissed at them, mouth wide and fangs down and dripping. She wasn’t taking a chance. Dawn launched her daggers, aiming for its eyes. One hit its mark, and the other missed. The giant serpent shrieked and twisted. Aaron had the same idea as she did, and he put his whole body into the throw of his weapon as though he were firing a missile. His dagger, while strongly shot, missed its target as the snake

 

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thrashed and twisted, attempting to dislodge Dawn’s blade from its bleeding eye. Dawn put two more long daggers into her hands, but its tossing movements were so wild she didn’t dare attempt to get close. It thrashed until the whole of its body crashed into a pine tree, snapping it at its base. The snake still did not stop. “Now what?” Dawn demanded. “Retreat.” Kehn came between her and Aaron, took her by the shoulder, and reluctantly grabbed Aaron’s wrist, as though he meant to pull them back. “There is naught we can do for it.” “For it?” The serpent released another keening wail and whipped its tail, nearly hitting Bell, who’d jumped into its range. “Bell!” Kehn released Dawn and Aaron and ran to her. But she seemed to have everything well in hand. Bell pulled an arrow from the leather quiver on her back, strung it, and fired. Her arrow sunk into the other eye, blinding the creature for good. It ceased to thrash and went down with a crash that rocked the trees and made the moss at her boots vibrate. The birds twittered indignantly as they fled their nest. Confidence filled Dawn’s chest. They’d defeated it. They’d won. It was almost too easy. Then Dawn sensed its heartbeat. It didn’t slow or become weak like that of a dying creature. All they’d done was blind it. Bell continued to advance upon it, a new arrow pulling against the string of her bow. Despite its blindness, the serpent flicked its tongue and sensed that she was coming. It lifted its head and opened its mouth in another hate-filled hiss. Bell let her arrow fly. The snake dodged what would have been a killing strike to the skull and snapped at her. Kehn pushed her out of the way and deflected the poisonous fangs with his sword. While he was spared from what would have been a devastating bite, the strength of the snake’s lunge threw him back into

 

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another tree, his head conking into the hard wood before his body spilled to the ground. “Kehn!” Bell was at his side in an instant. He didn’t move. Aaron threw down his gloves and lifted the sleeves of his tunic. He ran at the serpent as it slithered toward his friends. Was he out of his mind? “Aaron!” Dawn ran after him. The snake stilled at her scream, turned away from Bell and Kehn, and focused its attention on her. She stopped dead, gripping her daggers in stone knuckles. Its jaws opened, and fangs unfolded to their full size. It was like she’d brought butter knives to a giant snake fight. It struck. Aaron reached her as the snake flew out. He stepped in front of her and threw out his bare hands as the points of the fangs came down on his skin, piercing his flesh, but the serpent stilled as though it had bit down on a piece of solid stone. “Aaron?” She reached for him. He still had a snake’s fang in his arm. It had punctured clean through. “Do not touch me!” Aaron jerked away from her as much as he could, but with the fang in his arm, and the snake as frozen as it was, they seemed to be equally trapping each other. Dawn pulled back just before her fingers could touch his shoulder. There was a flicker of light, so bright Dawn thought a ray of sunshine had made it through the heavy canopy above, but then she turned and gasped. The snake, Titanboa, had turned into a gleaming statue. No, not just gleaming, and she had to take off her helmet just to see it with her own eyes, risk of sun exposure be damned. Her light-sensitive eyes were momentarily blinded, and her cheeks burned, but she needed to see. Solid gold. The snake was now probably worth about a half a mill in solid gold. “My God.” “Highness!” Bell abandoned her charge and ran to him. Aaron hissed. The golden fang that hit the mark had pierced all the way through, but it had missed the bone.

 

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Dawn reached for him again but pulled back at his glare. Even as Bell arrived at his side, she did not put her hands on him, and she could only stare helplessly at the ugly wound. This was why nobody touched him. This was why the elves were so rich. Everything Aaron touched turned to gold. “I won’t touch you. But there has to be…Is there anything we can do?” Dawn asked. “Aye,” he said through a pained hiss. “Go see to Kehn, make certain his wounds are not too severe, and then find me some herbs in the trees. I’ll need them.” Bell ran immediately to do as he bid her, disappearing into the tree line instead of checking on Kehn, silent and sleek as a deer. Dawn could hardly move. Aaron braced his feet for a stronger purchase, gripped his arm with his other hand, and pulled down. His teeth clenched all the while, and Dawn’s inside tightened with sympathy at the sight. His blood ran and dripped down the end of the long fang, stretching his skin as he came to the very tip, tugging until he was free. He stumbled but fell away from Dawn, landing on his knees, clutching his arm and gasping heavily. His flesh never touched her, never touched anything he didn’t want to touch. The scent of his blood filled her nose. Not all that different from human blood. “There was poison on those fangs,” she said. “What do we do about that?” It wasn’t like she could suck it out for him, when touching him would turn her into a golden statue just as dead as the boa still poised above them. Aaron pulled himself up and, sweat pouring from his face, moved for the spot just across from Kehn. He leaned against a thick birch and sank down to sit. He didn’t look so good. She went with him, knelt as close to him as she could get without his either touching her inadvertently or glaring at her for getting too close. She set the helmet down in the fallen leaves, relying on the tree to shade her. “You need to suck out the poison.”

 

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“It shan’t be you.” Dawn turned. She looked up into the business end of the sword that was being pointed at the sensitive area of her throat. Kehn had awoken, it seemed. She went for the calm approach. “I didn’t say I was going to do it.” “Kehn—” “I heard ye express a wish to put yer mouth on my prince’s bleeding wound. Ye’ll not touch him.” She clenched her teeth together. “Do you think I want to be a statue?” “Leave her be, Kehn,” Aaron commanded, his voice strong despite the wound. There was enough warning there for Kehn to remove the sword, reluctantly, from under Dawn’s chin. He glared at her as he did it, though. She sneered back at him. “My wife is only concerned for me.” His eyes found hers. “Help me.” He tugged at his outer layers, revealing the golden-colored cloth beneath. Kehn inched away from him as Aaron began to undress. Dawn’s eyes stayed on Aaron’s clothes. Not gold colored, like she’d always thought, but made of real gold from having ever touched his skin, like the snake. After a pause at the sight, she did as he commanded and inched closer, wondering whether she should feel smug, grateful, or nervous. This would be the first time Aaron had allowed her near him, not including those precious seconds in her room, when he’d forgotten himself. This was proof that Aaron trusted her to be close even in this weakened state. She knelt with him, judged what little he still wore to be enough protection, and took his hand into hers. He’d put his gloves back on, but his arm and shoulder, the entire one side of chest, were now completely bare. He’d removed his cloak, but kept the golden tunic half on to protect the tree behind him. She tried not to stare at that particular part of him while his color became waxen.

 

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“Strip this,” he commanded, motioning with his head to his discarded cloak. Dawn did as she was told. She used her dagger to make long strips out of it. “Put it in my hand,” he said when she finished, holding out his gloved hand. She did. Bell soundlessly approached from behind and placed a small pile of leaves on the moss next to him. They were a pale, lime color that made it easy to see the darker veins within. The strangest thing about them was the multiple growths of red beads. Dawn had no idea what tree they could have come from. “I think you should suck out the poison first,” she said as he began to wrap his arm. He reached for one of the leaves, then pinched one of the red dots between his thumb and forefinger, allowing the juice to leak into his wound. “No poison went into my body. The serpent transformed too quickly.” Oh, well, in that case. He bandaged the wound, quickly, as the cloth turned golden almost faster than it soaked his blood, the same golden hue as his gloves. Aaron worked quickly to tie it off. Dawn could not remove her eyes. “What’s wrong with you?” His eyes danced behind her, and he jerked his head slightly, a command for Bell and Kehn to wander away somewhere. Though Kehn made grumbling noises, the only way he could voice his displeasure at being forced to get up after being knocked out, their footsteps were soundless. She couldn’t tell if they’d left or not, but trusted that when Aaron spoke, they were out of elven hearing range. “The reason why I am an eldest son but am not an heir, the very reason why I was offered to a vampire bride, is because I am cursed. Most everything I touch turns into gold.”

 

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“I noticed, though, most people where I come from wouldn’t consider that a curse,” she said, a light smile on her lips. He didn’t return it. He clenched his fingers, touched his golden bandage, and looked for all the world like he hated everything in it. “I cannot control it,” he said. “Do you recall when I said I crept into a dragon’s lair?” She nodded, then froze up. “You’re saying a dragon did this to you?” His jaw tightened. “I was young then, with a foolish inclination that invincibility and immortality are one and the same. That dragon caught me as my hand reached out to take one of its gems. He accused me of greed and cursed me to touch nothing but gold. Ever since then, I haven’t.” His eyes locked onto hers, and they were both silent. It was like he was waiting for something. Maybe for her to lunge away from him, fearful that he would reach out and turn her into a golden statue like the giant snake behind them. She stayed put. Slowly, those hard eyes that she’d once thought of as yellowgreen, but now looked more golden, softened. He reached his gloved hand up to touch her face. His eyes found hers when she didn’t jerk away, and as though that were permission enough, his palm cupped her cheek. The fabric was rough and cold, and it scratched, but Dawn did not recoil. “There’s no cure?” A more worthless question could never have been asked, as he would have cured himself if there were one. Too late now. He was good about it, though, and lightly shook his head, the barest hint of a smile tugging his lips. “I had grown to accept the curse, for we could never find that same dragon to demand he undo it. And regardless of what I sacrificed to prove that greed was not in my heart, forfeiting my throne to my brother, friends, and the chance for family. The curse never left me, or even weakened.”

 

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“It is part of me. I had thought that agreeing to a loveless match would hardly be a burden to compare it to. But then, as the terms of our engagement were being debated upon, I saw you.” It took her a second to remember. “The pictures you were sent of me?” He nodded. “The instant paintings, with lists of accomplishments, favorite books, and hobbies.” “I was never sent anything of you.” And that more than offended her. He shrugged, grimaced, then clutched his healing arm closer to his stomach. “Another tedious tradition. As your husband, I would be required to know certain—” He paused, searching for the right word. “—details, if you will. What little they sent proved to be not enough, and I found myself constantly requesting more. Considering you were a wife, and a vampire wife, it was deemed that you were hardly in need of the same details that were requested from your clan.” “Of course,” she said. Though her sarcasm was light, he still noted it. “’Twas the decision of the council, that. It had been decided that, should the vampires discover me to be a creature worthless as a husband and unable to provide a throne, the marriage would have been cancelled or annulled, and my younger brother, who is next in line to be king, would have been demanded for the sake of our final peace.” She smirked at him. “You don’t know vampires very well. If my mother had known you could turn anything into gold, I would have been shipped off weeks earlier. Like that.” She snapped her fingers. Aaron laughed a little, and then his face abruptly turned grim. “The council decided upon it, but I still had to agree to it.” Dawn didn’t understand. “Why?” His face colored, and she could smell the blood rising within him and hear his heart beating faster and faster beneath his ribs as he struggled for words. “We…are at a disadvantage, I find. I am ashamed to admit that, through photographs and stories alone, I fell in

 

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love with you. Meeting you in the flesh and discovering that everything I had been told of your bravery and loyalty was true has only served to strengthen that.” He looked at her now, and she was caught within the emotion in his eyes. She couldn’t have moved even if she’d tried. “For the second time in my long life, I have made a horrible mistake, driven by greed. I allowed the high council to wed us, without so much as lifting an argument against their decision, trapping ye forever to me.” His teeth clenched, and he spoke through them in a near hiss. “I have since raged against myself, for being foolish enough to allow such an idiotic thing, and for attempting to steal jewels from a dragon. Because now we are wed, and I may never have you without killing you.” He touched her face again. The hard fabric of his gloved thumb slid over her lips. Dawn released a breath of air. It came out ragged and left her chest and throat tight, and she ached to touch him. “Please,” he began, voice raw and begging. “Tell me ye have no one close to yer heart on the mainland, or even the one called Nox,” “Nox?” Aaron’s eyes were hard on her, awaiting an answer. “No. No, Nox is just an old friend.” She wasn’t even sure how interested in women Nox was. “I don’t have anyone back home either.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “Thank the Gods. I do not know how I would have lived with myself had I come between ye and a lover.” Dawn was glad for it, too. Not for herself, but for the unbelievable amount of guilt he would have felt if she’d even so much have had a crush on someone else. Divorce was not an option in their case, and somehow, even thinking the word brought her a discomfort she didn’t want to analyze too much. Aaron went back to admiring her mouth now that he knew she was emotionally unattached. “I have wanted to kiss and touch you

 

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like I have never wanted anything in so many decades, since the moment I first saw you. But I cannot. I can never bed you like a proper husband, even should you wish it, or offer you comfort or children.” She knew the rest instantly. “It looks good for the elves to say their prince married a vampire, but as long as you’re cursed, you can never be king.” Aaron nodded. “Yes.” “But Georgiana didn’t know that,” Dawn said, bitter emotions for the woman rising inside of her. “She married me off. She heard the king’s offer of marriage and jumped at it, thinking that if she got rid of him, I would be queen.” And, naturally, the woman didn’t mind putting her own son in danger to get that job done. Probably thought it’d bring more honor to the family. “I have never met yer mother,” Aaron said. “But it sounds as though ye have a valid explanation for yer brother’s actions.” Dawn smiled, and her lips tingled and itched to kiss his lips and open his mouth with hers. She hadn’t moved any nearer to him, but his gloved palm gripped her shoulder and pushed her back. “What are ye doing?” he demanded. “I can see the want in yer eyes. Have ye forgotten what I have told ye? What ye have seen?” He motioned toward the golden snake statue. She didn’t look at it. “You said most things you touch turn to gold,” she said, her eyes never leaving his mouth. “Aye, yes, water does not turn.” That made sense, she supposed. After all, if he were able to just dip a toe into the ocean and turn it into a desert of solid gold, his curse would become downright dangerous for everyone on the planet and not just a punishment for him. “But how do you eat?” “My tongue and teeth are not cursed like my skin.”

 

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That was a start. Just thinking about his tongue made her shiver. When the hell had this happened to her? “But what about me? My heart beats, but I’m technically part of the un-dead.” His arm was like stone with the strength that he held her back, his face turning to anger. “I will not risk it!” He shoved her with enough force to knock her on her back. “Dawn!” Though she wasn’t hurt, not by a long shot, Aaron rushed to help her up. He grabbed her by the arms and yanked her back against the tree, checking her face for any burning. “The canopy’s too thick,” she said. He ignored her, eyes still searching for burns. “I’m fine.” She touched his chest, completely by accident and without thinking. She’d only meant to push him back a little from examining her face. Her glove flashed, and when she looked down at it, it was made of gold. Aaron cried out, “What have you done?” His eyes were wild, and for a split second her heart beat just a little faster in panic, but the gold did not spread beyond her glove. Not into her leather jacket, and not into the skin of her hand. She flexed her fingers, just to see if she could move them. She could. Unlike with the snake, the leather, while now definitely made of something tougher, was not solid. She could even still wear it. “I think I’m okay.” Aaron stepped away from her. “The next time ye may not be.” Kehn and Bell must have heard his shout because they rushed back through the trees. Their eyes scanned the scene. “Are ye well?” Kehn demanded, eying Dawn through suspicious, half squinting lids before his gaze became fixed on her hand. “Nay, I am not well,” he snapped. Aaron righted his tunic and robes as best he could, considering half of them were torn beyond what was presentable. He wrinkled his nose at the tears, but put them over his shoulders, regardless.

 

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“We’re moving on,” Aaron declared. “Enough time has been wasted.” Dawn shoved her helmet on and ran to stand beside her husband as they moved forward. She sensed some of his anger cooling as she stayed next to him. As close as she could get without touching him.

 

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Chapter Seven There was always that little thing about rules being made to be broken. Dawn had been the same way back in school, in the years gone by when women were expected to wear long gowns and showing even the flesh of your ankle was considered highly inappropriate. Of course, to spite her mother, she’d done that all the time with her tutor, a handsome young man who had been paid well to teach her after the lights went out. Though he was in his early twenties, and she fifteen at the time, it wasn’t their ages that made the flirtation abominable, but the fact that he had nothing, and she would have everything, immortality included. Dawn had thought it incredibly extreme to remove her and her brother from the English countryside to go all the way to America just to get her to stop. But there were always other ways to get into trouble, little things that made Georgiana shriek with rage and Blake laugh. Maybe that was why she hadn’t immediately sought out her husband and tried to kill him her first night on the island. After nearly a hundred and twenty years on the planet doing the opposite of what her mother wanted, taking her time with that task was second nature. Well, she was about to break the rules again, only this time they weren’t set in place by her mother. She was going to make Aaron touch her. Dawn was in no mood to become a golden statue in the near future, but there was always a way to get around these things as long as the imagination was used. She knew that better than anyone.

 

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She damn near made him jump right out of his tree branch when she shook him awake. It was kind of funny, considering the grace and poise elves were known for. He looked faaaaar from ready to laugh. “What are ye doing here? Get back to yer branch and go to sleep, now!” He could have been ordering around a little kid from the way that sounded. She wasn’t about to get put off track, not after what he’d told her earlier when Kehn and Bell interrupted them. She could hear their heartbeats in the tree across from her, light and even. Sleeping, but she still preferred him to be quiet. There was no way those two were light sleepers, and Dawn wanted zero interruptions. “Ye have a queer look about you,” said Aaron. “Are ye well?” She had no doubt in the world he knew what she was up about, even before she began peeling off her leather. His breath hitched and his heart sped up, but he didn’t attempt to stop her. Dawn felt anything but sexy in her tank, considering how much she’d sweated, but the night air was a welcome kiss to her skin. That and the dampness of her clothes proved to be useful. She wasn’t exactly big enough to warrant a bra, and she had no doubt he could see all there was to see beneath the flimsy cotton material. God, how did he survive wearing all those layers in this heat? “I—” “You want to touch me.” She pulled the gloves from her hands so they were as bare and as cool as her chest and shoulders, then reached out for his own hands, still thickly clad in those long gauntlet-style things. The lack of fight in him as she brought his palm to her breast did not go unnoticed by her. She meant to say more to him, but somehow that got lost the second there was pressure against her nipple. Dawn’s eyes had fallen closed without her notice because they only flew open when he unseated her and put her on her back.

 

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The air whooshed from her in a disgraceful grunt, the leaves on their tree branch rattling with the sudden jostle of weight. Dawn held as still as that snake statue they’d left behind all those miles back. The heartbeats of their comrades still made the lazy thumpa-thump of sleep. “I apologize,” Aaron said, the noise apparently having pulled him from the spell that had taken him. He was leaning over her now, one arm on either side of her, keeping him from being entirely on top of her. His face was inches away, loose strands of hair tickling her face. She was actually enjoying even that small amount of contact when he ruined it by saying, “We should not do this.” A little late for him to be rationally thinking about what should and should not be done. She heroically refrained from making that comment. It would definitely have ruined whatever little bubble Dawn had managed to create around them. She reached for his hand again, placed it just at her waist, and helped him to slide it under her tank, the scratch a pleasant tickle against her skin. The sweat that made the tank cling to her pretty much made it impossible for him to lift his hands from her belly to her breast without taking the thing up with his palm. He did it until she was naked from her neck to her belt. When she got his hand over her breast again, and he took over like before, massaging and gripping, pinching her budding nipple between his wandering fingers, she actually keened at him. “Touch me more.” His face moved, just a fraction, as though he meant to kiss her somewhere—likely her other breast—but he halted himself and continued on with his hands. The act hadn’t scared her. She wanted to make him lose it, but after living with his curse, being as careful as he was, he would never forget himself in that respect. He could’ve been suppressing a yawn for all she knew. Please, God, don’t let that be the case.

 

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After about a minute of nice massage to her one breast, he removed his hand, putting it to the back of her neck while he adjusted himself until he was sitting above her, then he began playing with the other. Aaron was gentler this time, his thumb occasionally flicking over her exposed nipple until it darkened and tightened, the nerves flaring up and shooting pleasurable sparks down between her legs. “You can be rougher if you want.” His hand stalled. When he spoke, his voice was strained and his nostrils flared. “I do want, but cannot.” That didn’t sound right. Not the way she’d wanted it to sound anyway. This was supposed to be as much for him as it was for her. If all Dawn was doing was teasing him, then she needed to let him know that she planned on going further than second base. She reached down, her fingers tickling along his robes until she made it to his breeches, then the center area and…yeah, she was definitely a tease. She made up for that by squeezing him through his pants. His eyes fell shut, a soft noise escaping him as he thrust his hips into the friction of her hands. He half collapsed from that alone, but made sure to do it off of her so that their foreheads couldn’t so much as bump. “I’ll touch you then,” she said, starting up their earlier conversation. His hand seemed to entirely forget what it was doing, but she didn’t mind. The look on his face was reward enough, as she watched him enjoy her touch. Had anyone ever done this—? No, she put the brakes on that thought right there. It was too sad to even contemplate. Within seconds, despite the loveliness of his warm, labored breathing against her cheek and neck, she found their positions to be too uncomfortable to continue. She didn’t dare attempt to push him down like he did her. With her luck, she’d push him right out the tree. “Turn over.” He came out from the fog she put him in. “Wha—?”

 

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It was the most undignified thing she’d ever heard him say. Couple that with the red on his face and he was absolutely breathtaking. She took her hands away, the classic move to get a man’s attention during coitus, and began to worm her way out from under him. “Lie on your back, right here. Do it now,” she said when he hesitated a half second too long. Like a good little trooper, he did as she told him, his eyes constantly watching her, his blood still thrumming with the scent of arousal, especially considering where most of that blood had gone. She swung her leg out and got on top of him, straddling him until she felt the bulge of his cock, even through all his layers, press against her leather which hid her own waiting and throbbing sex. She sighed at the contact and the delicious pressure it brought on. God, if only she could touch him, but this was still good. She liked the idea of teasing herself and him until they both came. “Tell me what you want to do to me,” she said. “I want to bite them.” His eyes were on her breasts, hard and hungry. His teeth didn’t work the way his skin did. Dawn leaned forward until her nipples were directly in front of him. “Do it then.” He was still so unsure, his eyes flicking to her, but he waited for no other permission as he gripped the dark bud between his teeth. Dawn trembled at the sensation, fighting the urge to move, to put his entire mouth around her breast. But he was careful, and his teeth gripped and his tongue tasted before her nipple was released, rosy, a little wet, and feeling really damn good. He put the same attention to her other breast, careful to keep his lips back, using more tongue than teeth this time. Dawn keened softly at the contact, jerking back roughly. She needed more than this. “Ye are beautiful. Gods …” He trailed off when she began moving on top of him.

 

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She grabbed his hands and put them both at her breasts again, not just for the pleasurable feeling of it, but also for safety purposes. If his hands were holding her back, she couldn’t forget herself to lean down and kiss him. Mustn’t touch, mustn’t touch. She kept the pace of her hips slow, yet strong, allowing everything to build and heat up within the both of them, considering the layers that still separated them. With the satin lining of her leather, it was actually pretty easy for her to do this and still be comfortable. Safe sex at its finest. But the warmth and the burning and the spreading of nerve-nuking fires under her skin did come, quickly, too, and she released a breathy moan. Then she looked down and saw him similarly enjoying himself, his head thrown back against the golden cloth he used to protect the tree, his jaw open just a little as he breathed at an unsteady pace. She laughed. Confusion sprang through the flush of pleasure on his cheeks. “What is so amusing?” he asked in a huffing, panting voice. She bit her lip as one especially strong sensation rocked her. Then she got back into focus. “I bet you’re glad you married me now.” One of his gloved hands left her breast and smoothed its way up to her face, cupping her cheek. It must have been just the natural impulse, the nearness of it, but she kissed his palm, and his fingers, again and again. Even sucking his thumb into her mouth. It was thicker because of the glove and tasted of leather, but damn, her mouth needed something to do, too. Then she felt it coming on her, that pressing weight and heat that always signaled the end. She thrust against him harder, desperate for more friction against her clit. She bit down on his thumb, but Aaron made no complaints even as he yanked it away. She wasn’t really a talker during her sexual encounters, but he seemed to take all her body language as hints enough for what was happening to her. He used both of his hands to work on the clasp of

 

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her belt, flinging it open, then her button, and finally dipped his hand inside, using his fingers to add more pressure against her sex so that she was now pushing down and against him. She wanted those fingers inside her. She could feel her juices making them wet, but she couldn’t voice her wanting, not with the risk of waking the other two elves and ruining this time alone with Aaron. Despite her concerns, Dawn couldn’t even pull together enough self-control to listen for their heartbeats to determine if they still slept. Not when her heart and Aaron’s were drumming so loudly, so in tune. She shuddered hard and let go, unable to control herself as she cried out just how damn good that felt. She would have fallen on top of him had his hands not shot out to stop that from happening. “Sorry,” she said, noting the slight panic on his face. It wasn’t like she was about to fall on his face or anything, but she still wanted him to be comfortable with what they were doing. He brushed it away quickly. “I would ask you to finish what you have started, princess.” She laughed at him, doing her best to keep the sound quiet, but when were real laughs ever quiet? Well, if the two bodyguards woke up then, they were going to learn how to plug their pointy ears really fast. Dawn shimmied off him, the wet in her pants uncomfortable now, and brought her face closer to his nether regions. He lifted himself onto his elbows in time to watch her place a soft kiss over his clothed cock. Little Aaron jumped at the attention. Big Aaron released a tortured, longing sound. Right. She probably shouldn’t tease him about doing that. Could she ever even do that? She could probably get her hands on some condoms, even on this island out in the middle of the ocean, but the second it touched him, it would turn into gold. Would he be able to feel anything through a solid gold condom? That was a weird thought right there. “Dawn, please,” he begged, pulling her back into the trees.

 

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“What are you wearing beneath this? Any underwear?” Confusion clouded his features. He even looked around a little. “Under what?” Safe to say the whole medieval thing did not cover boxers and briefs. He had to be wearing a second pair of pants, otherwise the ones Dawn had just put her lips on would have been gold long ago. She found his waist. The breeches were held together with strings. “No,” he said, putting his hands on hers when she started to work on them. “Trust me.” She smiled at him as dazzlingly as she could. Considering her fangs, and the general distrust elves had toward vampires, she was kind of stunned that it worked. His hands slipped away, allowing her to do whatever she wanted to him, bringing a flutter inside her. She got the breeches—pants, whatever they were—down with his help, and, yeah, there was another pair underneath, their sole purpose to protect the ones above. They weren’t solid gold like the snake, but definitely made of the real deal. The giant bulge underneath was certainly real. She wondered what it felt like against his cock. Was it rough, scratchy, itchy? Not that she was about to start up a question and answer session while he was waiting like a saint for her to begin. Still, it couldn’t be too much of a hindrance on his pleasure considering how she’d ridden him not two minutes ago, but just in case it felt as bad as it looked, she went for the gentle approach. He stared at her expectantly as she put her hand on him. His eyes slid shut and head fell back. There was never a more handsome sight. “I wish I could touch you here for real,” she said. His eyes flew open. She grinned. “I wouldn’t be just using my hands either.” That seemed to do it for him. He threw his head back so hard she heard the conk of it against the tree branch. His moan was a twist between satisfaction and pain as his cock jumped and spurted beneath her hand.

 

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Dawn kissed his thigh, his chest, and up to his shoulders. This was by far the most intimate thing she’d ever done with any man, and the unfortunate part was that everywhere her lips touched had to be clothed. He didn’t seem to mind. His gloved hand touched her hair, massaging her scalp. That felt nice. She settled next to him. Nothing as normal as laying her head beneath his chin, but she did rest her head on his covered chest, allowing him to continue to play with her hair. “I bet most wives don’t have that much fun with their husbands,” she said, pleased with herself. Aaron didn’t say anything, and although she couldn’t remember drifting off, she must have, because when she opened her eyes next, he was gone. It was hotter than hell with the sun rising, and her spider senses were tingling. A wonderfully warm scent tickled her nose, and the rapid beating of a heart somewhere nearby indicated exactly what that scent was. Dawn sat up, adjusted her tank, belt, and leather jacket, grabbed her helmet, and leapt from her spot in the tree. She landed with bent knees on her feet and, at a run, proceeded to follow her nose. It was a heartbeat, a strong, heavy drumming that could hardly belong to any insect or rabbit, but was also too small for another monster snake. Another elf? Could be. All heartbeats were unique to their species, and even the person to whom the heart belonged—Aaron’s heart had a beat that sang gently in her ears. Not the time to be thinking about that. Right, time to identify the heartbeat. The problem was that she couldn’t. This heartbeat was about the same size as of those in her party, but the sound was muffled, as though it were beating under a stack of quilts, and the pace was a fast drum that hinted at either stress or too much exercise. Whoever it was, elf, or something else, she didn’t know them.

 

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Whatever, it didn’t matter. Dawn hadn’t forgotten about the dragons who had supposedly taken Aaron’s father. If it was a threat to anyone in her group, she planned to destroy it as quickly as possible. The drumming sound became stronger as she neared it, louder in her ears, and she slowed her pace to better sneak up on it. She pushed past the branches and scratching shrubs she was growing to hate. Every twig seemed to snap under her feet. Whoever it was, whatever it was, hadn’t heard her because otherwise it would’ve run off as she closed in. Dawn abruptly halted as she came within sight of a small clearing in the trees. Just ahead, on the other side of the open space, was a mossy boulder. Dawn sensed the heartbeat and smelled the blood coming from the other side of the rock. What was back there? Was it too weak to move? The scent of blood had grown stronger, not enough to suggest anything life threatening, but it was definitely there. Could it be Aaron’s father? Could he have escaped the dragons and made a run for it in the forest? As an elf, he should have survived anything the trees would have thrown at him—giant snakes notwithstanding—but if the dragons had hurt him… She stepped forward, then abruptly leapt back with a hiss, nearly crashing on her ass with pain and clutching at her face as though a whip’s lash had licked it. “Ugh, Jesus.” She pulled her hand away from her cheek. Speckles of blood dotted her palm. The sun. Perfect. She should have been paying more attention, should have sensed the heat at the very least, but whatever was hiding behind that rock had taken all of her focus. The canopy was not as thick here as it had been in the rest of this forest, and a stray breeze had ruffled the leaves above, allowing a small ray of UV horror down to ground level to smack her face just as she walked right under it. Her whole face hadn’t been burned. She could tell that much. But the space that had been stung like a bitch. It began at her chin and

 

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worked its way up her cheek, before curling into her eyebrow. She hated to even think about what she looked like, but thank God it had missed her eye. It would’ve healed, but being blinded in one eye would make her all but useless to Aaron. She surveyed the spot again, this time watching patiently until another warm breeze ruffled the trees. A hundred glimmers of light passed over the grass, fallen tree logs, and soft baby trees still spouting from the earth that were meant to replace the dead ones. It almost looked like a Thomas Kinkade painting. Dawn waited for the wind to pass and the trees to still, blocking out the sun once more, though she had to admit the scene had been prettier gleaming like it had been doused in a thousand diamonds. She took a breath for courage and took a step. A light but strong hand yanked her back. Her fist flew on autopilot right into Aaron’s cheek. It was really saying something for the strength of elves that his entire body didn’t launch backward at the blow. Her fist pillowed in his cheek didn’t do much for his looks, however. Good thing she used the glove that had already been turned gold. She pulled back. “I’m sorry. Are you all right?” He nodded, his lips curving even as he rubbed his cheek with two fingers. “Whilst there are better ways to be greeted by one’s wife, I am well. Ye, on the other hand, should show more restraint.” His eyes stared hard at the burn on her face then went down her the hand she’d punched him with. “The next time ye may not have so much luck.” “This does not explain yer presence hither,” Kehn said, appearing from trees the way the elves seemed to always do. Bell was at his side. Both sets of their eyes darted from her to Aaron. They’d seen her punch him, but were choosing to ignore it, however grudgingly. They, too, knew the risk of putting her hands on their prince, only they weren’t being so nice as to remind her of the dangers of that.

 

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Aaron looked at her, also awaiting an answer. She nodded toward the boulder, still shimmering in the flickering sunlight. “Someone’s sitting behind the rock.” They all leaned to the side to see beyond her. “The trees have not told me of any presence.” Bell said, her shoulders suddenly stiff with irritation. “Isn’t that why you brought me along?” Dawn asked. “There’s a quick heartbeat, and I can smell blood.” She didn’t need to explain to them the dangers of the scent of blood in the air. Aaron shoved something into her gut and stepped around her. She barely caught it before it fell. Her helmet. He must’ve picked it up after she dropped it when the sun scorched her. Aaron quickly made for the boulder. “Father?” Bell and Kehn followed, but he’d already made it around the rock. His body stilled at whatever he saw. Dawn clumsily shoved her helmet over her head, careful not to irritate the damn burn and jealous as hell that the elves could walk across the little clearing without fear of burning themselves. She didn’t bother with sliding the visor down as she ran across the clearing, keeping her face ducked low. Bell’s hands were at her mouth, and Kehn was shaking his head. Dawn ran around the lot of them, begging to God that she wouldn’t find a dying pointy-eared man in a crown. It was nearly as bad. Her heart lurched. “Jesus.” A boy. It was a kid. Not a king. He couldn’t have been older than ten years, and he was badly messed up. He wore only a red tank and beige shorts that stopped at the knees—curiously modern—and no shoes on his overly large, black-crusted feet. His flimsy clothing gave her a better view of the dried blood that trickled down his arms and legs, and the broken wings dangling from his back, which were still wet and beginning to attract flies.

 

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His breaths came heavy from his chest. The boy stared at Dawn through half-lidded eyes. She could smell fear as he held his arms for warmth—one of which looked to be oddly twisted—but exhaustion prevented so much as a movement of protest against them, or even a scream.

 

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Chapter Eight Aaron stepped away from the child, still fearful as ever of touch, despite Dawn’s lesson to him the night before. “Bell, Kehn, lift the boy up. ’Tis damp there, and he is cold. Bandage his wounds before any predators catch his scent.” Dawn stepped back while Kehn lifted his bloody body. Bell gingerly took the wings, holding them to keep the bit of skin they were holding on by from ripping off entirely. They were as large as the kid himself, bat-like. No feathers or anything, just skin and purple veins. They were a dark red along the bony joints—with actual bone popping out in some places—but pinker along the paper-thin middle, the veins spidered along inside the spots that hadn’t been shredded. She didn’t need to ask to know this kid was part of the dragon clan she’d heard so much about. But she hadn’t expected to see something that looked fragile. This kid was injured, bleeding, his crying slowly becoming louder as he realized he was in no danger in this new company. Even a clan of dragon warriors started off as children. The boy hissed and cried out as Kehn and Bell attempted to move him, fresh tears creating lines in the dust and dirt that caked his face. Bell whispered to him gently, attempting to soothe him, but to little effect. Bell removed her cloak and tore it into strips with her dagger. The boy’s eyes fell on the knife and stayed there, his chest heaving and muscles clenching as he suddenly became silent.

 

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“She’s not going to hurt you,” Dawn said. If his heart pumped any harder, he’d pass out, and that wouldn’t be good. Actually, maybe it would be merciful to just let the kid clock out. The boy turned his eyes to her, and his panic seemed to subside— the slow of his heart and blood a great indicator of this—but now he looked at her curiously, like he had when he’d first seen her. He squinted his eyes and cocked his head as though he’d never seen a woman in black leather and a motorcycle helmet before. She somewhat doubted that considering his modern summer clothes. Dragons obviously came and went from the island as they pleased. Maybe he’d just never seen anyone, who wasn’t another dragon, who was dressed like her before on this island. Well, at least his curiosity kept him still and occupied while Bell poured the last of her water over his wounds. She cleaned them as best she could with the little she had before taking the strips of her cloak and wrapping the boy’s cuts and scrapes. “Kehn, find more redthorn for his wounds,” Aaron commanded. “The water will hardly do, and we need what little we have left.” Kehn nodded and disappeared into the brush, and for the first time, Dawn no longer thought his instant obeying of orders was robotlike and annoying. Aaron watched as Bell worked on the boy, his eyes hard and focused on every hitch in breath and tear that fell. He didn’t take off any of his layers to make them into makeshift bandages, but Dawn didn’t miss the way his hands gripped his robes. Aaron settled for pulling out a small loaf of bread wrapped in leaves and a golden waterskin from his sac and handing them to the boy. The kid snatched the bread first and dug in with savage intensity, hardly noticing how the giver of his gift all but jumped back when there was no longer a need to be so close. Dawn took the thousanddollar waterskin from Aaron’s hands and set it within reach of the kid when he went no closer.

 

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Bell worked gently, but didn’t go near his wings, despite how desperately they needed treatment. Maybe there just wasn’t enough fabric to do anything for them. That or she didn’t know how to go about mending them. Bell finished by tying the kid’s bad arm in what passed for a sling, before coming to sit on her knees in front of him. When he finished wolfing down the bread, she took his good hand into both of hers— despite his age, it dwarfed her hands—and she smiled. Dawn watched as the boy fell into Bell’s eyes. Bell had everything under control. She radiated calm and motherly affection from herself directly into the boy. At least he’d stopped crying. He looked like he was being hypnotized. “Little one, are you feeling better now?” “My back hurts,” he said, wiping his face on his shoulder, smearing the dirt all the more, and putting on a brave face now that he’d been tended to. “You’re elves?” He hardly needed to ask with the way his orange eyes stared at her high, pointed ears suspiciously. He knew the answer. “Some of us are,” she answered, leaving out what Dawn was. “My name is Bell, and these are my friends. Dawn, Kehn, who went to retrieve redthorn for ye, and His Highness, Prince Aaron. What is your name?” The boy’s eyes widened slightly at the discovery of who Aaron was, but then his teeth chattered. A torn up cloak used as medical supplies still left him damp and bare, and he quickly forgot about his shock. “D–Devon.” The serene smile never left Bell’s lips. She brushed Devon’s scruffy hair out of his face with her fingers. “And what happened that brought you off of your mountain, Devon?” More tears came. He wiped them away before Bell could do it for him, fighting the pain and his show of weakness. “Was t-trying t-to fly. Papa said…w-wasn’t ready. Tried anyway.”

 

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“That explains the wings,” Aaron said. “They are much too small to hold his weight. They must have snapped while he was in the air. The landing would have done the rest.” In a move that shocked the hell out of Dawn, he stepped forward and got onto his knees in front of the boy as well. Then he put his gloved hand on Devon’s shoulder, squeezing in a show of manly support. “Ye will be all right, child. We will return ye to yer parents.” The way he said it and the way his heart beat in his chest, as though he were sharing the boy’s pain… Aaron’s earlier words rushed to her. “I can never bed you like a proper husband, even should you wish it, or offer you comfort or children.” Dawn sucked in a breath. Oh shit. Maybe that last part was a stronger regret than she’d initially thought. Did Aaron want children? Did it hurt him that, while he was cursed, he could not have them? She’d shown him that he could still have some physical pleasure without actual skin-to-skin touch, but babies were definitely out of the picture for him no matter what she did. One of many hurts she could never take away. Kehn came back with more of those leaves with the red berries growing on them, and with three elves tending to the boy, Dawn figured it was safe enough for her to take a walk. By keeping her visor up and sniffing out the blood, Dawn found its trail. She didn’t bother following it. The scent seemed to go on for a long while, and she didn’t want to get separated from her party. The boy must’ve crash-landed several miles from here. He must have walked before his wounds, hunger, and exhaustion got the better of him. The trail was old, at least a couple of days, which meant he’d been out here for all that time, surviving alone before keeling over. He’d been walking toward something. Safety.

 

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Dawn passed by another mossy boulder and kept on going. After five minutes, the trees began to thin as the rocks overtook the plants. She stopped, having gone as far as she could safely allow herself. Her body was directly under the sun now, and she started to itch. Dawn lowered her helmet’s visor, lifted her head, and gazed at the mountain above. It was so close. Just another mile or two from its base. The pointed top was capped off with snow and a misty blue fog rolling down the rocks. It didn’t look like the kind of environment that warranted a red tank top and shorts. Poor kid probably thought he’d only be flying in a warmer climate for a few minutes before heading back. The boy had almost made it home and probably would have eventually without their help. He seemed like a little survivor—had to be with all those giant snakes slithering around and him trickling blood like he was. Finding more than what she came for, she went back to her group. Devon was sleeping in Bell’s arms, his wings looking much cleaner, though still in shreds. Kehn stood above them, crushing the little berries between his fingers and dripping the juices into the gory open wounds on his back. In several places, the leaves themselves served as little bandages, having been wrapped around the arch of the wings, the blood acting as an adhesive. Aaron approached her quickly, took her hand, and pulled her under the heavy shade of a nearby tree that she couldn’t name, with plenty of drooping branches to keep their privacy. She held still as he lifted her helmet away. They both hissed. Her as the soft inner padding rubbed the burn, him as he saw it for a second time. She didn’t want to know how bad it looked. Aaron bit his lower lip and shook his head. “I should have seen to ye first.” “You had other things on your mind,” she said, recalling how he’d run over to the boulder that hid Devon, thinking his father might be

 

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behind it. Everything else really had taken precedence. “I have some sun lotion,” she said. He shook his head, already pulling more of those odd-looking leaves from a pouch at his belt. He crushed the berries on one of the leaves, then gently set it against her burning face. There was a half second of stinging pain that made her neck clench up before it disappeared, replaced by a cool tingling that made her sigh. “Better than your lotion?” “Much. Where do you find those things?” she asked as he prepared another leaf. “I haven’t seen any tree with those growing on it.” He chuckled as she moaned again under the leafy goodness he applied, higher up this time, nearer to her eyebrow. “Ye have seen the tree, as a matter of fact. Many times. These leaves only grow on the highest branches, where the sun cooks the nectar inside the leaf until it bubbles out into this useful little berry here.” That explained that. She sighed as he put the third leaf, with its amazing healing juice, over the last of her uncovered burn. The irony that such a medicine was brought on by sunlight was not lost on her. Nor could she quite put it out of her mind how messed up she must look with dirty hair and leaves sticking to the corner of her burned face. She hoped her eyebrow wasn’t completely singed off. “Can the snakes here smell dragon blood?” she asked. “Of course they can,” Aaron said, his gloved hands still on her face, even though there was no longer a need for it. She could tell when he understood what she was really asking by the light that seemed to blink on behind his eyes. “’Tis what drew the Titanboas from their territory. They’ve been scenting that child’s blood and hunting him.” “I think your father was attacked in the place where Devon first crashed. The snake scented the blood and was out looking for a dragon to eat when it came across him, and he was rescued by

 

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Devon’s father, who was also looking for him. It would explain why a dragon would take him.” “But not why they have not returned him,” Aaron muttered, though he did seem to be considering the possibilities of her theory. “Why could ye not scent this before?” Kehn demanded. Dawn spun her head around, as did Aaron. Kehn had left Devon to Bell’s care and had come into their hiding place uninvited. The fact that he didn’t have a sword in his hand must have meant that he was slowly coming to accept her, at the very least. “There was enough blood in that spot already from one giant snake. It must’ve masked the kid’s from me. If we’d taken the same path the boy originally had, I probably would’ve noticed it then. Likely Devon had gotten himself lost, zigzagging through the trees to avoid predators before finding his way here.” Aaron swore, his head turning to gaze back where Bell watched the dragon boy. “If those serpents have been leaving their territory for dragon’s blood, there could be another within striking distance at this moment.” “How many of those things even live on the island?” Dawn asked. “Not enough to concern anybody with,” Kehn answered. Dawn stared hard at him. “Under normal circumstances,” he clarified, face warming. “They are rare, and ’tis rarer that they grow so large. There could not be more than one or two left on the island of that size.” One or two too many, Dawn thought. “We shall take the boy with us into the Blue Mountains. We shall not stop until we arrive. If the snakes are hunting him, then he will not be safe until he is home,” Aaron said. Dawn’s chest swelled with love. “They won’t go on the mountain?” “There are too many of the dragons living there. Even blood’s fury cannot make them risk such a battle. When it next rains and

 

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washes away the scent of the boy, whatever serpents are still roaming outside of their territory will return to their nests.” Kehn’s eyes flashed. “We shall simply walk into dragon territory, with one of their children, who is injured? Then what? Shall we pray they do not kill us on sight?” Right. She’d forgotten. Peace there may be for the dragons and the elves, but they still weren’t on much better terms than the elves and vampires themselves. Aaron shook his head, a lighthearted smile putting a crease under his eyes. “We shall hope they are willing to perform a trade.”

 

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Chapter Nine The sun shone brightly and chased away much of the fog that had clouded the mountainside by the time they were halfway up. Never had the sky looked so large to Dawn, giving off the impression of a sun that was inches away. It made her nervous, and she sweated like crazy. Kehn carried the boy in his arms, having taken him from Bell, who grew tired from the weight about an hour earlier. He still slept soundly, as though his wings weren’t hanging on by a small strip of skin and dripping blood along the smooth rocks at their feet. Dawn carried the wings to keep them from falling right off. Though it appeared only one was in danger of having that happen and the other grotesquely broken at the angular joint, she still handled both with care. She doubted he’d ever fly after this. Aaron walked ahead of them at the protest of both Bell and Kehn, but he’d insisted, in his princely way that demanded no arguments. He tested the rocks at his feet as he walked, warning Dawn and Kehn should there be any spot where the stones were too jagged or at risk of falling down the sharp face of the mountain. There was a path up the mountain, and while they dutifully stayed to it, the higher they climbed, the clearer it became that, after a certain point, no one traveled on this route. At least on foot. The jagged edges of the rocks, some as sharp as knives, poked and prodded under her feet, no matter how gracefully Dawn avoided the worst. After so long of it, her soles were killing her. She wished she could fly up the mountain.

 

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“How much farther do we have to go?” She hated to ask, but her feet needed the answer. “We are only halfway there. These edges are not steep enough to provide the lift the dragons need for flight,” Bell answered, keeping her bow in hand, arrow strung and ready in case of an attack. Dawn thought they were steep enough, but she wasn’t about to argue. “Won’t they see us walking up to their front porch?” Neither Aaron nor Bell answered. The sudden appearance of a teeming mass of muscled bodies above them was answer enough. Dawn almost didn’t sense their arrival, and who knew? She probably had missed it for the first couple of minutes until the men above them decided to make themselves known. “Guys,” she said, halting abruptly. Kehn jerked to a stop, annoyance flashing on his face until his eyes turned up in the direction Dawn stared. Bell and Aaron followed suit. Everyone in their party held stock-still, and Dawn sensed their hearts coming to shocked halts for a full second as several pairs of angry eyes stared down at them. They appeared like ninja assassins, one minute nothing, just the gray rock and their own footsteps, and the next, there they were. A dozen or so men, all of whom looked like they could compete in the Mr. Universe competition and win, stood on top of the highest and heaviest of rocks and boulders. In every monster-sized fist, thick and immensely jeweled swords with golden hilts were held. So apparently dragons did carry around their swords when not in dragon form, and when they were on their own turf. Of the several pairs of red eyes that glared down at the elves, all turned to Kehn and Dawn in particular. “Do not move,” Aaron said, eyes watching the warriors above intently. As one, the wings of the dragon men spread, like hands unclenching from a fist and reaching out to grab at them. Most of them had the same red and veiny look that Devon’s wings had, all

 

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large enough to nearly block out the sun. On any other day, Dawn would’ve been grateful for the sudden shade. Not good. Not good. One dragon, the largest of the group, jumped from his perch and landed directly in front of Aaron. He came down flawlessly, with only a slight bend of his knees, but the mountain shook under the pressure of his enormous body. Dawn clenched her teeth as she felt the rumble travel up her legs. She kept her hold on Devon’s wings as gentle as possible until the mini-earthquake passed. The dragon folded his wings behind his back and stepped right into Aaron’s personal bubble. Seeing one in front of the other really gave Dawn an idea of the true size difference. The dragon was more than twice his width, not to mention being at least a foot taller. To Aaron’s credit, he didn’t back away from the dragon who was—without much effort on his part—looking ready to snap him in half. Bell remained at his side, expression stoic, though she wasn’t fooling Dawn with that erratic heartbeat of hers. She’d been smart enough to put away her bow. Even if she got a hit on one of them, basic logic said she would never be fast enough to take them all out, or even half, before they swooped down on the entire party. The dragon’s eyes, flickering from Aaron to the unconscious Devon, blazed the same color red as his hair. “What did ye do with my son?” So, despite the semi-modern clothes—there were animal skins on some of them, jeans on others—they all still spoke like it was 1399. Devon’s father wore an animal skin loincloth and leather boots with a fur trim. A small, red dragon tattoo swirled around his right eye. His missing eyebrow on that side allowed the little dragon to sit comfortably there. The matching colors only made him look that much fiercer. Aaron cleared his throat, half turned, and gestured that she and Kehn come forward with Devon. They did, Kehn impatient and

 

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moving quickly, while Dawn struggled to keep up without jarring the wings. “I am Prince Aaron, son of King Aelmon of the elf lands. This is my wife, Princess Dawn, and our two travelling companions, Bell and Kehn.” Despite the introduction of two other people, Dawn felt all eyes shift to her. Even with the helmet muffling everything, her ears picked up the curious whispers. She didn’t miss the quirky looks either. She couldn’t blame them. The prince of elves just introduced a woman in biker gear, who wasn’t showing her face to top it off, as his wife. A princess. Probably way out in left field of what they thought an elf princess should look like. “We were traveling through the forest, searching for my father, who has disappeared, when we found Devon,” Aaron said, his voice strong despite the group of angry dragons who were still fingering the handles of their various blades. Most didn’t bother with even that as their hands took on a reptilian, claw-like form that could no doubt slash through the toughest hide. The rage-red did not leave the father’s eyes. “I am Anata, and I am the king of the land on which ye stand.” Aaron bowed at the waist. Bell followed suit. Kehn shifted his feet, uncomfortable with the whole thing. Likely the only reason he and Bell would even do such a thing was because their prince had done it first, but with the boy in his arms, he couldn’t show the respect owed to a king. There was no way he was all that broken up about it anyway. “Forgive me, milord,” said Aaron. “We simply wished to bring him home.” Anata did not hesitate. He half turned, snapped his fingers, and two more men leapt from their advantageous positions on top of the rocks. They rushed toward Dawn and Kehn.

 

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Kehn’s muscles bunched up like he was waiting for a fight. Dawn hissed at him, putting his attention on her. If he dropped the boy, she would kill him. The two giant men did not draw their swords and start swinging or bring out their talons. Gently, they took Devon into their arms, shifting the weight of his wings and body from the vampire and elf to themselves with the care one would give an injured bird. “Take him to his mother,” Anata barked. Though his voice was commanding and sharp, his eyes were soft with worry as they walked away with his son. Flying, it seemed, was out of the question even for them under the circumstances. Dawn looked up and around. The rest of the dragons did not disperse. Most still kept their swords in their meaty hands. Even through her helmet, she smelled the testosterone rising. “I hope ye have a good healer,” Aaron said, his eyes still looking in Devon’s direction. “’Tis what he needs.” “My queen is the best of healers,” Anata replied tersely. “But that is no concern of yours. I expect you, of all people, shall want payment?” His face was screwed up as he said it, as though expecting no better of an elf. Or maybe just Aaron in general. Dawn recalled how Aaron had received his curse, and she was insulted on his behalf. Aaron nodded, color rising up his neck. “Aye, but not in gold. I assume ye were the one who rescued my father after the serpent attacked?” Anata nodded. “The king of elves is recovering well.” Dawn’s mouth dropped. He…didn’t deny it. “Why did ye not send a messenger to inform us that he was in yer care?” Kehn demanded, stepping forward, all clenched fists and snarling teeth now that his hands were no longer full. To their credit, the dragons didn’t throw a spear into Kehn’s chest for the show he was putting on. They didn’t need to. Bell was smart

 

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enough to get in his way, keeping at least ten feet between the two men by pulling her longbow and pointing an arrow directly in Kehn’s face. Kehn halted, shocked into sputtering. “I—what are ye—” “Threatening him threatens our prince. Bring yerself under control.” Dawn suddenly had a whoooooole lot more respect for her. “Aye! Control yerself, elf!” one of the dragons above crowed. The others broke out laughing. Dawn waited for Kehn to pop a vein. What would that look like? But he blew out a breath and walked away instead. “I thought to bide my time,” Anata said, going back to Aaron’s question. “Yer king claimed to know naught of my son’s disappearance. I wished to keep him in relative comfort until it could be proven otherwise.” Which was pretty much the same thing that was happening with Blake and Nox. Anata’s eyes narrowed. “How did my son come to be in such a bad way?” “He was trying to fly,” Dawn said. All eyes turned to her now that she’d spoken for the first time. “His wings broke in mid-flight, and he fell. There’s nothing sinister about it.” Anata’s head whipped in her direction. His eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Show me yer face.” Uh oh. “I can’t.” Anata snapped his fingers again. Three dragon men leapt from their places on the rocks and landed with the same rough grace as the two before them. They started toward her. Dawn tensed. Aaron drew his weapon and ran to stand between her and the dragons, who had their own blades out and ready before he’d even started running. “Do not touch her. She is a vampire. She cannot remove the mask until the sun sets.”

 

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The three dragons stopped, looked between each other, then at their king. Anata waved them off. “Very well, for the moment her face remains concealed. But we shall speak in a darker place. And until Devon confirms what ye’ve told me, ye shall all be my guests.”

 

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Chapter Ten “So much for peace,” Kehn grouched for the tenth time in two days. No one bothered to answer him, and he paced around the cave Anata had given them like a caged animal eager to strike. Though, to be fair, it was more of a bedchamber, similar to what the elves had presented Dawn with on her arrival, than an actual cave. It even branched off into other rooms with high arched windows for the three of them to share. The night was clear, no fog, and if Dawn looked outside, she could see the whole of the island gleaming under the light of the moon. Bell was entirely transfixed with the view. She had told Dawn that she had never seen the island from this perspective, and she passed most of her time by admiring the dark ocean and trees, watching the change in scenic colors from dawn to dusk. The palace of the elves could even be seen below, the lights and torches giving it a fairy-like quality of its own. The stone walls of their chambers were hardly gleaming like in the elven palace. They had been carved from the mountain itself, which was impressive all on its own. While they were cold to the touch, they were dry and clean. A Persian rug kept their feet cushioned and warm and modern furniture—black leather couches, a flat screen LG TV mounted on the wall, and a king-size bed with a dark mahogany frame and navy sheets, which currently held Aaron’s father—graced the room Aaron sat with him on the edge of the bed, looking entirely out of place on something so modern, but his concern was real, despite the good health Aelmon seemed to be in, apart from his leg. He insisted it

 

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was not broken, but it had been heavily bandaged and propped onto the bunched sheets and pillows, which suggested otherwise. Aelmon’s ribs were bruised and bandaged as well from his battle with the Titanboa. The king seemed dead set on denying any claim that he could have been seriously injured in battle. He was actually smiling as he recounted his story to Aaron. “The dragons have not mistreated me, and I have been much enjoying this television of theirs. I think I would enjoy having one placed in my bedchambers on our return home.” Aaron barely gave the TV a glance. On first entering their rooms, the TVs had all been off. But as they’d explored the other connecting rooms and found Aelmon napping in bed to the Discovery Channel, Dawn had been surprised by their fascination with the thing. Aaron hadn’t noticed it at first. He’d seen his father and rushed to his side. It had been Bell and Kehn who were immediately taken in. The two had stood around and stared at it in wonder, like children who watched with their noses far too close to the screen. Bell had reached her hand out to tentatively touch the images of bees pollinating flowers. She’d pulled her hand back sharply, rubbing her fingers together, as though confused to feel flat plastic instead of soft flower petals. Dawn had found the black remote next to Aelmon’s hand and turned it off before Aaron could get sucked in by it as well. Bell and Kehn had blinked like they’d come out of a trance and had promptly put duty above curiosity. But Aelmon had woken as soon as Aaron took his hand. Minutes after the pleasantries were exchanged, the TV was back on to breezing flowers and the flight patterns of geese. Dawn had to admit she was impressed with the way the three other elves managed to ignore it since it barely got turned off the whole time the king was awake.

 

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He’d had access to the thing for only a few days, and he already knew his way around the remote like a pro. Pretty good for a man that had never so much as seen a clock radio before. “Do ye not think a television would make an excellent addition to the palace?” Aelmon said. His cheery mood was a good sign that he’d been properly cared for and paid the respects due to a king. It also meant he was unaware of any plans to do him, and his party, any harm should Devon not wake up. “I am certain something of that nature can be arranged,” Aaron said, his voice holding the kind of uncertainty that betrayed he had no idea how to even get his hands on a TV. It made Dawn smile a little. She had to admit, she liked the elf king. Only a little, though. She was reserving judgment. “Your Majesty, about my brother—” “I do hope the young dragon prince recovers,” he said, sidestepping her. “’Tis time to renegotiate our peace. Release old hatreds for good. I owe the dragon clan my life”—His eyes moved to Dawn and then Aaron—“to ye as well. Arranging yer marriage with the vampires was the best decision of my reign. We shall finally have peace between all three of our species.” He turned to Dawn, and his smile for her was a weak one. “However, I cannot ignore the fact that, had I not had this little adventure, my life could very well have ended on your arrival.” Dawn licked her lips, shooting a glare at Kehn. That idiot was the one to blab about Blake and Nox’s mission. He hadn’t bothered to go easy on the details either. Not that there was anything to sugarcoat about attempted murder, but it hadn’t endeared Dawn’s family to the man who had the power to end Blake’s life. It hadn’t endeared Kehn to Dawn much either, and she was feeling a lot like killing him. “Your Majesty, I know my brother’s actions are not—” A dragon chose that moment to walk into their chambers, completely unannounced. It was a woman, plainly dressed, wings

 

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molded to her back, thin as paper against a grey dress suit. She ignored everyone but Aelmon as she bowed low at her waist, red braid falling down her shoulder. “Announcing His Majesty, Lord Anata of the Blue Mountain.” Aelmon waved her off, but she was stepping aside even before he made the gesture. Anata walked into their chambers with two dragon men nearly as large as himself behind him. They made an odd sight, dressed in Armani with swords at their backs, but they also looked ready for business. Aaron stood abruptly, and Kehn and Bell tensed upon his arrival. “Good eve, Yer Majesty.” Aelmon held out his hand as though he were greeting a friend rather than his jailer. Anata’s cheek quirked in a reluctant smile. He stepped toward the bed and took Aelmon’s hand. “My son awoke.” “Then his recovery is coming along well? How are his wings?” Anata growled, releasing Aelmon’s hand and stepping back. “They had to be removed. He shall never fly.” Sympathy swelled in Dawn’s chest. The poor kid. She had no idea how that was for a dragon, but from Anata’s expression, it was not good. Aelmon’s face fell. “I am so very sorry for the loss.” Anata waved him off, though there was still bitterness in his eyes. “Do not concern yerself, friend. I prefer my son alive with no wings to fly with than dead in the forest.” Friend? Dawn looked to Aaron. He managed to keep stoic. Anata must have treated the elf king better than they all thought for them to be speaking to each other like this. “If ye feel yer up to travelin’, I can send ye on yer way,” Anata said. “Ye will, of course, be escorted to ensure yer safety.” Dawn itched to jump up and run out of the dragon’s lair in that instant, escort or no. She needed to get back to Blake, preferably before Aelmon returned and gave the order to throw him and Nox into the morning sun.

 

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She was no longer holding any hope that the king would overlook an attempted murder, even for his new daughter-in-law. Aaron must have sensed her unease because he took her hand into his and squeezed. She exhaled sharply. Dawn hadn’t realized she was holding her breath. His gloved palm felt good, solid, and secure. She could have kissed him. Aelmon smiled. “I am feeling well enough to make the journey, friend. Though I will be saddened to leave yer fine house.” Anata grinned at the compliment. “Perhaps we can arrange a future visit. Until then, I shall have you flown back to your palace, before sunrise,” he added, glancing at Dawn. While in his mountain palace, the king had come to an understanding of Dawn’s “condition,” as he called it, and she hadn’t had to wear all her leathers around, and she never would again if she had her way. “For the princess’s sake.” Anata bowed his head to Aelmon, who returned the gesture as best he could while lying in bed, and promptly left their rooms. Dawn waited a beat before following him out. She felt Aaron’s eyes on her, but she ignored him. He wouldn’t leave his father, and neither Bell nor Kehn would dare leave their king, so she was safely able to leave them. On her way out of the chambers that led deeper into the mountain, the guards who had been previously posted at the doors were no longer there. No need now that they were no longer under suspicion. All the better. She couldn’t leave yet, not without speaking to the king of dragons. Aaron might’ve given up on a cure, but what kind of wife would she be if she didn’t try her hand? “Your Majesty? King Anata?” she called, jogging toward his retreating back. Twin swords sliced the air, crossing in front of her, blocking her path. The two dragon soldiers on the other ends of those blades glared down at her. “Leave her be,” Anata said, stepping forward and putting his hand on one of the men’s giant shoulder.

 

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The guard lowered his arm without question, as did his heavily muscled comrade. Loyalty was one thing, but these guys were trained military-style. “What was it ye wished to speak with me about?” Anata asked, pulling her out of her impressed thoughts. She straightened her back and got right to the point. “Aaron’s curse…” Understanding dawned on Anata’s face, and the little dragon tattoo around his eye lifted with the shift in the king’s facial features. He rubbed his bearded jaw and shook his head. “There’s naught that can be done for him. He was cursed decades ago, and when his father demanded a cure, a new war nearly broke out between our people. I even gave Aelmon permission to search around the caves where your prince claims to have been cursed.” “It’s not a claim. He is cursed. I’ve seen him turn the things that he touches to gold. Even his clothes.” Anata nodded. “I believe ye, but the fact remains that not all dragons on this island are magical, nor part of my clan.” Dawn blinked. “They’re not?” He shook his head. “I’ll tell ye the same thing I told Aelmon and his sons those years ago. Not all dragons are like us. Some prefer to be alone instead of in clans, like ours, and some travel. They can fly over great distances, stopping only when the need to rest arises, which it rarely does for those kinds of dragons. “I believe the dragon to curse him was a traveler. ’Tis the only reason why I’ve never heard of one matching the description the prince gave.” “Does that really matter? You’re the king of dragons. Why can’t you cure him?” He shook his head. “’Tis not that I won’t. I cannot. A dragon’s curse either has to be lifted by the caster or the victim. ’Tis sacred elemental magic. Even so, even I have not the power to perform such a curse, and I do not have the ability to lift it.”

 

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Almost against her will, Dawn felt herself falling out of respectful mode. Her arms crossed before she was even aware they were moving. Anata sighed. “I have told ye naught that the elves have not already heard. The difference, I see, is that their understanding of these things far outweighs yer own.” “But if you would just try—” “I have tried, but simply because the magic cannot be lifted, does not mean ye cannot find ways around it.” Dawn did her damndest to hide her mortification behind a stoic face. Did he somehow know what she’d done with Aaron in the trees? “And now, highness, I will bid thee a good night and safe travels. I need to be with my son.” Dawn’s fists clenched. She was pissed that he wasn’t even going to give Aaron another glance, not even another try, after he’d saved the life of his son, but she also couldn’t fault the king for wanting to get back to the kid’s bedside either. “Fine. Thank you for your time, Your Majesty.” Anata hesitated. Dawn felt his eyes on her even though she was no longer looking at him. But eventually he turned and started moving away again, his guards following him like an extra pair of shadows. A small hand touched her shoulder, and Dawn turned. The same woman who had announced Anata’s arrival to their chambers stood there, a neutral smile on her lips. She’d heard the whole thing. “Yer Highness, if ye will please follow me, preparations for yer journey home have been made.” Which brought her back to the other important matter of her brother. She still needed to get Aaron’s father to let those two idiots off the hook. The professionally dressed dragon woman led her back to the cluster of rooms given to the elf king and his subjects. In Aelmon’s room, a green-cushioned chair had been brought in for his use. Attached to its bottom for carrying were wooden poles. After Kehn

 

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and Bell helped their king into the chair, two dragon men lifted it between them and carried him out. The king was having the time of his life still, despite a broken leg and leaving behind the TV he’d grown so fond of. Aaron’s lips lifted in a smile at the sight of her, but his eyes remained sad. Dawn’s breath caught. He knew what she’d gone to do, and he also knew that she’d failed him. All that without asking. No expectations, no anger, no nothing. It made her all the angrier with Anata for not so much as trying. “Ye should not have bothered, Dawn,” he said. “If we ever want to touch each other, I’ll keep trying,” she said. His lack of an answer wasn’t very encouraging. Aaron was about to follow his father out when Dawn caught his arm. “Wait.” He didn’t pull away like he normally would have, but he did look back at the door where his father had disappeared before retuning his attention to her. “What is it?” Dawn threaded her fingers through his, pulling him away from his father’s bedchamber and into the one given to her for their stay. When Anata recalled just who Aaron was, he’d arranged for him and his wife to have separate sleeping quarters, and Dawn didn’t think Aaron would want to do what she had in mind in his father’s sick bed. Aaron picked up on her intentions quickly. “Is there time?” “There’s always time.” She pushed him, and he went down on the feather bed without any fight. His lips did lift a little when she climbed on top of him. “What has come over ye?” The question made her pause while she worked on the strings of his breeches. She couldn’t say for sure what it was. Maybe the fact that they hadn’t fooled around since their night in the tree or the disappointment of Anata’s refusal, which was an odd one to feel

 

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because she wasn’t the one who was cursed. Aaron had lived with it, and the disappointment of being told no, for years. “I want to make you feel good,” Dawn said, opening the flap of his breeches and finding the second golden layer beneath. She put her hand on it, listening to the hitch in his breath and feeling the jump of his cock. Aaron reached up, gloved hands ready to touch her. She let him. The dragons had given her a red silk blouse to wear, and even with his rough gloves, the smooth pinching and sliding felt amazing, soothing. Then she got an idea, pushed his hands away, and ripped the blouse from her shoulders, two of the top buttons popping clean off. Aaron brought his face forward, ready to bite and lick. Dawn’s nipples pebbled in response, but she leaned away. “I’ve got something better in mind.” “What’s better than that?” She didn’t understand at first. But then she thought, oh, right. It was the only physical touch he was capable of. She slid down his legs, opened the golden breeches, allowing his cock to spring free. She was careful not to touch him, her eyes going to his. They were wide, staring at her hands for any sign of getting too close, but he didn’t protest her next act. She wrapped the silk blouse around his prick, layering only once, and watched as the material flashed, gold flooding over the red color, consuming it. Dawn tested it, running her hands over the length of it, which, in turn, brought a shiver to Aaron. The blouse felt hard, but only because his cock beneath it was. Otherwise, it was still a fabric, not a solid like the statues or the giant snake, and it still felt relatively smooth, though not as light. This was going to be good. She gripped the base, and Aaron’s hips pumped into her hand, his gloved fists gripping the sheets as she touched him. “Ye’ll be the death of me,” he said, eyes sliding shut.

 

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“Uh huh, and you love every second of it,” she said, squeezing again with one hand while using a firm press and stroke with the other, keeping the blouse in place as she worked him. Aaron had nothing to say to that but another soft hitch in breath and a moan. Dawn liked it. It was almost like touching the real thing and definitely better than her golden condom idea. She bent down and put her mouth on him. Tried to anyway. The silk blouse could only be wrapped a certain way around him, and that didn’t accommodate putting her entire mouth over his dick. She got less than half the distance she should have before the blouse filled her mouth, saliva and rough fabric making everything uncomfortable, and she abruptly pulled back before she choked. “Do that again,” Aaron moaned, having lifted himself to his elbows, watching her now, yellow-green eyes focused and intense. She laughed a little. “Don’t think I can, but I can do this.” She bent down and planted a kiss along the length of it, feeling the golden silk jump beneath her lips, then she scraped the base gently with her teeth and fangs, bringing more sounds out of him. His heart pumped so fast it was like a drummer practicing next to her ear. Though he tried to hold back, she felt the stiffening of his legs and prick as he prepared to come. Dawn quickly sat up straight, adjusted the blouse so that it was spread out more evenly over his groin, and then grabbed his balls. Aaron fell back, entirely lost to her actions, his cock jumping and spurting, ruining her new incredibly expensive blouse. She watched him, and smelled the immediate musk of his spilled fluids and sweat. The muscles in his legs became tight as his back arched, and then she heard the soft thumping of his slowing heart. His blood did not cease its travel around his body, however. It moved again, flooding his face now, even as he threw away her blouse and started to retie the strings of his breeches, covering himself

 

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fully with his cloak next. “’Tis humiliating that I spill like an adolescent.” Dawn watched him adjust his clothing with disappointed longing. If only he could just take his clothes off and lay with her, but every time they came together it would have to be like this. Better this to being transformed into another statue decorating the elf palace. She stretched her body over top of his, just like the last time, resting her ear over his chest, her favorite place, right where she could hear his heart. “We’ll have plenty of time to get you into marathon shape. Sprinting is still good though, for now,” she added as his body stiffened beneath hers. She hadn’t meant to give him the wrong idea. She grabbed his hand quickly and tucked it between her legs. This should take his mind off it. “Now, if you don’t mind, we do have a schedule to keep.” He grinned. “As ye wish, princess, but there is one act I would like to perform before we make our leave.” She couldn’t think of what that would be, but the unknown possibilities were exciting. “It won’t take too long?” “My father will welcome the excuse to prolong his stay a few moments more, and I find, because of yer example, I cannot bring myself to leave here without using Anata’s spell.” His palm and fingers were still putting pressure against her sex, moving up and down in a fluid motion that served to fuel the fires there, nearly causing her to miss what he’d just said. “Spell?” His grin allowed her to glimpse the white of his teeth and even the tiny fangs that most every humanoid species seemed to have. “Aye.” His eyes seemed to become larger, their grass-green color so close she could make out the little flecks of amber and yellow that surrounded his black pupils until they vanished, consumed by the color. Dawn was falling into them, the greens and yellows shimmered as though they were thousands of tiny emeralds that reached out and pulled her in.

 

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She didn’t feel the sensation of falling nor the fear of what would happen when she landed, but when the colors retracted, she was no longer in bed with Aaron in their chamber. And she no longer had her clothes on. They were lying in a grassy field that rippled with small hills all around them, giving the illusion of privacy in such an open space. They were caught up in each other’s arms, and Aaron was as naked as she. That hardly concerned her. What made her fly away, fall on her ass, and search around in a panicked haze for any place to hide her body was the yellow sun directly above, spotlighting them. Aaron got up and followed, his hands out as though to calm a frightened animal. “Dawn.” “The sun! I need a blanket! Cover me up, it’s burning me!” “It’s not.” He reached out and grabbed her by her shoulders, skin to skin touch, which was enough of a jolt to make her realize that she really wasn’t on fire. His thumbs stroked her skin. “Ye are well, see?” Dawn released a shaking breath. Her eyes burned to shed tears, but she held them back. “How are you doing this?” “I am not. ’Tis Anata’s spell.” Her eyes went down the expanse of his muscled chest, to the slight dip in his stomach, and then to the rough, golden hairs that masked a flaccid prick. “He said he couldn’t cure you.” He laughed, his fingers finding her chin and lifting her head so that her eyes were on his face instead of his cock. “And he cannot. ’Tis but a salve for a burning wound, and ’tis a gift I will gladly take.” Dawn opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but he sidestepped her by kissing her, and oh, did his lips ever feel good. They were warm and dry, and his ministrations with them were the most wonderfully intimate thing he’d done to her yet. He put his hand behind her neck just under her hair, and his palm against the tiny hairs there tickled her and made her shiver.

 

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She found herself laying back into the soft grass as he pulled his weight over her. There was something wrong with it, though. For all of his muscle and height, he should have felt heavier, even with Dawn’s strength, she should have noticed it more. “Do not think on it, princess,” Aaron said, then his mouth was on her breast, not just his teeth biting and tongue licking, but his whole mouth, lips, teeth and tongue included. She gasped as the sharp sizzle thundered from her nipple to her sex, causing it to swell and slicken even more so than when he’d simply been petting her there, but it wasn’t enough, not nearly enough of what she wanted. She pushed him off, and he sat up, confusion etched on his face. “Are ye—” “Lay down,” she commanded, grabbing him again and pushing him down so that he was lying on the grass and she was on top of him. He grinned at her. “I have never known ladies to be so commanding before.” “And you’re totally into it, aren’t you?” The smile never left his face, but he did tilt his head at her choice of words. She laughed. Right. He didn’t know what she meant. “Remember when I said there was something I wished to do to you?” Just as she shimmied down his body, she was aware of the jump in his dick, and he propped himself onto his elbows to get a better look at her as she went down. “Now ye will not have trouble with that garment ye used before.” The eager gleam in his eyes as he said it was enough to crank up the buzzing inside her until her blood vibrated. She bent down, keeping her eyes on his face the entire time, and put her mouth over his hardened prick. His chest shook with his gasping inhale, but he didn’t fall back like before. He locked his arms to stay upright and kept his eyes on Dawn’s progress, mouth open just

 

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enough to give Dawn a glimpse of his tongue. And did she have plans for that tongue. She bobbed her head for several seconds, gently scraping her teeth along the shaft and feeling his shudders pass into herself. It excited her all the more, but she wasn’t about to let him off easy, literally, until he’d brought her off first. She pulled her mouth away when his lips lifted and became tight and when his balls prepared to release his fluids. She grabbed him by the base of his dick, preventing his orgasm. He cried out in a sort of disappointed agony as his pleasure continued to soar without the release he wanted. “Nay, nay, what are ye doing?” “You’re getting this right the first time,” she said. “Now calm down.” She directed that last part down to the engorged length in her hand. Aaron groaned as his head fell back. “Dawn.” “Stop complaining. You’ll like it better like this.” Finally, she sensed some of the blood in his cock disperse as his body calmed. She relaxed her hand and released him without fear of him coming again. Then she lifted herself up and put her leg over him, straddling him. Aaron sat up so they were chest to chest, and her nipples rubbed against his chest. “I have wanted this for so long. The feel of your wet cunt on my manhood has nearly brought me to madness.” Her heart lurched. “I hope this doesn’t disappoint then.” He grabbed his cock and pointed it at her opening. “Ye shan’t.” Dawn sank down on him and was shocked at the sudden pain within her body. She cried out and tensed up until the hurting stopped. What the—? She glared at her husband as the answer came to her. “You made me a virgin.”

 

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He grinned and nodded. “The dragon king offered this spell to fulfill both of our fantasies. I thought it only prudent this be included as well.” A fantasy spell. So that’s all this was. Of course, she was aware there was no way they could be touching, or doing this for real, or even her sitting in the sunlight, but knowing they were just in some sort of dreamland took the magic right out of it. She brought his face forward and kissed him, eager to forget about it, and she ran her finger through his hair, scratched her nails along his chest and back, delighting in the gentle pull of his skin. Was this what the real deal felt like, or was it just part of the fantasy? But now Aaron was moving within her, and the pumping in and out motion of his cock inside her, stroking her walls and making them sizzle, felt pretty damn real to her. She moved against him, hard and deep, so that the friction within and on her clit made the inner heat swell and grow. This might be a fantasy fuck, but it was the best damned fantasy she’d ever had. His thrusts became quick and furious as his flesh slapped against hers, a sure sign of someone with little to no experience. He wanted the immediate satisfaction rather than the glory of drawing out their suffering. With this spell she was going to have a ball teaching him how to do otherwise over their next encounters. Right now, she wanted him as hard and heavy as he desired it. Maybe it was because it was a fantasy, or just the both of them working towards a goal, but when his body stiffened and cock spasmed within her, she was right on the ball with him, inner walls clenching as her orgasm bloomed like an exploding firework. Her whole body turned into a boiled noodle on her and just gave up right on top of him. Dawn couldn’t hold her weight even if she’d

 

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wanted to. She only became aware again as Aaron curved her hair behind her ear. His hand went pretty high along her scalp to be able to do that. She brought her hand up to feel and shook her head at the long point she found there. “Is this why I can sit in the sun here?” “Do not be angry, princess,” he said, confidant and cocky as any guy would be who just got laid. “Believe that I would not have ye as anything but what ye are, but this is satisfying as well, correct?” A reluctant smile curved her lips, and she had to look away from the triumphant gleam in his eyes. “You’re lucky that it is.” **** When they awoke, they were both still on the bed, lying next to each other, and mostly clothed, from Dawn’s earlier activities. But they weren’t wrapped around each other like they’d been when they left that dream state Aaron had pulled them into. In fact, now that she was awake and in the real world, all the fuzzy, glowing post-coitus feelings Dawn had very nearly vanished. Maybe it was because they hadn’t actually made love but were still fooling around before going into that dream state. Either way, her buzz wasn’t as strong as it should have been. She didn’t have time to look too deeply into it or even ask Aaron if he felt the same. The same dragon woman who seemed to be in charge of seeing them off came back to tersely remind them that their welcome had worn out. With Aaron still in the room, and their scent in the air, it was obvious what had just happened. Dawn half expected a big to-do, but the woman’s face was stony as ever as she asked if they would like an escort out. Aaron, the most embarrassed of the three of them, agreed, and after Dawn redressed herself in more borrowed clothes, they exited the rooms, keeping along the same hall that was nearest the outer stone of the mountain.

 

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The dragon woman took Dawn and Aaron to a pair of heavy double doors that were barely ten yards away from where they, and the others, had been kept while Devon recovered. Inside was a grand, polished cavern with steel-tiled flooring, uncovered beams above for ventilation and hanging lights, and a vast opening. They were in a flight deck. Two dragons, both in actual dragon form and large enough to take on any Titanboa, stood shifting their clawed feet and rustling leathery wings as they waited impatiently. Dawn took the scene in—real, live dragons kneeling down, waiting to be mounted, with straps and passenger saddles mounted to their backs. It was…stunning. One dragon was noticeably larger than the other to accommodate Aelmon’s seating requirements for his leg, and there were more harnesses and straps wrapped around the belly of the creature to put larger saddles in place. They were going to fly to the elf palace on a dragon’s back. Of course, it made sense. She didn’t know why, but when Anata had said they would be flying back, she half expected there to be helicopters waiting for them. Aelmon was already seated, chatting happily as Bell strapped him in place with the leather buckles that were wrapped around the dragon’s back and worked as seatbelts. The king’s leg was supported by a thin, flat board, used to keep it straight during the ride, and when Bell was certain he was in securely, she sat herself next to him. Kehn was beneath him, neck craned up and watching with unease. When Aelmon was in place, Kehn jumped onto its back and seated himself as gracefully as though he rode a dragon every day. “Are we taking the other one?” Dawn asked. “The other one has a name,” the dragon rumbled with distaste, yellow eyes with black diamond slits the size of basketballs staring at her.

 

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Dawn was taken aback that it—he—had spoken. “Oh, right, sorry. I hadn’t realized.” The dragon snorted. He didn’t offer his name, and Dawn wasn’t feeling up to making any friends, so she didn’t ask. She was too focused on Aaron. He reached his gloved hand out and slid her fingers into his. He was extra covered, his collar folded up so that it covered the sides of his face. Guess the taxi-dragons didn’t want to take too much of a risk that he’d fall forward and turn one of them into a statue. They approached the second dragon without a name. “Help me up?” she asked. She didn’t much feel like showing off like Kehn did. The dragon grumbled a little at her, but nodded its spiny, serpentlike head. It lowered one of its giant wings. Dawn stepped cautiously on it. The leathery skin of it was so thin she was half afraid her boot would go right through, but nothing happened. The wing seemed to be hard enough to match the strength of the steel beneath them all. Aaron stepped on next to her, and the dragon worked its wing like an elevator to hoist them up. There were two saddles, immediately side by side as this dragon was not as large as the one that would carry the king and his two protectors. Aaron picked one and immediately moved to strap himself in. He tensed in surprise when Dawn ignored the extra spot, sat behind him, and wound her arms around his chest, ready to hang on. “’Tis not safe,” he said. She snuggled closer and gripped him tighter. “I’m comfortable right where I am.” He chuckled, gloved hand touching hers as they rested against his belly. “I did not mean the dangers of being near me, princess. You could fall.” “I’m a vampire,” she said. “I’d survive it.” Really, what she wanted was some of the closeness she’d been denied from earlier.

 

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The dragon beneath their legs rumbled. Dawn got the impression he was rolling his eyes at their banter. She scowled at the back of his scaled head. Let him think what he wanted. If she was in a good mood and wanted to sweet talk, then she was going to do it. Besides, riding passenger was occasionally fun just for being close, even though Aaron wouldn’t be driving and this wasn’t one of Dawn’s motorcycles. Aaron cleared his throat. “Very well, we are ready whenever ye are, pilot. Take us home.” Both dragons rumbled their agreement, lifted their long, leathery wings, and turned about-face to the open mouth of the cave. Dawn had never been on an elephant before, but she somehow thought this would feel the same as the giant mass moved beneath her, slow yet powerful. Both came to the ledge of the cave, the wind of the night cold and whistling at their height. The first dragon roared and leapt from the mouth. Catching the wind, it soared as lightly as a hummingbird. The dragon she and Aaron rode did the same before making a dive off the solid floor. Like a roller coaster ride, Dawn experienced the sensation of weightlessness, and she squeezed her arms around Aaron and her thighs around the dragon as best she could to keep from flying right off. They went vertical again, and when Dawn no longer felt in danger of slipping, she breathed a sigh. The massive weight beneath her rumbled. The dragon was laughing at her! “Shut up,” she muttered, kicking it a little as they soared toward home.

 

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Chapter Eleven The two dragons landed on the beach, not a far distance from the palace, but far enough that Dawn became suspicious. Wouldn’t Anata have sent a messenger to let the elves know they were coming? Why bother landing here? She didn’t get a chance to ask. The second their passengers were safely down on the sand, both dragons frantically flapped their wings, pulling themselves back into the air—which looked much more difficult now that they didn’t have a perch to leap from—and headed back toward the mountain. It was odd and left her a little jarred. The flight had taken minutes compared to the two-day walk through the forest. “Thank you!” Bell called to their retreating backs, arm waving in farewell. Dawn cocked her head. Bell was taken with the dragon people. There could be no other explanation for it. She certainly admired the views from the mountain and had enjoyed the flight almost more than Aelmon. All of this seemed to irritate Kehn, who sulked and pouted the whole time he held his king. Aaron touched her shoulder, halting her thoughts. “I’ll have yer brother sent for. He and his friend may return home to deal with yer mother.” Dawn’s heart fluttered. “Really?” She looked toward Aelmon, who was also busy admiring the retreating dragons. “He won’t…?”

 

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Aaron shook his head. “Nay, he will not. There was no chance for him to finish his conversation with ye earlier. They will be punished, but their punishment shall hardly be their lives.” That put her back on edge. “What will it be?” “Banishment. It would hardly look well upon my father should he simply forgive the ones who came to take his life, yet they are the relatives of the new princess. A banishment would be most fitting.” Banishment. She wanted to breathe a heavy sigh of relief but refrained from doing so lest Kehn see it and think she was making fun of Aelmon’s decision. She took Aaron’s hand instead. “Thank you for giving them a chance.” Aaron turned away from her. “Kehn, take my father home and see to it he is cared for. Bell, retrieve our guests and bring them back here.” Kehn’s face screwed up a little, but he did as his prince bid him and marched off. Bell went with them, leaving the white, crystal sand of the beach and getting onto the grassy path that led to the palace gardens. Dawn and Aaron were completely alone. The moon was bright, and the beach waves sloshed gently in the background. Aaron’s gloved hand slid across her cheek, an act she was growing accustomed to. If only it could be his real hand. “That spell that Anata gave you, how often can we use it?” Aaron’s hand halted. He cleared his throat. “Despite how we were wed, and the unfortunate events concerning the dragons and yer brother, I am glad we met.” That totally wasn’t an answer. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He motioned with his hand toward the dark water. She turned and saw nothing. “What am I looking for?” “Ye are looking too closely. Look out in the distance, where the moon and ocean touch.” She did and found what he wanted her to see. A boat, a small yacht really, was anchored all the way out there. There was no way

 

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that was an elven craft. Her suspicion turned to fear. If she had it right, there was going to be a smaller boat with paddles for rowing hidden somewhere in the bushes just beyond the sand. Nox and Blake would’ve hidden it there as they’d snuck onto the island. “You’re sending me away?” Aaron crossed his arms behind his back, keeping a stoic face. She wanted to punch him just to get a more appropriate reaction. “Are you kidding me? After everything you just said, after what Anata did for you, you’re getting rid of me?” Now he flinched. “Ye make me out to be a monster. ’Tis not a decision I am making lightly.” “Then why are you making it?” “I am sparing ye.” “From what? The no sex thing?” she demanded. “Who cares? I could live without it, and we have something to help with that now anyway.” “Aye, but ’tis not the same, and ye well know it.” That took her aback. So, even he was experienced enough to know the difference between a fantasy and real physical touch. “We could still—” “Dawn!” Blake and Nox burst from the trees and onto the sand. Dawn barely heard the excited shout of her brother. She didn’t take her eyes away from Aaron until Blake pounced on her, wrapping his arms around her middle, and lifted her into the air in a bonecrushing hug and dizzying spin. “You did it, sis!” Blake laughed. “I thought I’d be stuck in that damp cellar living off rats for the rest of my life.” Dawn wriggled in his grip until her feet were back on soft beach sand. “You wouldn’t have a life without Aaron. Go thank him,” she said, even though she couldn’t look her husband in the face anymore. Blake’s eyes widened, as did Nox’s.

 

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Nox was the first to shrug and turn toward his savior. “Thank you, for everything.” He clapped Aaron on the back and reached out to take his hand. Aaron jerked back from the touch and just stared at the offered hand like it might be disease infested. Nox’s brows came together, his offered hand slowly dropping. “Uh, all right.” “Doesn’t look too thrilled to have helped us,” Blake said, hardly tuning down his voice. Dawn nudged him. “What happened to your face?” Nox asked, his eyes on the healing burn that still showed. By now it looked mostly like a tan gone wrong, but he still brought her fingers up to touch the spot. “I burned it a couple of days ago,” she replied. “What will ye do with yer mother?” Aaron asked, straightening his robes. “I’ll need a suitable answer to give to the royal council.” Dawn wanted to know the answer to that, too. As far as she was concerned, she was no longer that woman’s daughter, and what Georgiana’d done needed the most punishment of all. Blake’s smile was humorless, his eyes angry and hard. “She’s used us before, but she’d never actually put me, my sister, or Nox’s lives in danger. She won’t see us coming when we go for her.” “Are you sure you can do that?” Dawn asked. Even she wasn’t entirely certain she could carry out an assassination on her mother. Blake shrugged, a cold mask slipping over his face. He nodded out to sea where the yacht was still anchored. “That our boat?” Dawn looked at Aaron, knowing he meant her to go with them. “Yes,” she answered for him. Nox ran to the tree line and came back hunched over, dragging a small rowboat behind him from where they’d hidden it. He pushed it into the water, jumped in, and grabbed one of the paddles. “Let’s get out of here already. Are you coming?”

 

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The question was directed at her. She looked at Aaron and shook her head. He took a deep breath, chest rising and falling, but when he spoke, he looked at some faraway place over her shoulder. “I will arrange to have yer things sent back to yer home.” “Wait,” Blake said with a hopeful smile. “You’re letting her go, too?” He nodded. “I would be a useless husband to have. My kind does not practice divorce, but an annulment is possible.” “I’m not going,” Dawn said. She felt, rather than saw, Blake’s surprised jerk. He gripped her arm in a panicky gesture. “Dawn, he just gave you a get-out-of-jailfree card.” Dawn lunged away from her brother. “I said I’m not going!” Now she was the one panicking. She reached out and gripped Aaron’s cloak, grasping tightly when he tried to push her away. “Careful!” “I’m staying with you!” She looked into his yellow-green eyes, begging, “Don’t do this.” He looked away. At the sand, her brother behind her, and Nox in the little rowboat, like he was trying to look at anything but her. She could hear his heart drumming in his chest and his blood flowing hot. “’Tis not right, asking ye to stay.” His gloved fingers wrapped around her arms, and in a movement damn near mechanical, he separated them. “There is no life here with me, regardless of any spell. Do ye understand that?” Dawn’s throat swelled. “I love you.” He sucked in a breath and stared hard at her. His eyes softened. “The sun may love the moon, but he will never catch her.” “That’s stupid, sappy poetry shit,” she spat. She didn’t mean it. She actually thought his words beautiful. But nobody, not even an elf, could actually speak like that. He was just trying to make it easier.

 

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Aaron took her leather-gloved hand into his gold one and lifted it to his lips, kissing it. “With this, I banish ye from the Blue Isles for yer part in the attempted assassination of our king,” he said, looking into her eyes. “Go home, Dawn.” He turned and walked away from her, disappearing into the shadows of the trees with the grace of a ghost. A hand touched her shoulder, grasped it, then pulled her toward the little yellow rowboat that would lead them to the yacht. “Dawn, let’s go home,” Blake said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She wanted to cry, but she held back. It made her throat ache like a bitch, though. She clutched her hands together and allowed herself to be led into the water. If she said one word, she’d break down like some little weakling in front of the two people she needed to be strongest for. They walked to their knees in the lapping ocean. Blake hopped into the boat in one smooth motion, seating himself. He and Nox waited for her, both holding out their hands for her, even though she was just as capable of getting into the boat as her brother. She took their hands anyway and allowed herself to be pulled in, dripping water all the way. Blake and Nox grabbed the oars and started rowing. No one said anything. There was only the sound of the plastic, yellow paddles dipping in and out of the water. She’d obviously made enough of a display that it had put the awkward all over the air. She could hardly believe it. Aaron could touch her cheek in the forest, admit that he loved her since before meeting her, then just walk away? Obviously it made sense in his head. Otherwise he wouldn’t have done it. He felt as though letting her go was the right thing, as if that would make amends for allowing himself to be married to her.

 

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Then he could go off and sulk and be a martyr for a love he felt he couldn’t have. While she did…what? Lived a happy life, as though none of this had ever happened? “The sun’s going to be up in less than an hour. We need to hurry,” Nox said, breaking the silence. He was sweating, as if he could already feel the heat scorching his skin. Dawn felt fine. Of course, she’d been walking around the woods for days in her biker gear, which had since become little more than a sweat suit. Must’ve built a tolerance to the heat. That made her pause. Her hand, the leather glove. She’d switched clothes but had always been sure to wear her gloves. Aaron’s suggestion, and his kiss...her glove wasn’t gold. The other glove was gold, the one that she’d touched Aaron’s chest with, but he hadn’t kissed that glove. He’d kissed her other hand. She wiggled her fingers, willing the spell to take over and transform the thing. Nothing. She pulled it off and looked at it from inside out. Perfectly normal, the leather was exactly like it should be. “Dawn, you all right?” Blake sounded far away and worried. In a moment of thoughtlessness and desperation, Aaron had kissed her hand. Her glove to be more precise. And it didn’t change. He’d physically touched her glove with his lips, but it did not turn into gold. Blake and Nox had stopped rowing and stared at her, confusion evident in their eyes. She smiled at them and sat up. “You guys go.” Blake stood and grabbed her wrist before she could jump out. “We’re supposed to go home. We’re going to take care of Mom.” She shook her head, a crazed smile lifting her lips. “You take care of Mom your way. I am going home.” Blake’s eyebrows lifted high. With a roll of his shoulders, he released her. “Your choice. Take care of yourself.”

 

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“You, too.” She kissed her brother’s cheek, then Nox’s, spun, and dived into the water and swam for land. The moment she felt the sand beneath her, she stood up and ran, kicking her feet high above the water until she was clear of the ocean. She followed Aaron’s path into the trees. It was weird, but for the first time, they seemed to move out of her way, their branches not hindering and scratching her like before, almost welcoming her now. He hadn’t gone far, for which she was glad. She didn’t want to track him all the way through the forest. Elves hardly left trails that could be followed, but she knew which direction to go. The trees pointed the way with their branches. An insane laugh bubbled inside her as she figured it out. By letting go of the woman he loved, Aaron had lifted his curse. He’d kissed her hand, and the idiot hadn’t bothered to look and see if the glove would transform. She found him not far from the beach, in a secluded spot, facing the East. He must have heard her panting because he turned. “What are you doing?” she asked. His lips quirked. “Waiting for dawn, I suppose.” She wondered if he’d intended the pun. She decided not to ask on it and stepped forward, walking until they were almost nose to nose. She should kiss him. Full-on, mouth, tongue, all that, just to shock the hell out of him. He leaned away from her before she could, uncomfortable with their closeness. “Ye should be on the boat.” “I’m not going anywhere.” She grabbed him by his robes and pulled his mouth onto hers. There was no magical meshing of mouths. He didn’t forget himself in her lips, return her embrace, and kiss her back. Her lips had touched his for the briefest second before he lunged away, his hands clenching her arms and holding her away from him, staring at her in horror.

 

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She stared back, smiling. She tossed her glove against his chest, and he caught it. “It didn’t change either.” His eyes went from her down to the glove, then back to her and her bare hand, the other still in the golden glove. He shook his head. He didn’t believe it. After years of living with his curse, she didn’t blame him. “You’re cured, Aaron. You tried to let me go. You wanted me to have a husband that I could touch and have children with, and that proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you’re without greed. You’re cured.” Aaron’s nostrils flared. He yanked his glove off, then reached trembling fingers to her face. He bit his bottom lip and pulled away at the last second, his breath heavy from the struggle he was going through. “I cannot…” Dawn took his arm and brought his hand back up. His fingers clenched up, so she brushed her cheek along his knuckles before smoothing out the digits with her own bare hand. He exhaled a tortured sound, his eyes scanning her face for any signs of a transformation. “I’m still here,” she said, then touched his face for the first time. “I’m not going anywhere.” He released another gush of air. He looked ready to have a seizure, but instead, he put his mouth onto hers in a clumsy kiss. His bare hand threaded through her hair, touched her face, everywhere that could be touched. He lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. “Thank you. Thank you,” he chanted between kisses, tightening his arms around her, nearly crushing her into him. She did not release his lips until the sky began changing colors in the distance. From black to navy, lavender, and pink. She pulled her mouth away, the heat from the sun and his body too much on all her senses. “We need to take this inside now. Get all

 

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those layers off you, and after that, you can’t ever suggest an annulment again.” “I would never dream of such a thing.” He grabbed her hand into his ungloved one and all but ran with her back to the palace. Every guard they passed lost their serious faces as their prince ran down the halls with his wife, and the ones who noticed his bare hand holding onto hers got all bug-eyed. It was enough to make Dawn burst out laughing. “Shall we alert yer brother—?” one elf guard called as they ran past. “We are not to be disturbed for the remainder of the day!” Aaron shouted back, a wide smile on his face as he did. Dawn only barely recognized the layout from the few times she’d travelled these halls herself, but they definitely weren’t heading for her rooms. Aaron finally made a sharp turn and burst in through a pair of double doors, revealing a chamber consisting almost entirely of gold. Aaron released her hand and ran to his windows, pulling shut the heavy golden curtains over each one along the wall to keep out the coming morning rays of dawn. It gave Dawn a moment to look around herself. Everything was gold, from the rushes at her feet, to the sparse furniture, to the swords and practicing dummy on the far right side. In a way it made sense. If this was his bedchamber, then it would also be his sanctuary. This was his place to not have to worry about his curse or touching any other living thing. And Dawn knew that she was the first other person to be allowed access to this space. Aaron came back to her, his face bright with anticipation. “No more spells this time?” Dawn asked. His excitement was contagious. “Never again, if I can help it.” He bent at his knees, wrapped his arms around her legs, and lifted her up and over his shoulder. Dawn

 

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shrieked with laughter as she was almost immediately slammed down onto the gold covers of his bed. His hands were on her neck, fingers in her hair and touching her ears. “Yer flesh is soft.” He said it like he was in a trance. “Feels better than the fantasy?” she asked. “Aye.” His fingers found their way down to her borrowed blouse, the one that he hadn’t turned to gold, and deftly began opening the buttons. He was pretty good about it considering none of the elf clothes had buttons to use. Dawn’s blood bubbled in response, the folds of her sex swelling in anticipation, and she found herself working on the strings of his breeches and peeling off both layers of his clothing. She slowed down only to put her hands on the expanse of his chest. It was one of the things he hadn’t altered in their magical hallucination. He was just as gorgeous, if a little paler. Her fingertips were the first to touch the muscle of his stomach, and then she flattened her palms against him, delighting in the feel of his warm skin. Aaron released a breath that sounded almost relieved, but his eyes slid shut as she worked her hands around his hips, stroking and touching to her content. “You’re going to love this,” she told him. He opened his eyes. “I would hope ye would enjoy it as much, if not more, princess. I am not so inexperienced anymore.” His hands went for the button of her jeans, palm firmly stroking her once, then twice between her legs, making her stiffen and shiver, right before he undid her pants and pulled them down. Now, she was entirely without her clothes, and he struggled out of what was left of his before tossing them across the room where they landed on his golden training dummy. Dawn looked at his stiff cock, uncut, standing proudly and nearly touching his belly button. It was spilling just the tiniest bit of his

 

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pearly fluids down the base. It was the first time Dawn had seen the real thing, and it was so much more gorgeous than even the fantasy. Dawn’s pumping heart was working so fast it matched his own erratic beating. She couldn’t wait. It was killing her. “I want you completely on top of me. The whole weight of your body,” she said, spreading her legs to welcome him as he accommodated to her wish, that gleam never leaving his grassy eyes. He positioned himself and slid inside, a small grunt escaping him as she welcomed him, then a sigh. There was no sudden rush of pain like before, because in the real world, Dawn was no virgin, but the shock of pleasure was just as stunning, and her mouth opened in a breathy exhale as her back arched. This was not the fantasy. This had so much more than anything that spell could offer. This is what they had been missing while in that dream, what the spell could not offer them. Real, physical pleasure. And to think, it wasn’t so long ago when they might have killed each other. Aaron did not move, and when Dawn opened her eyes again, she found him watching her. She blew out a breath. “All right, you should get started. You’re going to love this.”

THE END RIZZOROSKO.COM

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mandy Rosko lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario, is a romance junkie, a lousy web designer, and is working hard to improve the craft of creating an actual plot. She’s hard at work writing her next novel between periods of watching Kenny vs Spenny, playing videogames, and reading other books for “research” purposes. You can visit her website for some free reads at rizzorosko.com. You know you want to ;)

Also by Mandy Rosko Siren Classic: Mate of the Wolf Siren Classic ManLove: Night and Day

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