Fae Chronicles; Fighting Destiny Part 23

"I told you Adrian, I don't need saving."

"He's going to-"

"Stop," I cut him off not needing it drawn out on paper for me. "I know exactly what he will do Adrian, I'll be okay," I replied barely above a whisper knowing the wall was listening.

"It won't change, if it happens...it won't change how, or what I feel for you Syn," Adrian growled hoa.r.s.ely.

"You have to let me go Adrian, just let me go," I rasped, as women started moving in the direction of the portal laughing. They had no sense self-preservation inside of them. They smiled and laughed taunting the hunters with hot looks, or sashaying their hips. "I get it now, Adrian. I get why you sacrificed yourself for us. You did it because I would have done it for you."

He smiled and nodded sadly, "I would again, in a f.u.c.king heartbeat baby."

Zahruk spoke low, but clear over the noise inside the room, "Synthia, it's time."

I exhaled and squared my shoulders, shook off the tremor that threatened to come and stepped forward, pressing a soft kiss to Adrian's forehead. "I got this Adrian, I agreed to come. I can handle this."

I scanned his face as I placed it between my hands to say goodbye but I let them drop as I felt the power ripple through the club. Electrifying and intensely powerful dark magic. My mouth went dry with whatever words I'd been about to say still inside.

I didn't need to turn around to know he was there. I could feel his power caressing my skin, his intense stare searing into my soul. I could smell his scent wafting thickly in the air, wild and untamed, sending my senses into overdrive. He'd opened the portal and had come back to openly taunt me.

"Run fast," he whispered, as he stepped beside me to look down at me with a roguish grin that promised he'd catch me-and fast.

I didn't reply, not because I couldn't think of more than one hundred different ways for him to shove that smile up his a.s.s, but because I was smart enough not to goad my soon to be chaser. Nope, I was his f.u.c.king rabbit today. He was the wolf and if I was lucky I'd make it out of this with some shred of dignity. "You shouldn't have done this Ryder," I whispered meeting his piercing stare with one of my own.

"I suggest you stay away from the other females," he tilted his head drilling his challenge in as his eyes warned of what he meant, "And the other hunters-for their own protection."

Legends of the Wild Hunt hinted that not all of the women here would make it out alive, I turned my head looking at the women and wondering if they knew the truth if they would panic. Run, or scream maybe. I couldn't save them and from the smile and defiance in some of the women's eyes, I could tell some were well aware of what was at stake.

"Do they know?" I asked in a small voice, as my eyes came back to rest on his. His eyes grew somber, as his smile grew tense.

He bowed his head, his voice harsh as he spoke, "Are you sure you want the answer Syn? You should be more concerned with what I plan to do with you once I have you at my mercy."

I wasn't worried with what he would do to me, I already knew. Surprisingly I wanted him to catch me. I wanted to feel his touch on my skin, his mouth seducing my mind. I wanted him and it burned inside of me like a fire out of control. It was unlike anything I had ever felt before, a need so primitive and wild that it consumed me from within.

The brunette made her way through the crowd, her full ruby lips smiling as she walked to the front of the portal. "You have a head start, I would use it wisely. When the hunters are released, the portal will close," she smiled coldly, "Locking you all in. You can only return with whichever hunter you succ.u.mb to. You may pa.s.s now." She moved to the side as women took off running in every direction.

I stood watching the others run as if their very lives depended on it, which for some it did. I watched them with a calmness I shouldn't have felt. Well I was calm until every eye in the place turned in my direction because I had yet to exit through the portal. I smiled and turned back to Ryder. "Good hunting."

His mouth opened and closed, as if he couldn't believe I'd just wished him luck hunting my own a.s.s down. His smile was brilliant when it flowed onto his face. "Better fun fast and hard Pet, I suggest you start now."

"Bring it Fairy," I smiled before walking off barefooted into the Realm of Faery.

It felt as if I had been wandering around for only a few minutes, but time had no bearing inside Faery. Worse than that, I had no idea how they calculated it. I'd pa.s.sed the flowers Zahruk had been talking about-with women laying around them doing things to themselves best left unsaid.

The forest was growing denser and my feet were screaming with every step I took. I'd considered stopping and just waiting for him to find me, but he didn't deserve an easy catch. He deserved a punch in the nose, or worse.

I jumped as a ripple tore through the air, the green leaves shuddering from the force a moment before the air grew thicker, tainted with a growing disturbance. I turned and ran forward as fast as my battered feet would take me. I could hear hounds howling and snarling in the distance as I moved further into the wooded area.

Adrenaline kicked into overdrive, my mind screaming. I calmed the overwhelming urge to panic, pus.h.i.+ng away the sound of the hounds as they howled in warning of the approaching hunter. Water beat against rocks to the west. I turned and ran towards it hoping to cover my scent from the hounds.

I ran over gra.s.s and branches and came to a skidding halt on the edge of a cliff. I peeked over the edge and scanned for a simpler way down, I looked back over my shoulder as the beating of hooves grew closer. The hounds and a hunter were growing closer, I swallowed and turned completely around waiting, watching.

I'm not sure how I knew it was Ryder that approached, maybe it was the pulsing of power radiating from his body incredibly stronger here, where it was dampened inside my world. He sat atop a beautiful stallion, the horse stomping on the ground as it fought the rider for control to run freely. Its black sleek body s.h.i.+ning in the sun's burning light, as its wild red eyes searched frantically for more open field to run through.

The hounds broke from the bushes and circled the horse, heads low with ears drawn back as they watched me closely. I stepped back as I lifted my eyes to Ryder who had found me faster than I thought he would. He was incredibly beautiful atop his mount. His eyes glowing from within the cloak gave him away.

He looked like something from another age long past, or a battle scene depicted in a museum. A heavy long cloak with a hood was drawn over his head in a heavy obsidian fabric that looked as if it could absorb light. Under this he wore a tunic and trousers of the same fabric. Thick black straps studded with onyx jewels set in dulled silver crisscrossed his chest and held a variety of wicked looking blades as if he was expecting a fight.

I licked my dry lips and stepped even further back and had to work to keep my balance as rocks fell from the cliffs edge. When I was back on solid ground, I flung my eyes back towards the Dark Prince. His eyes swirling with the adrenaline from the hunt, his wild electrical current wickedly abundant here sizzling over my flesh, kissing it.

"Careful Syn," he whispered as he lifted his hand to remove his hood exposing his face. He was even more beautiful in full Fae form. His face was lit up with his brands, his chest showing them as well from where his cloak was open enough to show it enticingly.

I said nothing, just watched him as he did the same to me. I looked down once more judging the distance between the top of the cliff and the enchanting pool below it, a waterfall pounded into the pond from the other side relentlessly. It was beautiful and serene so unlike the emotions and adrenaline pulsing through me now.

He narrowed his eyes as he figured out what I was planning, "Don't you even f.u.c.king-"

I spun around and jumped.

A few things go through your mind when you do something stupid. Like, oh h.e.l.l this was stupid, along with that moment of perfect clarity of this might be the last stupid thing you ever do. I'd just swan-dived off a cliff without any knowledge of how deep the water was, or if it held the Lochness Monster in its watery depths.

I didn't have long to wait before I hit the water smoothly and luckily it was deep enough to dive into. I turned my body around and pushed off the rock's slime covered tops and crested the water's surface effortlessly. I scanned the top of the cliffs for Ryder, but he was no longer there. I turned towards the sh.o.r.e and kicked my legs sending my body in the correct direction. When my feet were able to touch I walked up and sat on a rock to catch my breath.

"That was stupid," Adrian said from behind me.

I spun around and took him in, he was wearing a cloak similar to Ryder's but Adrian's was crimson instead of onyx. I backed away from him, my feet once again in the watery pool. "Adrian," I warned as he lifted his blood red eyes that matched his cloak to me. Looks like Ryder wasn't the only one who looked different inside of Faery.

"I won't fight him Syn, but I d.a.m.n sure not leaving you unprotected in this Fairy cesspool. Don't ask me to," he said taking the place where I had been sitting on the rock.

I stood in the pools cool embrace, letting the soreness from running wash away with the crisp cool water. "What's it like Adrian?" I asked lifting my eyes to meet his.

"Don't ask me if I sparkle, so f.u.c.king tired of being asked that," he smiled but it wasn't the same as he had when we were together, he now had fangs that took away from it and left it cold, "It's different, I was able to keep the connection I had to you though. I should have let it go, but I couldn't bring myself to since it would have been felt by the coven. Didn't want you coming to look for me, wasn't safe."

"You should have, it left us open Adrian."

He was about to reply when he turned his head and disappeared the same as he had last time. I stood in the water, not daring to move as Ryder walked through the clearing to the ponds edge. "You jumped off a f.u.c.king cliff, Syn."

I smiled and nodded my head as he stepped closer, his hounds surrounding us silently. When he reached me and stood inches away he sniffed the air and shook his head, his eyes slowly searching my body for injury.

"I'm an enforcer and oftentimes an a.s.sa.s.sin Ryder. I free fall from buildings when needed. I jumped, but I'm fine-besides being wet," I said icily. I wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for him anyways. I gave him my best smile before wading further away from him back into the water.

He followed me in slowly. His boots making the water ripple as he walked up behind me and pulled my body back against his heat. "Decide Syn," he said quietly.

"Either way, I end up with you Ryder. It's not a choice," I spun around in his arms and lifted my face to him. I wrapped my hands through the cloak's soft material and watched him as he lowered his head slowly.

"I need you to say it out loud Syn, I won't force the answer from you," he replied before dropping his lips to fan softly across mine.

I gasped at the connection, it was sizzling. My mind went blank as his arms pulled me in as his kiss deepened until air was insubstantial, everything faded away but him and the need to have him, to allow him to dominate me. He pulled away as I gave in, "Let me have you for one night," his eyes searched mine briefly.

"Yes," I replied with more heat in my tone then I had thought would be there.

His mouth claimed mine in a demanding kiss. When he pulled away dragging me towards his ma.s.sive stallion, I had to run to keep up for fear of being dragged in his haste. "Where are we going?" I asked taking in the sizes of some of the hounds who now followed us. They were huge and one had emerald green eyes that watched me, intently.

He spun around and smiled victoriously, his hand releasing mine as he reached into the cloak and pulled out the silver chain I'd been relieved of inside the club. His eyes locked with mine as he leaned in to place it over my head and click the clasp back into place, I moaned against him as the pleasurable emotions flooded through me once more. He held me through them. His eyes watching the reaction with pleasure, "I'm taking you some place we can be alone, come."

Alone, with Ryder. I s.h.i.+vered, but managed to hide it from him as he easily jumped up to straddle the horse and offer me his hand. I'd never even been on a horse before, sure I'd seen a few in the sprawling countryside, but riding them was an entirely different thing than looking at them as I pa.s.sed them in a field.

He pulled me up to sit in front of him, I almost screamed when the horse decided to buck once under the weight. Ryder's boyish laughter was the only thing that kept me on the monsters back. "He can feel your unease Syn, lean back against me," he continued.

I leaned against him and he took off at a slow trot, the hounds easily keeping up with us as he made his way south, down a small trail. It was hard to think of anything else besides Ryder as we made our way through the dense foliage. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feel of his ma.s.sive body beneath mine. Like this with him I felt safe, as if I could let go and not worry about protecting everything around me.

I opened them as I felt the air grow thick around us, power radiated from the male behind me as we stepped through one scene into another. I gasped as the sensation of being in two worlds collided through me, intense and overwhelming, yet painless. "You sifted us?"

I looked around marveled at the scenery. It was beyond anything I had ever imagined. The sky was a mix of vibrant oranges, blues and reds as two moons sat on the horizon, cresting over the top of a mountain. The area around us was a gra.s.sy knoll, with a thin body of illuminated water that flowed into a pond, which was fed from a waterfall.

Ryder leaned against my ear where I sat up to get a better look around and whispered, "Welcome to the Fairy Pools Syn," wicked laughter followed his words, "And no, I didn't sift us so much as I opened a new portal to Scotland, a Scotland unlike any you will ever see from a tour guide as this side of Faery. These pools cross between our worlds and feed the Fairy Pools of the human world."

"The Fairy Pools?" I asked turning my gaze back to where the water looked illuminated from beneath the glowing surface. I'd heard about the Fairy Pools in Scotland, had always wanted to see them. The algae glowed beneath the water and created an enchanted beauty which had earned it the name of the Fairy Pools. "It's beautiful," I said when he said nothing.

He dismounted and held his hand up for me to do the same. I did willingly, as the horse instantly started to thrash without his master mounted on his back. Ryder released the reins he had held in his other hand and slapped the horse's hindquarters which sent the wild beast running. I watched it run to the edge of the water and lower its head to drink.

I dismissed the horse as I turned around to find Ryder staring at me, his eyes smiling with victory. His smile was captivating, if not a little bit too c.o.c.ky. "So what happens now, Ryder?"

"Now you finally give in and admit you want me," he purred huskily.

I snorted, "Okay, I want you."

He crinkled his nose and smiled, "That's not what I meant and you know it."

I grinned, "Oh Ryder, I can't wait to feel you over my skin, touching, tasting me, teasing my body-"

I stopped as he tossed back his head and laughed outright. Okay, I was being sarcastic, but I had planned on teasing him and then laughing at him. Not the other way around. When he was done laughing he snapped his fingers and licked his teeth, "Get inside, there's a bath in the second room on the left Syn."

"And where the h.e.l.l-" I stopped noticing a structure that hadn't been there just a moment before when I was talking.

"We're inside Faery. I can manipulate everything with magic here far easier, go bathe Syn. I will join you in a minute when I get the hounds settled," he said turning to whistle down the sprawling countryside.

I shook my head and started towards the small cozy looking house that was lit from within. It looked right in place with the sprawling countryside around it, as if it belonged here. At the door my hand hesitated, I looked up at the starless sky and twisted the k.n.o.b.

Twenty Eight

Inside was another story, it looked nothing like it had from the outside. Where the front room or entryway should have been was a sprawling bedroom, the bed like the others was big enough to fit a few bodies on it. Metal framed, with white silk covering the mattress. Pillows sat over the top of it varying in shapes and sizes. The walls were covered in gold crisscross patterns while a plush carpet of the softest fabric covered the floor.

I stepped in and let my feet sink in, exhaling slowly I looked around for the door Ryder had mentioned, since a heated bath sounded amazing after running and jumping into the ponds cold water. I gasped as I stepped into the outrageously stunning room.

Hot water welcomed me, bubbles covered the surface and a bottle of wine sat chilling in a silver container filled with ice.

The entire room was sky blue with a dark blue, huge oval soaking tub big enough for a few people. I raised my eyebrows wondering why everything involving Ryder was always big enough to fit an orgy inside of it.

I was still standing inside the large bathroom when he came in behind me, his close proximity causing my nerves to rise. His hands came around me and pulled the skirt of the dress up slowly, "Ryder," I said softly.

"Having second thoughts Pet?" He whispered against my ear.

"No, I just need you to promise that you won't feed from me," I answered him quietly.

"I told you I wouldn't, not unless you asked for it, most do you know." He murmured against my ear softly.

His fingers caressed my skin as he lifted the dress up and over my head silently. My breathing grew labored as my lungs took in air and released it in quick short gasps. My heart was racing from his touch, from knowing what we soon would be doing. It had been a long time since I'd even considered having s.e.x.

His hand came up and pushed my hair to the side as his breath fanned the back of my neck. His lips touching it slowly, making small b.u.mps break loose over the surface, he growled as his fingers looped through the small thong panties I'd worn. His breath fanned down my spine as he bent lower to remove them completely, kissing my skin as he did so.

I don't know what I had expected from Ryder, but this hadn't been it. Not this gentleness from him. He kissed his way back up my legs, sending small b.u.mps and gentle waves of heat to my core, until he reached my a.s.s. I felt his teeth a second before they sank in, softly nipping at the skin. I yelped and spun around.

He was naked, his Celtic brands pulsing beneath his skin. His eyes glowed with liquid gold as they looked up at me from the floor as I stepped out from the panties. I exhaled shakily as he bared my flesh for his inspection, slowly coming back up, watching me with dangerous fire lighting in his eyes. "Are you wet for me Syn?"

I moaned as his fingers pressed against the growing ache he was creating inside of me, his fingers rubbing against my naked s.e.x as his mouth lowered until it found mine and kissed me softly. I capture his moan with my lips. His tongue pushed through my lips, demanding more. He pulled away, leaving me breathless as his wickedly handsome smile flowed up to s.h.i.+ne in his bronze gaze.

"Get in the bath Syn, before I bend you over and f.u.c.k you right here, right now."

I shook from the intensity inside his voice, smooth and commanding. I turned and stepped over the edge and sank beneath the bubbles hurriedly. The water was warm and comforting even with my nerves fighting to take control. I watched Ryder from the corner of my eye as he stepped into view with his playful grin still in place.

His legs were thickly muscled, but bare of tattoos, his manhood stood up erect as it pressed against his navel. My lungs stopped working as I took it in. Nerves flared to life inside my mind as I considered high tailing it out of the tub. The guy was amazing, his body sleek and well defined ma.s.s of muscles.

"You're staring at my d.i.c.k," he said rasping his words, as if he was as hot and bothered as I was. This bath was doomed to a half-life with the heat level inside the room.

I tore my eyes away from him with a nervous laugh bubbling inside of me. He stepped in and slid his magnificent body in slowly into the water. "Relax Syn, I promise to be gentle-the first time."

"The first time?" I asked meeting his hard penetrating stare.

His eyes challenged me, but he remained silent as he pulled one of my legs out from where I had been holding them up against my body. His eyes stayed locked with mine as his fingers rubbed the pads of my foot. "This isn't going to be over fast Syn, it's going to take more than once to get you out of my system."

I wasn't sure I wanted to be out of his system. I should have been happy to hear it, but it sat like a rock on my chest. "You really think you can f.u.c.k me out of your system?"

"No Syn, nothing with you could be that easy," he said showing his teeth as he pulled my leg and made me lose my balance in the water.

I splashed on instinct, caught off guard by his heated words. His laughter now echoed through the room as he pulled me closer by my leg. I sputtered, spitting bubble bath from my mouth as I came up inches away from his lips. "You're an a.s.s!" I tried to sound stern. Instead it came out followed by laughter, which only grew as he watched me.

"By the G.o.ds, you're so f.u.c.king beautiful Syn," he whispered as the laughter died down. I swallowed and tried to think of something to say back to him. I gave in and kissed his lips instead, it was the first time I'd kissed him and I wasn't ready for the fire that ignited inside of us.

He picked me up easily, water cascading from our bodies as he stepped out of the tub without breaking the kiss and carried me into the other room. When he did break the kiss, I growled with the need for him to continue, it made his eyes constrict with heat. I allowed him to set me slowly on the floor, as his hands trailed down my body.