Page 13 of Hunted by the Fae Warden (Fae Overlords #1)

CHAPTER 13

KAIDEN

We land atop a roof on the edge of Trevos. It’s a place I’ve found is rather secluded, but it also offers a view of the entire city. I’ve come here a few times to observe the goings-on in the kingdom.

But right now, I just want some privacy with Mira.

My mate.

I take a seat on a flat area of the roof, keeping the pretty human nestled safely in my arms. I also tuck my wings around her. After what I just witnessed, I’m not sure I’ll ever let her out of my sight again.

Rage courses through me when I recall the scene I’d come upon. One man on top of her, and the other man sprawled in the dirt as he cursed at her. Clearly, both men meant to do her harm. Thank the gods I’d sensed her fear. Thank the gods I’d managed to locate her in time.

I’d sensed her fear.

Fucking fires, the bond between us must be growing stronger. Not only did I sense her fear, but I was able to easily track her location.

I run my gaze up and down her body, checking for injuries even though she’d claimed to be fine. Relief fills me when I don’t find a single bruise or scratch. Her hair is disheveled, and she’s covered in dirt, but she appears fine otherwise. Physically, at least.

The idea of her being scared or shaken by the incident, however, causes my rage to ignite anew. If I could resurrect those men and kill them all over again, perhaps this time more slowly and painfully, I wouldn’t hesitate.

“Are you sure you’re all right, Mira?” To combat the brutal winter winds, I summon a sphere of summer warmth around us. I even bring in the sounds of a summer night—locusts, crickets, and tree frogs—because I think my mate might find the sounds calming.

“I’m okay.” She glances at my bare chest and there’s no hiding the blush that stains her cheeks. She quickly averts her eyes, but I know she was just gawking at my semi-nude state. I know she was just admiring me.

I stroke the mussed hair from her face and gently tuck the errant strands behind her ears. To my delight, she emits a soft sigh and leans into my touch. She’s no longer shaking, and I hope it means her fear has abated. I hope it means she feels safe with me.

“Who were those men?” I ask. “Did you know them?” I hate to make her talk about it, but if she’s facing some sort of danger, I want to know. I want to help.

She blinks a few times. “That was Mr. Connoly and Mr. Stull. They’re creditors. I owed them money and I was late paying them. And…” Her voice trails off and a shudder rushes through her. I caress her back and give her an encouraging look, hoping she’ll continue. “Mr. Connoly was angry that I was late and was trying to extort me for more silver far beyond that in our witnessed contract. Then he threatened to burn my house down, and Mr. Stull showed up and grabbed me. It was an ugly scene. Well, I imagine it would’ve been a lot uglier if not for you. Thank you again for helping me.”

I take a moment to process her words as I continue rubbing her back and stroking her hair, hoping the repetitive gentleness calms her further. “Do you owe any other creditors money?” If she does, I’ll gladly pay them off, or kill them, depending on my mood and my assessment of whether they pose a threat to her.

She shakes her head. “No. They were the last two. I’d hoped to pay them back next week. I-I borrowed money to pay healers when my parents and brothers were sick, in case you were wondering why I owed money to multiple creditors.”

My heart breaks as I imagine my mate struggling to take care of her ailing family members. Alone and without any help. So alone that she was forced to borrow money from creditors just to pay healers.

“Gods, Mira, I am sorry.” I press a kiss to her forehead as the summer heat swirls around us. There’s snow visible in the surrounding mountains, and the wind is raging outside the confines of the sphere I created. But inside, I’m keeping her warm. Safe and warm.

Safe… if I want to continue keeping her safe, it might be better to move her in with me. In the castle. There will be days that my duties as warden keep me away from her for long periods of time. I cannot risk any harm coming to her. Yes, her home is warded, but those protective wards don’t extend beyond her property.

I come to a decision.

Even if I don’t act on the bond and claim her as my mate, I intend to guard her wellbeing to the utmost of my abilities. For as long as I breathe.

Will she balk if I bring her to my quarters in the castle?

Will she protest and insist on being taken back home? To her lonely little house on the edge of Trevos?

“You never answered my questions.” She gives me an intent look. “Did you know I needed help, or did you just so happen to be in the area? I want the truth. Please. Give me the truth.”

I almost laugh. Because the full truth would probably send her screaming from my arms. And I very much want to keep holding her. But I must give her some answers. Perhaps a gradual sprinkling of truths is best. Surely if I announce she’s my mate and the gods have placed an unbreakable tether between us, such a declaration would frighten her.

“I am drawn to you, Mira. More so than I’ve ever been drawn to another female. I sensed that you were in trouble, and I went hunting for you.” It’s the truth, even though there’s so much more to it. I place another kiss to her forehead, and I take deep inhales of her sweet floral scent.

“Well, I happen to be drawn to you as well, even though I don’t want to be. Even though our acquaintanceship seems to have cost me my reputation and most people are shunning me now. I think about you all the time. All the fucking time. I toss and turn at night thinking about you, and I dream about you too. Yes, despite what you’ve done to my people, I dream about you.” She shifts in my arms and the fragrance of her arousal pummels me, stronger than ever before.

She’s becoming excited. For me .

My cock goes hard in an instant, and I tighten my hold on her and revel in the feel of her bottom pressing down on my lap.

I hold her gaze, wanting to glimpse her reaction when I next speak. “I dream about you too, little nymph, and I feel you. Right here.” Grasping her hand, I place it directly over my heart.

Then I press my lips to hers and kiss her as though I’m about to leave for battle.

It’s rougher and lasts longer than our previous kiss, but she doesn’t seem to mind. Quite the opposite.

She wraps her arms around me, grinds her bottom down on my cock, and kisses me back, tangling her tongue with mine and moaning into my mouth.

Holy gods, I might lose control and take her on this very rooftop. I might strip her clothes off and mount her right here and now. My shaft throbs harder and my blood heats to scorching. I growl and deepen the kiss, tucking my wings around her more tightly, holding her as though I’ll never let her go.

Mine, mine, mine.

My mate. My human female.

My little nymph.

Possessive thoughts consume me. If she only knew the depth of my ownership over her, she would likely try to run and remain hidden from me.

I growl as I kiss her, musing that if she ever ran from me, I would fucking hunt her down. I would scour the realm, leaving no stone unturned.

She shudders and a pleasurable moan vibrates from her throat. The scent of her arousal becomes stronger, and my mouth waters as I contemplate tasting her, licking her to completion, and feeling her shatter against my mouth.

An aerial image of Linnshire suddenly appears in my mind like a godsdamn warning. I try to push it away, but it persists. On the edges of this vision, shadows encroach from the surrounding forest. Greshhlins. Blasted greshhlins.

What am I doing?

I’m on the verge of claiming a female whose powers won’t match mine. Because she has none. Because she’s human. Our kiss turns savage as I clutch her face and delve my tongue deeper, but the image of Linnshire persists, and doubts creep into my mind.

In all my life, I’ve never felt so conflicted, so torn over the right course of action. One might argue that it’s never wrong to follow your instincts and claim the fated mate the gods have placed before you. One might argue that surely the gods couldn’t be wrong.

And yet…

Lord Kaiden Valloc will take a mate from the far reaches of the realm, a female of great beauty and even greater power. It will be so.

My father has always believed that once I claim my fated mate, our problems with the greshhlins would be solved. He’s always believed that my female was the missing link, the resource we desperately needed to stop the malevolent spirits once and for all, the very creatures who killed my mother as well as thousands of Linnshire faefolk over the centuries.

I must also consider that if I mated with the little human, her safety might be threatened upon our arrival in Linnshire, once my posting in Trevos concludes. Unable to fight greshhlins, she would have to remain locked within the walls of the Linnshire estate.

I break the kiss and stare down at lovely Mira. Her face is flushed and she’s breathing heavily. Guilt ravages me. We both just confessed that we cannot stop thinking and dreaming about one another, and here I am contemplating the reasons we shouldn’t mate. The reasons we should part ways.

A horn blows in the distance. Fuck. It’s coming from the castle, a call for fae commanders, royals, diplomats, and others of importance to gather in the receiving hall. Prince Lucas and the vast majority of our soldiers are leaving Trevos today, and I suppose the prince wishes to make a grand address before his departure.

“What’s that?” Mira’s eyes flare with alarm and she glances over her shoulder, though I doubt she sees much because my wings are still tucked tightly around her, shielding the view of the city. “It sounds sort of like a fae battle horn.”

“All is well, little nymph,” I say in a reassuring tone, hoping to ease her fears. “Prince Lucas and most of the army are leaving today. I regret that I must go to the receiving hall in the castle. No doubt the prince wishes to deliver an address before he heads out.”

“Oh.” Her visage turns thoughtful, and she releases a soft sigh as her hands roam over my chest, stroking gently and rousing my baser instincts. “Well, thank you for helping me today. I-I am not sure what happens now, nor am I sure what I want to happen. You’re fae. I’m human.”

“It’s not uncommon for a fae to keep a human concubine or pleasure slave.” I want to kick myself for the words I just spoke, but I cannot take them back. Concubines? Slaves? The aghast look she suddenly wears tells me all I need to know about her thoughts on being kept as a pet. Yet I can’t bring myself to utter the word ‘mate’ in her presence.

But if I physically claim her, even under the pretense of being my pleasure slave, a full-fledged mating bond would undoubtedly form between us. Perhaps I shouldn’t dance around the truth.

She pushes at my chest and tries to escape my lap, but I keep my arms and wings around her, holding her in place. Holding her captive. My cock pulses hard and huge beneath her bottom as she thrashes around while cursing me under her breath.

“I’m no one’s concubine, and I’m no one’s slave.” She finally stills and jabs a finger in my chest. “How dare you? You ought to be ashamed for making such a suggestion. It makes you no better than the men in the street.”

I suppress a roar of outrage, knowing such a reaction would only frighten Mira. I’m averse to scaring her, but apparently, I’m not averse to pissing her off. The horn blows twice more, reverberating across the kingdom of Trevos, reminding me that our time is limited.

I cup the pretty human’s face, forcing her gaze to mine. “I will admit I’m a violent male, but I am nothing like those men. Not when it comes to you. Those men intended to hurt you, possibly violate you, and possibly even kill you. I would never hurt you.”

Tears gleam in her eyes. “Fair enough, but I won’t be your whore. Take me home. Please.”

With a growl, I stand with her in my arms, then I shoot into the sky and head for the castle.