Page 5

CHAPTER FIVE

O ver the last few months, Hyax had taken Gwil to several swanky places in London, but they’d not visited the fae realm apart from a soiree at the palace where Queen Talia had thanked him for helping with the recovery of the stone. Gwil hadn’t expected to be invited for a regular family dinner, but it would have been nice for his future in-laws to have shown a little interest in him. Although that wasn’t fair, they were interested in him, they just didn’t want him marrying their son, and he wasn’t convinced they were that happy about him being Hyax’s walking sex toy either, which meant calling them his future in-laws was technically incorrect.

Hyax had told him to make himself pretty, but that was a daunting task given the default setting for fae was drop-dead gorgeous, and no matter how much he tried he wouldn’t be able to pass muster with creatures who had iridescent wings and were set to auto-sparkle. He’d showered and selected jeans and a designer shirt, both of which were Hyax-approved, plus a leather jacket. He hesitated, wondering if he should suit up, but his best one was at the dry cleaners and Hyax wouldn’t be impressed by the off-the-peg offerings he could wrangle up instead.

A portal opened and Hyax stepped through, stunning as ever in fae clothing he wouldn’t describe as formal but made Gwil look like he’d be there to open doors and not get in the way.

“Oh, you know I love that shirt,” Hyax said, claiming a kiss.

He didn’t give Gwil time to answer and pulled him through the portal. For some reason, travelling direct to the fae realm didn’t cause the issues as moving between two points in his own world. Hyax had said he thought it something to do with the way magic drained in a particular direction, but he hadn’t been able to figure it out completely, which he was still pissed off about.

Fae sunlight wasn’t a problem, but Gwil thought it would have been worth a few crispy patches for the view. They’d emerged onto a terrace overlooking the fae meadowland, long grass swaying and a blanket of tiny lights stretching out miles in front of them. The sky was a mix of blue with heavy clouds tinged with pink and purple.

“This is… wow,” Gwil said, lost in the beauty of it all.

Hyax kissed him, nothing more than a quick peck. He heard a trilling noise behind them. A female fae stood waiting, and he thought she might explode with excitement. “Your Highness, Mr Hilt, welcome to La Pian. Your viewing suite is being prepared but your table is ready in the bar. Unless you would like a private room.”

“The bar is perfect,” Hyax said.

Gwil suspected he was about to be put on display, Hyax had said he wanted the world to see that it was Gwil who was important to him. Hyax placed a hand on his lower back, a possessive gesture as they followed the host into a busy bar where they were directed to a table. Fae weren’t subtle and many of the people there were staring outright. Hyax smirked.

Drinks were served and Gwil found himself pressed up against Hyax on a small sofa. “You’re being a bit smug.”

“I’ve the prettiest vamp as my guest, I deserve to be smug.” Hyax leant in and kissed his neck. “I want it obvious, no matter what happens, that you are my choice, and while I’ll do my duty, I won’t give you up. You’ll be the Prince’s Beloved, and everyone will know.”

He didn’t want to be known as Hyax’s fucktoy, but then he could be called a lot worse. “I can’t say I expected you to parade me around like you won a medal.”

“We fae do exchange collars, you said you’d do that when I proposed, but if you’re the medal I’ve won, perhaps I should tie a ribbon around you.”

He tried not to let the sabotaging thought invade his mind, but it was too hard. “That was when we would be getting married. I get you and Metra will be doing the exchange of collars now.”

Hyax winced and cupped his cheek. “No, I’ll make it a stipulation of the contract. I won’t be marked as his, and nor him as mine.”

“But—”

“I mean it.” He traced Gwil’s collarbone with a finger. “I might have to go through this fucking sham of a wedding, but I’ll be giving you my collar.”

“You have one already?”

“It’s one of the traditional gifts when a fae comes of age. Most don’t use that one, but for you I would, it’ll make the point even clearer.”

Gwil wasn’t sure if this was Hyax being romantic or a stubborn arse, but he couldn’t bring himself to mind. “I don’t have a collar to give you. What will you wear?”

“Whatever you want me to.” Hyax leant back and collected their glasses, handing one to Gwil. “A toast, to us.”

Gwil had only had the odd glass of ambrosia. He could eat and drink, but his main sustenance came from blood. The sweetness and depth of the liquid in his glass told him this was the cream of the crop, the finest first press, and would have cost the same amount as he earnt in a week. “It’s almost as sweet as you.”

A soft cough disturbed them, the host was back. “Your viewing suite is ready. The shooting star display will be starting shortly.”

He found himself once again with Hyax up close, a possessive arm around his waist. Gwil thought he could get used to being treated like a posh side piece if this was the calibre of evening he’d get. The London scene was pretty cool but the viewing suite they were escorted to was like nothing he’d experienced in his own world. It wasn’t the pod itself—although sitting in what was tantamount to a more structurally stable bubble was amazing—but the show that came with it. They were on a large elevated mound and could see further across the meadow, with the night closing in, the creeping blanket of light looked even better, as if glowing seeds had been sown across the land. Then the stars moved and Gwil’s jaw dropped. “Fuck me!”

Hyax had a hand high up Gwil’s thigh, he squeezed. “I will later, never fear.”

He’d seen shooting stars before, or rather bits of meteors burning up. He knew the science, but this was different, the constellations were moving, Orion, the hunter, fired arrows while Capricorn and Aries gambolled out of the way. The Plough chased Aquarius and Libra spun its scales like nunchucks.

“How is this happening?”

Hyax chuckled. “Magic. We’re not shifting solar systems about—it’s an illusion.”

He should have realised. “Oh, yeah. It still looks amazing.”

“That’s the thing about the fae, we like to make everything look perfect, everything has a shiny hue, but that’s not real. Real is the sniping and political double play, real is the way we punish our criminals with iron or banishment for centuries. People think we’re nice because we’re pretty, but we’re not. We’re arseholes with wings.”

“So, I’m right when I call you a sparkly arsehole, then?”

“Yeah, like when I call you a throat-biting twat.”

He pulled Hyax in for a deep kiss, and ran a hand down the edge of his wing, knowing only special people got to touch a fae’s wings.

“If you keep playing with my wings, I’m in danger of fucking you right here,” Hyax growled. “While I want everyone to know you’re mine, they don’t need a front row seat.”

Gwil smirked. “I expect you to put me on my back later and fuck me so hard I forget my name.”

Hyax made a keening noise. “Deal. But I want us to be seen here for a bit longer. I’m trying to make a point.”

“Everyone is just seeing the truth. I can’t keep my hands off you, and you’re as equally smitten with your favourite fang.” Gwil nuzzled Hyax. “Since you want to show me off, how about I go inside and strut about? Is there something I can order from the bar that sends a message? I get we’re drinking the best ambrosia but is there something else?”

“Order a Love Drop to share. It’s a cute cocktail, but it’s often drunk at special events like wedding receptions. Just asking for it will show you’ve a decent insight into fae culture.”

Gwil sauntered into the bar. He wasn’t keen on being the centre of attention, but he did like what Hyax was trying to do. The area was busy, and he gathered it was the sort of place you only got in to by knowing the right people. He waited at the counter to be served, the server run off their feet and the clientele, like rich snobby bastards everywhere, were rude and condescending.

A frazzled bartender took his order and asked where he was sitting and told him the drink would be delivered to his table. He was about to leave when a male fae with copper-blond hair spotted him. “You’re here with Prince Hyax.”

“Correct.”

“Give me a moment of your time.”

“Why should I?” He was sure he didn’t know this guy and didn’t like his impertinence.

“My name’s Sitial. I’m a friend of Metra’s. I assume Prince Hyax has brought you here to make a point and I can guarantee Metra will be made aware if you give me a chance to talk to you.”

Gwil was more intrigued about what this bloke wanted if he was willing to run off and play messenger. “Go on then.”

Sitial muttered something. “That’s a privacy spell. I don’t like people knowing my business.”

“Yet you want to tell it to a complete stranger. A little contradictory don’t you think?”

“Possibly. But since I doubt I’ll get the opportunity again, I’ll park that to one side.”

Most fae were grandiose prats and Sitial didn’t appear to want to break the mould. “Get on with it as I want to go back and canoodle with my partner.”

“I know Hyax isn’t happy with the situation with Metra, and Metra isn’t happy that he’s been put in the position he has. He didn’t request they marry but hasn’t a choice either.”

“I’m sure he can tell Hyax that himself.”

“He won’t listen to him. Hyax still believes Metra cheated on him.”

As far as Gwil was aware, Hyax and Metra’s previous involvement wasn’t public knowledge. “How do you know about that?”

“Because I’m the one he thinks Metra cheated with. And we didn’t. It was a shirtless hug, which should have been for the benefit of Metra’s parents as they were expected, and we were to be caught together in a clinch. Hyax turned up and misinterpreted what happened.”

“How fucking convenient. I don’t believe you either and you can fuck right off.”

“They were getting sloppy and Metra’s parents were asking questions. We weren’t seeing each other then, nor have we ever. Metra’s a friend nothing more.”

“You know how ridiculous that sounds?”

“Yes. But it’s true. I’m married to a woman. Men, even princes, aren’t my thing.”

Gwil snorted, the fucker might be telling the truth, Gwil wasn’t convinced. There had to be more behind Sitial approaching him and he didn’t think it was because Metra wanted to play the good guy. “So what? Does he think that Hyax will suddenly take your word, or his, after all this time? Expecting him to settle down and be a good little husband?”

“The marriage will go ahead. They will at least need to be civil and if they can clear the air, it will be better. I saw the way Hyax looked at you, heard it was you he wanted to marry, and there’s not a word of a lie. But to make your lives easier, Hyax should listen to Metra and put the past behind them.”

Gwil saw a waiter carrying a glass to their viewing suite filled with a frothing red liquid. “Nice story, needs work, so if you’ll excuse me, I’ve had enough of listening to fairy tales.”

He left Sitial scowling and returned to Hyax, who was on his phone. “I’ve just got a message from Hylei. I need to open it through an encrypted channel, so I’ll wait until we’re home.”

“I thought she’d sent a message already.”

“I listened to the spark when I was getting dressed and sent her word that I would be happy to help if I could.”

“Then we should probably leave soon.” Gwil was a bit disappointed, but the case took precedence.

Hyax pointed to the glass that had been delivered, close up he could see the deep red liquid had golden particles and two straws. “No rush. Let’s enjoy this.”

Hyax leaned in and took a sip and Gwil copied. It tasted like the deepest, best vintage blood. “What the fuck?”

“If you drink it with someone you love, it tastes like your favourite thing. So blood for you I take it?”

“Yes. Champagne-topped ambrosia for you then.”

Hyax smiled, he was so beautiful. “Correct. Did you enjoy your swanning about?”

Gwil didn’t want to spoil the mood, but it was best he told Hyax straight. “Up to a point. I got a few interested looks and then some guy called Sitial had a word with me as I was waiting at the bar.”

“Sitial? Want the fuck did he want?”

“He wanted me to pass on the message that Metra didn’t ask for the marriage any more than you did, and tried to convince me he wasn’t cheating with Metra. I told him to fuck off.”

“He had no right.”

Gwil squeezed his hand. “He did make one good point, you’re going to have to get through this, and if you can be civil with Metra, it’ll be easier.”

“I don’t want to be civil.”

“Look, the best way to get back at someone who hurt you, is to show that they aren’t important any longer. You gifting him your anger could be construed that you still care.”

“I do care, but not about him. I don’t like being lied to.”

“If you accept he is telling the truth, both on the cheating and the not pushing for the wedding, you get through this without fighting every second—that can only make things easier for us.” Gwil wasn’t sure if Metra wasn’t a lying piece of shit, his dealings with him hadn’t been great but then Gwil was the man Hyax was dating.

“We’ll talk about how to handle Metra another time. This is about us, and your importance to me.” Hyax’s tone put an end to that particular conversation.

“Maybe you should kiss me again,” Gwil said. “We don’t want people to think we’re arguing.”

“Drink up. I’m taking you home to more than kiss you.”

He chuckled and they finished the Love Bomb. He was more than happy to go home, and Hyax escorting him through the bar hand-in-hand was a nice touch before he opened a portal into their bedroom.

Before they’d got together, Gwil had what he’d described as a dry spell when it came to his love life. He’d been pining so badly for Hyax that no one held much interest and he’d never been one for random shagging, another way he was different to his peers. Hyax had unlocked a part of him he’d almost forgotten he had and there were days he was desperate for Hyax to fuck him. He’d discovered his desire for his partner to take control when he’d been turned and he was more than happy to let Hyax lead.

Usually, he managed to take his own clothes off, but Hyax didn’t want to wait and they were naked with a wave of his hand. Hyax was more than capable of taking things slow, worshipping him until was a whimpering mess, but that didn’t appear to be on the agenda. Hyax pounced, knocking them both onto the bed.

His kisses were borderline brutal, possessive and demanding, and Gwil knew he would be left with no doubt who he belonged to. Hyax muttered another spell and he felt his arse tingle as Hyax’s magic breached him, he fucking loved being fingered by Hyax’s magic, working him open while Hyax’s hands were free to stroke the rest of him. He keened as tingling from the lube spell added a dash of spice unique to Hyax, something Gwil had never experienced before.

The mix of dazzling kisses and the magic things happening to his arse meant Gwil was on the verge of seeing stars and when Hyax entered him in one long, deliberate thrust, he cried out in delight. He loved to be fucked, loved to be the one Hyax wanted to own and dominate. He hung on as Hyax rode him, bringing him closer to the edge with every jerk of his hips.

“You’re mine,” Hyax growled.

Gwil couldn’t hold back any longer. His orgasm rampaged through him and he came, ribbons of pearly cum shooting across his belly. Hyax fucked him harder, using him, taking what he needed as he shouted out when he reached his peak. He collapsed forward pressing kisses to Gwil’s face, muttering soft words in a language Gwil didn’t recognise but understood their sentiment.

Several minutes later, Hyax rolled off and lay on his back.

Gwil snuggled closer and was surprised when Hyax summoned his phone and elbowed him in the ribs. “Oi, a bit of pillow talk would be nice.”

“I want to read Hylei’s message. Come on, you’ve gotta be intrigued too.”

Gwil tutted but couldn’t argue he was interested. “I suppose.”

Hyax clicked on the screen of his phone and instead of showing Gwil the screen he projected a document he’d opened. “This is from Hylei.”

Prince Hyax,

Thank you, sincerely, for being open to help. We are beside ourselves with worry about the disappearance of Simon and we are willing to use any avenue we can to bring him home.

While James and I are proficient magic users there is a branch of magic we can’t access but are aware you are one of the few we know of who could. While this magic is similar to that which vampire-fae could use, it has some nuances, and think our connection to our son is part of the issue of us being unable to reach him. We believe he’s alive, or at least being kept alive.

Given the little we do know, our thoughts are his link to Robin could be the key to the way to reach him, although the bond is being limited and if we can trace it, maybe we can locate him. And that is where you come in. There are spells and rituals that a fae working through a vampire can utilise and James has been informed that you have access to several old volumes from Tobias Flume that may yield an answer, along with others in our own library.

I know you cannot promise any form of resolution at this point, but please can I ask you to do a little research? Please do not hesitate to contact me, and James would be happy to talk to you directly at your abode in the human realm to explain whatever you need.

Again, I thank you for your willingness to listen to my request.

Blessings be.

Hylei

Somehow Gwil hadn’t expected Queen Hylei to be so forthcoming, she must have been in fear for her son’s safety. They’d been called in to help, but vampires were known to overreact and Gwil hadn’t fully appreciated the gravity of the situation. Hyax was getting out of bed. He knew there’d be no point trying to call him back.

“Enjoy your reading,” he called after him.

Hyax grinned. “Come on, you know I can’t resist that type of teaser.”

Gwil laughed. “I’d be more surprised if you did.”