“I … uh … what?” I didn’t understand. “I went to sleep here with Finn. I thought it was just like those dreams with Violet in the Otherworld.” If I actually went somewhere in my physical body, then it did at least explain my frozen feet.
Finn ceased his grumbling, calming down now that I was back. One minute you were at my side, and then next there was a burst of cold air, and … then you were gone. Disappeared.
Baladar had deep concern lining his eyes as he chimed in: “Finn got me out of bed, and when I got into your bedroom it reeked of dark magic. A magic which felt very similar to the dark book.”
I ran a shaky hand through my hair. Damn. Somehow that bastard had figured out how to transport me from my bed and into his territory in the fae lands. “How is it even possible? How could he pull me into the Otherworld like that?”
There was a soft popping noise and then Violet was there, standing in her pajamas, hair a hot mess. “What happened?” she shouted as she looked around the room, focusing on something I couldn’t see. “Holy dark magic.” She waved her hand in the air above my head.
All of us were silent for a beat, which was pretty standard when Violet did her sudden appearance thing.
Baladar finally said, voice dry, “The Dark Fae Lord opened a portal and transported Arianna through it while she was asleep.”
I squirmed out of Kade’s grasp and scooted off the bed, needing to stand. My body temperature was finally beginning to return to normal, and with it came a frantic need to pace and throw my arms around. Pins and needles filled my feet, but at least I could feel them now.
Kade followed me, his eyes very dark and bear-like as he watched me closely. “Tell us what happened.” His voice was bear-like too, growled out between clenched teeth. He was not happy, and he would be even less so when I filled them in on what had taken place.
I took a shaky breath, continued pacing, and left nothing out. I told them everything, even mentioned how the dark magic called to me. When I got to the part where the dark fae talked of us being together to rule in darkness, and how he’d eyed me in such an intimate way, fur began to break out on Kade’s arms.
“I. Will. Kill. Him.” Each word was said slowly, thudding across the room with the weight of Kade’s fury.
I finished the rest quickly, my final line being, “So, he offered to call off the war if I promised to rule by his side.”
Kade was now in his half bear shape, towering over everyone in the room. “What can we do to make sure he can never take her like that again?” He directed this blast of words at Baladar and Violet.
Violet was rubbing her chin. “Arianna can break spells, so that’s why she was able to get out of there so easily.”
The dark expression did not lift from Kade’s face. “That doesn’t answer my question.”
Violet tried again. “He’s a dark magic wielder, Kade, so we can’t exactly keep him from doing his dark voodoo magic stuff, but I believe that if it happens again Ari can get out of it in the same way. She has incredible untapped power. If she trusts in her magic, no one can hold her against her will.”
That seemed to calm my mate; fur disappeared, and he was back to being normal giant-sized Kade. Our hands reached out and found each other.
“Violet might be right. I’m just going to have to be more careful. Sleep with one eye open if possible.”
It didn’t sound possible to me right now. I was exhausted, cold, and wanted nothing more than to curl up with my mate and sleep for days.
Baladar frowned. “That won’t work. He isn’t physically coming into the room. He’s pinpointing her essence and snatching her from her bed in a millisecond, pulling her through the magical ley lines, those which crisscross all the mecca stones. Obviously, he is able to tap his dark magic into that network too. The best thing we can do is train Ari’s powers — teach her to hone her defensive skills.”
Kade did not like the sound of that, ignoring Baladar to say, “I’ll take first watch. Arianna, get some rest. The rest of you, we’ll meet first thing in the morning for training.”
I already knew that my sweet bear wouldn’t be able to sleep again until the Dark Fae Lord was dead.
Baladar nodded. “As you wish.”
Violet crossed the room and gave me one of her rare and brief hugs. “All spells are breakable,” she whispered in my ear, and it gave me a small measure of comfort.
I just hoped I wasn’t going to find myself on that frozen lake anytime soon. Or at least not before I got some more training with Rowan and Violet in. Alone in the room with just Kade and Finn, I sighed and walked over to my dresser to grab some socks. I slipped them on, and then my hiking boots for extra measure.
“What are you doing?” Kade asked, from where he stood beside the bed. Arms still crossed, face still frozen in lines of fury.
“Don’t ask.” I fell onto the pillow, pulling the covers up over me again.
If I was going to be caught on that frozen lake again, I sure as hell was going to have shoes this time. Kade curled himself around me, his warm palm stroking my back until I fell asleep.
I hadn’t expected to, but my exhaustion got the best of me. I woke with the early morning light. Kade was hunched over at the foot of the bed, a deep snore rumbling from his chest. Poor guy, he would never be able to keep up with night watches. And I had a feeling Baladar was right. It wouldn’t help either way. It looked like I was sleeping fully clothed from now on, shoes and all. Hell, I’d even sleep with my sword.
After a quick shower, I was dressed and ready for training. Kade was awake when I went back into the bedroom. I gave him a quick kiss and told him I was going to get breakfast.
“I’ll go with you,” he said in a husky voice.
With a shake of my head, I kissed him again, lingering for a few extra moments on his lips. “Get some sleep. If you insist on taking night shifts, you’re going to have to get some sleep during the day.”
He didn’t look convinced. “Promise me you’ll stay with someone at all times, and don’t leave the mansion without letting me know.”
I wrinkled my nose at him. “You got it, boss.”
He chuckled. “About time you realized who the boss was.”
I pounced on him, wrestling him down, pinning his arms under my thighs. “You’ll never tame me, King Kade.”
His eyes were sparkling now, laughter bringing out some of the gold in them. “I would never want to change you, your fire or your fight. They’re the things I love the most about you.”
He flipped me over then, and I realized I didn’t have him pinned at all. His huge body pressed into mine and a moan escaped from my lips as our mouths met in a fiery kiss. He was just wearing sleep shorts, which meant I had full access to all those bronzed muscles, running my hands across them as our kiss deepened.
Need slammed into me. The need to claim my mate, to brand our scents across each other. Kade must have felt the same way as he stripped my clothes off, his lips kissing along my jaw and down my collarbone as he moved. The dark fae was fighting a losing battle trying to coerce me to his side. There was literally nothing in any world, no power or stone, that could tear me away from Kade.
Nothing.