Adamant Spirits, page 173
She nodded.
“It’s always been there, but now it’s stronger than ever and wants to be finalized.”
“Finalized?”
“The link always desires to be complete.”
“You make it sound nearly sentient.”
He lifted a brow. “Would it be so strange if it was?”
She smiled wryly and tightened her fingers around his. “Before this night, I’d have said yes.”
“There are many things you’ll find strange at first in my world. Much is kept hidden from the human eye.”
His words opened up more fascinating mysteries than they solved. “Truly?”
He drew slow circles over the back of her hand with his thumb. “Most of us hide in plain sight, but to do so, we largely adopt human ways. We never forget our roots, however. There are pockets of faerin lands secreted away where we can gather and be the way we were meant to be.”
“That sounds lovely and fantastical.”
“It is, but faerin lands are not without their dangers.” He smiled. “Just like the human world. Don’t worry—you’ll always be safe with me or anyone else who accompanies you. Still, you’ll see things, animals, that don’t exist in the human world. Well, unless they escape, which does happen with some regularity.”
She mulled that over. “So Bigfoot and many of those types of legends come down to that?”
He grinned, apparently enjoying her crash course on all things faerin. “Exactly.”
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll blab?” After all, they weren’t completely bonded yet.
“I know you. Besides, who would believe you? Most likely, you’d end up committed to some hospital or at least thought crazy. Plus, we have ways of altering memory.”
She frowned. “You can mess with people’s brains?”
“We prefer not to, but if given no choice, we’ll protect ourselves. Rogue use of it will get a faerin into trouble.”
Though some part of her was still troubled by such abilities, he had a point. It also sounded like they did police themselves, which was always a good thing with such powers as those. “Fair enough.”
“I sense you’re still a bit hesitant but not yet ready to flee in the other direction.”
She jolted at his observation. “I’m definitely processing everything that’s happened tonight. Not quite running scared, more like running blind at the moment.”
“I’ll be here to guide you through the unknown and much of our lives would still be lived in the human world.” He paused. “You did figure out that Kaiden, Jackson, and Ashlee were in on getting us together?”
“I suspected something like that from the beginning but couldn’t understand why.” She hesitated. “Ashlee’s human, though, isn’t she?”
“Yes, and she’s Kaiden’s bondmate. Though they’re not married in the human tradition yet, they’re fully bonded in the faerin way.”
An inkling of worry weaved through her. “What does that entail?”
“Being in each other’s company deepens the link, but completing it calls for vows pledged during intercourse.”
“That’s it?”
A smirk formed on his lips. “Yes, quite painless as you can see, unless you want it otherwise.”
Riley rolled her eyes good-naturedly and smacked him on the arm with her free hand. “Get your mind off the kinky.”
“I can’t help it.” He bent his head and placed a kiss behind her ear. “Being around you brings out the impure thoughts.”
She sighed in pleasure but knew they couldn’t get off-track if they were to finish their conversation. “Do you want to bond at some point?”
He raised his head. “Ideally, sooner than later, but I understand that you likely need time.”
Well, then, she didn’t have to worry about whether his intentions would ever extend to marriage or the equivalent. That sent a spark of delight flickering through her. Though she didn’t know if she was ready to bond right now, the realization hit that she was well and truly in love with him. It pierced her with a surety and ease she couldn’t deny. She’d be silly to delude herself otherwise.
“I do need time to let this all sink in. It’s not that I don’t want to bond with you. Can we have something similar to an engagement for at least a few months before we consider the next step?”
“We can.” He leaned sideways, releasing her hand, and reached into one of his pants pockets. With a flourish, he withdrew a small velvet box. “In fact, Ms. Riley Robbins, will you do me the honor of marrying me in the human tradition? Nothing would make me happier.” He sighed melodramatically, a signal that one of his sillier moments was about to surface. “Though I always scoffed at love, I now find myself mired in it.” Then, as suddenly, his face grew serious. “I love you and want to be bound to you in both the faerin and human way whenever you’re ready.”
She blinked back a few stray tears at his short speech. Words deserted her, and she glanced down. A large solitaire, flanked by smaller diamonds, winked back. Though it looked terribly expensive, and no doubt was, it was still tasteful, not gaudy. She didn’t even have to think about it and threw her arms around his neck. “Yes, yes, yes.”
Once they drew back, he beamed a smile at her as he slipped the ring on her finger. Then he froze, and a funny expression flew across his face.
Her breath stilled. “What is it?”
His hands tightened upon hers. “There’s something of importance I forgot to tell you about our lifespans.”
“Oh.” God, what could it be? Faerin weren’t immortal, were they?
“We live much longer than humans.”
Okay, so not immortal. Good, but how good? “What kind of span are you talking about?”
“Around three thousand years.”
A chill stole deep into her bones, and she sat back. That was a heck of a lot of years. “How old are you? I have probably another sixty-five years if I’m fortunate.”
“Four hundred.”
“You have so many years left.” What she was really saying was why bind yourself to someone so finite?
“Yes, and you can spend every one of them with me once we’re bonded.”
Shock and hope unfurled in her breast like a flower. She stared at him. “What?”
“You’ll share my lifespan, and when I die, you’ll follow within a few days or months. During the final stages of bonding, our souls, our essences, become linked.”
Her brows drew together. “That’s the intercourse-vow thing you mentioned? It doesn’t sound so simple, after all.” The joining of souls was no small thing in her book. But then, the very word bonding kind of implied that very action, so she’d been dense to overlook that fact.
Worry skittered across his face. “Is that a problem?”
She shook her head, dismissing her concerns of outliving all her family and most of her friends for now, and smiled. “No. I just found your initial explanation of bonding to be a little underwhelming compared to the reality.”
He released a heavy sigh. “I guess when one grows up with the knowledge of the actual process, it doesn’t seem so mysterious.”
“That’s likely true.”
“This ring looks beautiful on you.” He lifted her hand and placed a gentle kiss on it.
As always, the feel of his lips made her stomach jump and jive. “You picked out a lovely piece.”
“Since you ran into me during our first meeting, I think you picked me.”
A laugh broke free from her. “How can I argue with that logic?”
He gave a satisfied grin. “You can’t. You claimed me from the first.”
“Well, I wasn’t too far behind in the falling, trust me.” Suddenly, her mind switched to an important topic they hadn’t discussed. “On to more practical matters. Where will we live? Here, elsewhere in the United States, in Europe?”
“There are many options. I’m a representative for the Western Coast Faerin of the North American Clans, and those headquarters are in Seattle. I help oversee matters of safety and law.”
“So doesn’t that mean you’ll have to leave soon?” Not that she was opposed to a move, but she wasn’t ready for a speedy one.
“Yes, unless I ask to be reassigned to the Midwestern Clans.”
“You can do that?”
He nodded. “Besides, I do have my businesses, much of which are in Europe, but as I said, some are expanding here.”
“You travel a lot, then?”
“A fair amount on both human and faerin business. I have several homes across the world.”
“Convenient.” And nice.
“I’ve found it so. But I wouldn’t mind purchasing a house here or somewhere else of which we both approve. I want some stability in our lives, one main place to call home. Though I won’t lie and say we’ll live in that house full-time over the course of a year.” He drew back slightly. “Can you accept that kind of life? It’s one you would have with me… all of me.”
All of me meant not only the traveling he’d described but also accepting his faerin identity. Even she admitted it was a lot, but she loved the man and couldn’t turn away from him. There were plenty of positives, too. The things she would see, the love, the security. Those didn’t come easily and, in many cases, didn’t come at all. Any wise person would grab them, especially when they came rolled into one handsome Ivander package.
“I can accept that… all of it,” she said, her voice resolute.
With a devilish grin, he yanked her into his lap. “Fantastic. Let’s get started.”
He lowered his mouth to hers, and soon words were the last thing on either of their minds.
Epilogue
As the Fourth of July fireworks shot off into the night sky, Riley leaned into Ivander. Over a year after their first meeting, they stood on the patio of their backyard, hosting a barbecue for a group of close friends. Ashlee, Kaiden, and Jackson were there. The rest were a mix of human and faerin guests, though the latter were admittedly in their human forms. The hot, sticky evening had gone perfectly so far.
She smirked at the thought of the pandemonium that would ensue if all the faerin present transformed into their spirit forms. It was an amusing idea as long as it stayed confined to her mind. She didn’t want Ivander to handle any memory cleanups tonight. They were still technically on their honeymoon, but after a few weeks in Europe, they decided to return home five days ago to the beautiful estate they’d bought right outside Murren.
Ashlee bumped shoulders with her and nodded to the fireworks. “Some sight, huh?”
“I’m so glad we have such a clear view of them.”
Ashlee chuckled as Kaiden slipped an arm about her expanding waist and laid a possessive hand on her tummy. “Being married to these guys always gives us a good view.”
Riley nodded and shared a secret smile with Ivander. Besides missing home, they had another reason to return. She’d been off her birth control for three months, and they’d discovered her pregnancy while in Italy. While they hadn’t been actively trying to conceive, they’d decided to take an “if and when it happens” stance. Well, it happened much sooner than they’d thought, but both were thrilled.
In another few weeks, they would share the news with their circle of friends. For now, however, it was their little, life-changing secret. Ivander had said faerin blood usually made for a safe pregnancy, but she didn’t want to chance fate so soon. She was bursting to tell Ashlee, but that only made it all the sweeter.
Sometimes, she could hardly believe this was now her life. Not that she had any complaints. None at all. She was wedded and bonded to the male who held her soul in his strong hands. Naturally, they fought sometimes, but making up always turned out to be the highlight of the day or week.
As the fireworks display reached its finale, they shared a passionate kiss that threatened to create its own show. When they finally broke apart for air, she smiled. No, she’d never regret claiming Ivander for her own.
Stealing Maid Marian's Heart
Heat Level: ☕︎☕︎
Ashley McLeo
Ashley McLeo loves paranormal characters who subvert your expectations and find love along the way. Her favorites are witches, fae, and vampires. She lives in Portland with her husband, their dog, and the house ghost that sometimes makes appearances in their home.
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This story is in her Magic of Arcana Universe which includes Spellcasters Spy Academy Series and The Alchemist of Silver Hollow.
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*Trigger warning(s): threatened sex slavery.
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One
I squeezed my eyes shut and inserted my key card to open the door.
The handle hit the opposite wall with a thunk, and I inhaled a slow, calming breath. Then, with the bravery of a knight charging into battle, I opened my eyes.
“Oh, shit!” My hand flew to my heart as I zeroed in on a person hiding behind the curtains. “Sir? Um, Miss? Checkout was hours ago. You’ll need to leave as soon as possible so I can prepare the room for the next guest.”
The person didn’t move, not even the slightest twitch. My eyes narrowed. Wiggling my nose, I caught the scent of plastic. I scowled.
A blow-up doll! Ugh! Why do people have to be so gross? At least take the damned thing home.
I released an annoyed huff and entered the room. The suite wasn’t in the worst condition I’d seen. There wasn’t any blood or human waste smeared on the walls or floors, but it wasn’t pretty either. Someone had twisted the bedsheets into a rope that wrapped around the chair in front of the desk. Bits of food dotted the bed, and coffee rings stained the nightstand.
And then there was the damn blow-up doll. Whoever had stayed in this room had sprung for one of the more realistic models, but they hadn’t wanted to take their toy home with them.
I can’t imagine why. I sighed. My job is such a pleasure.
I pulled my cart right up to the door and began to work, starting with the sheet. Once it unraveled, I was pleased to find that there were no visible bodily fluids staining the fabric. I tossed the sheet into the tiny hamper attached to the cart and moved on.
Time ticked by in a haze of vacuuming, wiping, tucking, and scrubbing, but after twenty minutes, the room was clean. Or as clean as hotel rooms ever really got. Whoever stayed there next would have no idea what I’d seen. Even though my job sucked, I did it well and took pride in that fact.
I’d just finished placing the small containers of lemon-scented soap, shampoo, and conditioner on the shelf in the shower when a faint knock came at the door. A fake smile bloomed on my face. It was probably some housewife wanting to steal more coffee from my cart. Why they didn’t just sneak a packet while I was busy was beyond me. They paid enough for their rooms to justify at least a month’s supply of free coffee. I would have done it in a heartbeat—then again, I wasn’t even close to their income bracket.
The knock sounded again, louder and more persistent.
“Coming!”
I’d made it two more steps before catching a whiff of a familiar scent that told me whoever had knocked wasn’t a housewife on vacay. They reminded me of dry cotton balls. Smelling both ancient and very virile.
Ugh, what does Sherwood want?
Despite wanting nothing to do with the hotelier, I kept the smile on my face as I turned the corner. My boss stood there, dressed to the nines in a tailored, navy suit, polished brown shoes, and a gold pocket square that gave him a pop of color. He always had been a stylish vamp.
“Hi, Sherwood. How can I help you?”
The vampire’s lips tilted up into a sexy and dangerous smirk. It was a smile I’d seen ensnare dozens of human patrons who didn’t realize the danger it posed.
“You can always help me, Marian.” His posh English accent washed over me. Women swooned over that voice, but not me. I knew the cunning and ferocity that hid behind class and elegance. And I wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. Well, nothing besides my paycheck and benefits.
“One way or another, you can always help me.” He gave me a pointed look and licked his lips. The subtext was crystal clear, and it pissed me the hell off.
My fists clenched behind my back. “I meant with hotel work, sir. Not . . . anything else.”
I wanted to scream; No, I will not come whore for you! But, like always, I swallowed my words. If I wanted to pay rent and eat, I’d hold my tongue.
Las Vegas was a vampire town, and I was a fox-shifter, one of the few left in the area. I had no family or close friends to ask for help; I had to make my own way. Losing this job, when it had taken me ages to get full benefits and two raises over two years, would suck vampire balls.
Plus, Sherwood had only ever suggested that I could make more money working in one of his high-end brothels. As much as I hated that, I understood why he’d offer. A lot of shifter women worked in brothels. Patrons, even the ones who didn’t know they were shifters, couldn’t resist the animalistic side of my kind between the sheets. Shifters brought in top dollar over every other kind of supe and humans. And Sherwood Nottingham, the vampire billionaire on The Strip, was a businessman.
Sherwood shook his head. “A pity for me.” He pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at it. “Albus claims that you’re behind on this floor. He says this has been happening often?”
Of course, it had been happening, and that rankled me. I hated running behind, but my manager had been assigning me all the post-bachelor party rooms. Didn’t like that much either, but I knew that it was no use complaining.
Sherwood always took Albus’s side in work matters, because my manager was his mate’s child. While I suspected that the hotelier didn’t like Albus much either, Vegas was nothing but nepotism at its finest. Especially where vamps were concerned.
