Fractured Flowers, page 1
FRACTURED FLOWERS
A Night Queen Novel, Book 2
YASMINE GALENORN
A Nightqueen Enterprises LLC Publication
Published by Yasmine Galenorn
PO Box 2037, Kirkland WA 98083-2037
FRACTURED FLOWERS
A Night Queen Novella
Copyright © 2023 by Yasmine Galenorn
First Electronic Printing: 2023 Nightqueen Enterprises LLC
First Print Edition: 2023 Nightqueen Enterprises
Cover Art & Design: Ravven
Art Copyright: Yasmine Galenorn
Editor: Elizabeth Flynn
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed in any format, be it print or electronic or audio, without permission. Please prevent piracy by purchasing only authorized versions of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, or places is entirely coincidental and not to be construed as representative or an endorsement of any living/ existing group, person, place, or business.
A Nightqueen Enterprises LLC Publication
Published in the United States of America
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Welcome to Fractured Flowers
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Playlist
Biography
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Welcome to the world of Lyrical, the Night Queen, Leannan Sidhe princess turned Wild Hunt agent.
Thanks to my usual crew: Samwise, my husband, Andria and Jennifer—without their help, I’d be swamped. To the women who have helped me find my way in indie, you’re all great, and thank you to everyone. To my wonderful cover artist, Ravven, for the beautiful work she’s done.
Also, my love to my furbles, who keep me happy. My most reverent devotion to Mielikki, Tapio, Ukko, Rauni, and Brighid, my spiritual guardians and guides. My love and reverence to Herne, and Cernunnos, and to the Fae, who still rule the wild places of this world. And a nod to the Wild Hunt, which runs deep in my magick, as well as in my fiction.
You can find me through my website at Galenorn.com and be sure to sign up for my newsletter to keep updated on all my latest releases! You can find my advice on writing, discussions about the books, and general ramblings on my YouTube channel. If you liked this book, I’d be grateful if you’d leave a review—it helps more than you can think.
Brightest Blessings,
~The Painted Panther~
~Yasmine Galenorn~
WELCOME TO FRACTURED FLOWERS
Yutani’s heritage as the son of the Great Coyote is coming out in chaotic ways. He must learn how to harness his powers or slide into madness. I can help him, but only by taking him on a journey through the dark shadows of the Leannan Sidhe that may end up killing him, or driving me into madness with him.
Reading Order for the Night Queen Series:
Book 1: Tattered Thorns
Book 2: Shattered Spells
Book 3: Fractured Flowers
CHAPTER ONE
The evening heat was oppressive and I turned the fan to the highest speed. Humidity soaked the air, so much that it felt like I was breathing water. That in itself wasn’t the problem—it was the warmth that came with it. It was so muggy that a sheen of perspiration beaded on my forehead and chest. I wiped my brow and closed my eyes, breathing in the water-soaked air. Water was my lifeblood, water was my magic and power.
As I drew chi off of the very air, a bright flash lit up the sky outside the window. Low thunder rumbled, shaking the house. I shivered. Thunderstorms both appealed to me and frightened me. They wielded so much power that I couldn’t help but be pulled to them, and yet—and yet…they were chaotic and untamed. Like me.
“It’s too hot,” Yutani said, peeking in my bedroom. His eyes had changed color over the past few weeks. They were nearly gold now and they gleamed in the dim light, like a cat’s eyes. Even in the few months since I had first met him, he had changed, and he was still changing. His heritage was emerging, and neither one of us knew where it would lead him.
He hesitated, staring at my neck. “You’re sweating,” he said, his voice sultry.
“I’m wet,” I said, holding his gaze as I slowly brushed my fingers across my throat. He tensed as I raised my fingers to my lips and slowly licked off the salt-filled drops. I was changing clothes in order to meet Raven, but the moment he got within a few yards of me, I could feel his hunger raging through his veins. And his hunger made me hungry.
“Keep it up and you’ll be even wetter,” he warned.
That only made me want him more. We had become lovers a little over a month ago, and it was almost impossible for us to keep our hands off one another. I fed on his chi and he fed on my sex, and we combusted like a match to gasoline.
“Shoo, fly,” I said, waving at him. “Take yourself out of my room. Raven will be here in ten minutes and I’m not even dressed yet.” I forced myself to focus on the evening ahead instead of his lean, lanky body that oozed sexual power. “If you don’t get out of here, I’ll rip those clothes off your body.”
A lazy smile eased across his lips, turning them up at the corners just the right amount. He winked. “Just make sure you wake me up if I’m asleep when you get home. And have fun.” He peeled himself away from the doorway and headed down the hall.
I didn’t like the heat. And most of Seattle didn’t like the heat either—the area wasn’t geared for it. Where I came from, near Shannon, Ireland, we never got temperatures in the nineties. The climate in the Pacific Northwest suited me, except for the occasional heatwave that swept through.
As soon as he vanished, I turned back to my closet, trying to divert my attention from the hunger between my thighs. I sorted through my closet. In my short time here, I’d acquired a surprisingly extensive wardrobe, most of it in leather, velvet, and denim. I spent a lot of time in leather pants, but it was too hot for them now. Instead, I slid on a pair of low-rise black jeans, pairing them with a black leather halter top. The plunging neckline barely contained my boobs, but that was fine with me. Like most of the Fae, I wasn’t shy about my body and, especially as one of the Leannan Sidhe, I preferred to show off my assets. And my boobs were definitely an asset.
Threading a chain belt through the belt loops, I clipped it in front, then slid on a pair of four-inch stiletto sandals and buckled them. They were bright pink—a vibrant pop of color against the stark black of my outfit. My hair was already brushed back into a high ponytail, and I added a pair of three-inch silver hoop earrings to the mix, along with white topaz studs into the row of four ear holes on each side. Against my dark hair, they shimmered under the light. Ten bangle bracelets on my left arm finished the outfit.
I looked at my outfit in the mirror and I decided I was ready.
“Raven’s here!” Yutani called from downstairs.
I grabbed my leather tote and, slinging it over my arm, headed down the stairs. We had moved into Ember’s old house a few weeks back, and now we had plenty of space, but it felt odd to think that I was living in the house that had belonged to the goddess to whom I was pledged. Then again, my life for the last two and a half years had been one massive blur of nightmares and new beginnings.
As I entered the living room, I could see Yutani out in the garden. He spent a lot of time out in the yard, communing with nature. Raven was sitting on the sofa, waiting.
One of the Ante-Fae, she was around a hundred, barely into adulthood. The Ante-Fae weren’t immortal, but they lived far longer than the Fae, and it had taken me awhile to unwrap the prejudices I’d been brought up with. But now, she was my closest friend, and we spent a lot of time hanging out together.
“You ready?” she asked, jumping up. She was about an inch taller than I was—five seven—but she was curvier than I was. Whereas I had boobs like hers, I was also muscled and taut. Raven was hourglass plump. I had dark auburn hair, and my eyes were crystal blue, while Raven had chocolate brown eyes and her hair was a mixture of black with purple streaks. We made an eye-catching pair, that was for sure.
Raven was wearing a chiffon mini skirt with a tulle petticoat, and spiderweb hose beneath it. She had on a purple corset that zipped up the front, and it elevated her boobs better than a pushup bra. Her boots were shiny patent leather with a five-inch platform, which put her almost half a foot taller than me. Beneath her clothes, she was heavily marked beneath her clothing—intricate spirals and patterns swirling over her skin. They were all natural—none of them were inked on.
She took one look at me and whistled. “Looking good, girl. You ready?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I need to blow off some steam.”
“As long as you don’t lock lips with anybody else,” Yutani interjected, peeking into the living room from the patio.
I snorted. “I’ll keep my kisses for you.”
While we weren’t monogamous, we had come to an agreement—all sex play with others was to be kept out of the house unless we agreed on a threesome or foursome, and kissing was reserved for just the two of us. Not only because it was more intimate than sex to both of us, but because I’d be in danger of draining all of the chi out of my partners and killing them. And with Yutani, I could drink chi to my heart’s content.
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Raven and I headed out to her car. She had recently bought a new one. She and her fiancé Kipa had moved back from the realm of Kalevala, the land where the Finnish gods lived. She had been studying there with one of the Force Majeure—a group of powerful sorcerers. But due to a whole lot of nasty circumstances, they had returned to Archtalm, the human realm, better known as Earth to most people.
“Nice,” I said, eyeing the SUV. The Fendar Cheetah was sleek, easy to get in and out of, and it was a hybrid. Raven had it custom painted—it was a gorgeous aubergine with chrome trim.
“It rides like a dream,” she said. “Let’s go.”
As I fastened my seat belt, Raven flipped on the music. A German group—In Strict Confidence—was playing. I had a feeling that the “Snow White” of the song title wasn’t exactly about the fairytale, but rather a princess who preferred a series of white lines sorted by a razor blade. But it had a heavy, rhythmic beat, and it fit my mood. That was one thing I loved about Raven—she got the part of me that craved intensity. And she understood the allure of chaos.
“So, I tried to go back to reading cards at Llew’s shop,” she said, sounding frustrated. “But…I can’t do it. Working with Väinämöinen took me too far out of the ordinary. I’m finding it hard to settle into a daily routine here.” She sighed. “Raj can tell I’m bored, but Kipa hasn’t noticed. I haven’t told him yet, but I want to study more before we get married.”
“Typical man,” I said. “Or typical…male. God. Wolf. Whatever you want to call him.” I liked Kipa. He was almost as chaotic and wild as Raven, but he also could be dense at times.
She laughed. “Well, in that he’s typical. But…I wouldn’t trade him. I love him, and he’s too good in bed to lose.”
“That tasty?” I asked. That was another thing about Raven. She didn’t have a problem talking about sex, and since sex was such a big part of my life, it helped to have another woman to talk to.
“Yeah, he is,” she said with a laugh. “A delicious combination of sweet and salty.” She paused, then added, “What’s eating you? I can tell something’s bothering you tonight.”
I sighed, staring at the dashboard. “Yeah, there is. The heat’s getting to me. I feel like there’s some sort of oppressive cloud hanging over me, and I don’t know what it is. Kilnakarn is out of the way, so it can’t be that. But I’m all on edge.”
“Has Sejun been helping?” Raven asked, edging into the turn lane. We were headed to the Burlesque A Go-Go, an Ante-Fae nightclub run by one of Raven’s friends. It had become our go-to spot to party at. We both felt safe there, but it was so far from vanilla that it was the perfect place for both of us.
“Yeah,” I said. “Sejun’s a miracle worker. Though there are so many layers of pain to sort through that I’m not sure how long it will take to get to the center. If we ever do.”
Raven nodded, saying nothing. She just turned up the music and as Just Kait blasted out of the speakers, we continued on to Burlesque A Go-Go.
So, introductions are in order. I’m Lyrical Willow Muirín, and I’m one of the Leannan Sidhe, a member of the Light Fae. They call us faerie vampires, and in a way, they’re right. My kind are predators. We feed off of chi—and we can feed off of blood, though most of us don’t. In return, we offer visions and ecstasy, and we’re sought out by artists hungry for inspiration.
I grew up in Ireland, a princess of my people. But Kilnakarn burned that part of my life to the ground. The King of a Kelpie Pod, he kidnapped me about two and a half years ago, and forced me into sexual slavery. And as twisted as my own kind can be, the Kelpies make an art out of inflicting pain and humiliation. Kilnakarn didn’t spare the rod.
After two years, I was ready to sell my soul to escape, when the goddess Morgana rescued me at the behest of my mother. But then my mother betrayed my trust and the entire kingdom turned their back on me. They perceived me as damaged goods—used by the Dark Fae and therefore tainted. So I took Morgana’s hand and left what had been my home for good.
Morgana brought me to Seattle, where Herne and Ember put me to work with the Wild Hunt Agency. Ember, who had risen to goddesshood once she married Herne, took me on as her first priestess. Except that we hadn’t really had much interaction yet, given she was heavily pregnant with triplets. But once she had the children, she promised we’d begin my training. That was about a month away, and I didn’t even bother to contact her at this point. She was not having a pleasant pregnancy, and she was about as far away from the “glowing mother-to-be” as a Tasmanian devil was.
So, I settled in with the new crew of the Wild Hunt, or rather, a revamped crew—and I was learning to make my way in a world where I was no longer a princess. I actually preferred it. After two years as a sex slave, I knew I could never go back to a life like my childhood. So I decided to fully embrace my nature, to find happiness where I could, and now I was working with Sejun—a therapist—to put Kilnakarn’s abuse behind me as I looked forward to the future, and left behind the past.
We pulled into the parking lot of the nightclub. The lot was filling up—tonight was a special show, and everybody who was anybody in the Ante-Fae community had booked a table. Raven, being a special friend of Vixen—the owner of the club—had been invited to sit at Vixen’s table. The decree banning any of the Ante-Fae from helping Raven had recently been lifted. Apparently, the Queen of the Ante-Fae had grown weary of the fight and Raven could visit the club out in the open again.
I glanced around the parking lot as we got out of the car, feeling mildly sad. I had been dating Rake, one of Vixen’s employees, but Kilnakarn had him killed to spite me, and I missed the guy. He was fun to be around and good hearted, and I mourned his death. One more notch on the Kelpie King’s list of atrocities. But tonight was for fun, not for regrets, so we shouldered our purses and headed for the side entrance where the VIPs were allowed through without having to wait in line. The bouncers looked new, and then I realized they were vampires.
“The bouncers—the vamps are back!” I pointed to the pair waiting at the door. I glanced at the sky. Sure enough, the sun had set though it was still light enough to see.
“Vixen likes vampires. And they pay well enough that the vamps are willing to work for them. Vampires make good bouncers,” Raven said. She pulled out a laminated card as we approached the suited men who looked big enough to break us in half. They wore dark glasses, but even so, I could feel their gaze fixed on us. I’d only dealt with vampires a couple times, but I had the feeling that the longer I worked for the Wild Hunt, the more I’d be pulled into that shadowy world.
“Your card?” one of the men asked, holding out a gloved hand.
Raven presented it to him. He glanced at it under the penlight he was carrying and then at her, then handed it back. “Go on in. Vixen is waiting for you at their usual table.”
His partner opened the door for us and we descended the stairs in the dimly lit hall, heading for an interior door that was guarded by yet another bouncer. He, too, checked Raven’s ID, and then opened the door for us. We entered the club, which was already packed. Vixen was sitting at their table, and they waved us over when they caught sight of us.
Vixen was literally gender fluid, taking on whatever gender they felt fit their nature at the moment. Today, Vixen sported a bouffant that rivaled Queen Latifah’s in the movie Hairspray, and they were wearing a vibrant orange caftan, with a slit that showed Vixen’s long, smooth legs. Whether presenting as male or female, Vixen was always groomed to go, elegant and refined, yet as brazen as Joan Crawford or Bette Davis. Vixen vaped, but with a specially made vape pen made to resemble the long cigarette holders of old. Everything about them was carefully cultivated.
“How are you, darlings?” Vixen rolled their r’s. Beneath the surface, they were a snake shifter and sensuality rolled off every word and movement, even as every nuance was underscored with danger.
