The Ravaged Fairy (17 page)

She highly doubted that and continued to
touch him. There was no doubt she wanted to see him naked all the time now. “I like
it,” she murmured and climbed up his body to lie atop him.

Thame snorted. “Well that’s good to hear.”
His arms wrapped around her.

This felt right, like the best thing in
the world to lie above a naked Thame. She reached back and ran her fingertips along
his length.

“Sweet Goddess!” His hips jerked and the
soft rod beneath her hand began to harden.

So, she’d never be able to taste him? She
was frowning at the thought. Breena wanted to taste. Was it sweet or salty? Would
that thick white cum stay warm if he shot it right into her mouth? Her mind
began to turn, examine. Why was it there were no children in the kingdom? She
had seen a few fairies but none of them teenagers and none of the women were
ripe with pregnancy. “Thame, why are there no children here?”

His head fell back and he closed his eyes.
“Breena...” He pressed his lips together as if contemplating what to say. After
a few seconds, he sat up with her sitting in his lap. “We have a problem. The
fairies haven’t been able to produce offspring in a long time and...we’re dying
out.”

Her mouth dropped open.

“No female fairy has been able to
conceive in a long time. We’re hoping the Queen will be able to get pregnant
with King Carrick and maybe we’ll be able to survive as a species.”

“That’s why the trolls are attacking,
isn’t it? They know there aren’t too many fairies left. That’s why they tried
to get me.” He nodded at her words. That explained so much.

“I didn’t want to tell you and drag you
into this problem but the moment they found out you helped me, the moment I
showed an interest in you, they pounced.”

“It’s not your fault.” She hugged him
close, a little thrill ran through her body at the feel of his growing erection.

“Thame!” The Kings voice echoed.

“Time to put the good bits away.” Breena
giggled before she even finished the quip and rolled from his lap as Thame
growled with a grin.

****

Valen sat on the edge of the cliff, his
feet dangled just as his heart.

Precariously.

He sat out here more often as of late,
stared at the water and the rocks below. His life had changed since he’d met
Brook. He couldn’t seem to even look at another woman. Two had frolicked in his
path and each he sent on their way in the correct direction of their home. He
dreamt of her. He closed his eyes and could picture her sweet smile. Every
night since she left, he slept in her bed and inhaled the lingering fragrance
on her scent in the pillows.

He had never truly felt alone until the
day Carrick had taken her away. No, that wasn’t true, he had hope then. When he’d
snuck into the city after she returned with the king, he’d witnessed the
ceremony that proclaimed her Queen. She had been so happy. Her smiles lit up
the night as she flew off to a bedchamber with that fairy. Hate had grown for a
while, it ate away as his restraint, but he couldn’t possibly harm the man that
stole Brook. Anything to make her sad would break his heart.

So, he spent his days alone, staring at
the sea and remembering the few days of true happiness he’d ever experienced. There
was a flutter of wings. It sent him to his feet and his sword rushed from the sheath.

A fairy approached, one he had not seen
before. It landed with green and yellow wings protruding from his back. Green
hair rustled in the breeze as he held up both palms. “You’re a long way from
home. Did Carrick send you to finish me off?” Valen had always wondered if the
King would get a set of balls and kill the competition for Brook’s heart.

“King Carrick did send me, but not to
harm you.” He kept his hands in sight and took no step in either direction. “I
am Wick. I’m ordered to speak with you on an urgent matter.”

“I’m listening.” He lowered his sword
still unsure if the man told lies.

“I’m looking for a woman that used to
live here. One of your companions.”

Valen’s heart sank further. His memory
flashed to that horrible day. His stupidity and loneliness had ruined two
beautiful women. It was something he would never forget the day they threw
themselves over this cliff. “What of them?”

“I need to speak with the one called
Grace.”

“She is no longer with the living.” The
fairy seemed taken aback, his mouth opened but no words formed. “Why do you
seek her?”

“Are you sure she is...”

“Yes,” he snipped. “I saw it myself.”
Valen returned the sword to its holder. “Why is her presences needed?” he asked
as he walked toward his home and turned his back on the fairy.

“I thought she’d like to meet her
daughter.”

Valen jerked around to face him. Grace
had a daughter? He couldn’t form words as the statement settled. She had gone
missing, runaway for nearly a year, but surely he would have known if she was
with child. Wouldn’t he? She returned, they always did, but she was alone and
never spoke of a baby.

“I believe, after seeing you, it’s your
child, too.”

He couldn’t believe the words. He didn’t
understand this burst of pain in his chest. “I have a little girl?” His breath
came in pants, and it wasn’t long before he flopped to the ground. Tears
blurred his vision as he glanced up at the sky. Had he really been blessed with
a child? “Where is she?”

“She’s at the kingdom, searching for her
mother and has mated to one of our fairies.”

The sheer joy was overshadowed. He didn’t
bother to show his distaste at the mating. “Grace is dead. Her search is
futile.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Wick’s features softened.
“She gained a father this day.”

And he a daughter. “What’s her name?”

“Breena...”

The short burst of laughter bubbled from
his soul. It had to be Grace’s offspring. He remembered the night they snuck
into the kingdom and made love on a patch of green clovers. She had been
obsessed with the fairy palace, the beauty and grace.

Her wish had always been to live in such
a place and recalled her muttering about naming her first born after the kingdom.
Valen shook his head. When he’d woken up today, he never thought it would turn
from sad rain to bright sunshine. His head jerked upward. “I want to meet her.”
He had to see his daughter. Valen jumped to his feet. “Please.” He would beg if
he had to. Besides, he’d be close to Brook and quite possibly he’d get a
glimpse of her beautiful face.

“I will ask the King for you.” Wick said
and then lifted off the ground. He flew over the house and out of sight.

Valen didn’t dare move should he wake and
find this all a beautiful dream. By the gracious gods, he had a daughter.

****

“Thame?”

He turned his head at the sound of his
name and bowed as King Carrick approached.

“Where’s Breena?”

“With Abigail, they went to corner Keyn
when they found out he’s on guard.” He grinned, the man had no chance against
those two. “I’ve already given him warning.”

Carrick grinned back. “You know I haven’t
seen you smile so much since we were little and you discovered chocolate.”

The grin turned to a smile. “Yeah, she...she
makes me want to smile.”

“Have you told her yet? About our lack of
children. How she could be the one to give you offspring?”

There was a small nod of his head. The
subject had come up, but he really wanted to be sure her heart was with his
before he started talking about having children with him. “Is that what you came
here to talk about?” The king may have been blunt with his queen, but he did
not want to throw all this at Breena. She was already dealing with this pretty
well and another upset may just send her down a broken path.

“No.” He took a deep breath and sat down
on the same couch.

They were in the looking room with
windows instead of walls and ceilings. It revealed the beauty of a new day, one
where happiness no longer eluded him. “What is it then?”

Another deep breath. “Brook recognized
Breena...”

“From the surface?”

“No, from Breena’s mother.”

Thame instantly stilled.

 “That fu...Valen had two women with him
and one of them showed much resemblance to your woman.”

Was Breena’s mother finally found? His
heart began to thump loudly in his ears. “Is Valen...” He couldn’t even finish
the sentence. Could Valen possibly be her father? His head ached at the thought.

Carrick nodded his head. “We’re pretty
sure.”

Thame collapsed back into the seat. The
bastard Valen was Breena’s father. The revelation took him by surprise. If he
wasn’t already sitting he would have fallen to the ground and sat there in
shock. He had almost killed Breen’s father when they retrieved the queen. That
would not be a tale worthy telling.

“Not only is she fairy, but she part
garcanagh. She doesn’t seem to affect anyone so it may be only a small amount
of his genes blended...” The king stood and paced the room before stopping in
front of one of the wide windows. “There’s something else.”

He was almost afraid to ask. “Go ahead.”
There were footsteps outside. Was that Abigail returning? The door nearest to
them shut and the sounds retreated. Only then did the king clear his throat and
speak.

“Breena’s mother has passed on.”

There was a short shocked gasp from the
door and Thame spun around in the seat to see Breena taking her first step into
the room. His heart crumbled to his feet at the sadness that overwhelmed her
features. Her eyes became glassy, her hands clasped together over her heart and
her mouth hung open, that luscious bottom lip quivered. The king cursed behind
him, but all Thame could see was her bright beautiful face falling.

“She’s...” A tear slipped down her cheek.

Thame rushed to her, wrapped his arms
around her tense, cold form. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

“I never thought we’d ever...find out.
She...” A desperate gasp, barely a whisper sounded, and she buried her head in
his chest. Footsteps echoed in the hall, he held Breena tight as Gran and the
Queen entered the room. Their cheerful chat cut short as they looked upon the scene.

“What did you do?” Abigail sputtered the
words. “I will kill you!” She launched toward him, which wasn’t fast so Carrick
had no problem stopping her before she came close.

“Abigail, there is some sad news.” she
stilled then used her trusty bottle of salt to ram him right in the gut. He
hunched over as she rushed to Breena.

The shivering woman he held rushed into
her Gran’s arms, and he felt the loss like a knife to his heart. “Abigail, we
found out that Grace has passed on.”

Her feisty expression fell. “Me Grace?” She
went slack and Thame reached out to grab her just as Breena did but she held
firm. “Me daughter is right here.” She indicated Breena with a lingering hug
but a tears still dripped down her face and belied her stone composure.

A small cry escaped his strong woman, and
he placed a hand on each of them gathering them into his arms. He didn’t know
how long they stood there. A few tears were shed and the room emptied out
except for the three.

“I didn’t get to know her.” Breena
finally spoke, her head lifted to reveal red eyes. “I didn’t know anything
about her. What was her favorite color? Did she like to read? What was her
favorite flower? I don’t know anything.”

Abigail took a deep breath before taking
Breena’s face in her hands. “She wasn’t the best mother, sweetheart, but she
loved you with all her heart. Her favorite color was green. She hated reading.
Her favorite flower depended on what was in bloom.”

“I love you, Gran.”

Abigail nodded and closed her eyes. Her
eyes were glassy as if she was holding the tears at bay. “There’s something
else...” Thame was going to wait but the words fumbled from his mouth. “Your
father, we’re pretty sure who it is. He’s alive.” Two gasps sounded and they
both stared at him with wide eyes.

No one said anything encouraging or
begrudging. Did she want to meet her father? He would sure like to keep Valen
as far away from everyone he cared about. Still silence reigned and Gran broke
off to sit on the nearby couch. Breena left his touch, walked to the window and
stared out entranced by the view. Her reflection showed the tears that slid
silently down her face, and she pressed her lips tightly together to keep from
making a noise. He shifted to her then and wrapped his arms around her. She
protested at first, fighting his hold, trying so hard to be strong but she
didn’t have to. He’d catch every tear and keep them hidden for her.

Breena remembered hugging Gran tighter
than ever before. The woman who was in all aspects her true mother, fell asleep
on the couch with tears drying on her cheeks. Thame picked Gran up and brought
her to a comfortable bed. She looked so fragile, like the old woman she really
was. Her legs were tucked slightly under the blanket, she was on her back with
her arms curled toward her heart.