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My life hasn’t turned out the way I planned it to. When I was a little girl, I imagined myself falling in love with a handsome guard and marrying him. Since the moment I was born, I’ve been destined to carry on my family’s legacy and lead our people into a brighter future. But life rarely works out the way you envision. After so many years of living with both my kind and the humans, I quickly figured out fortunes can change as quickly as the direction of the wind. The only thing you can do is prepare yourself for the gusts. One wrong step and you can find yourself careening off a cliff.
The distant howling of the wolf pack chasing us echoes in the ravine. In its makeshift carrier, I hold the box containing Earth 104. Within the sphere, my son and granddaughter are facing the trials within the wastelands, hoping to save what remains of humanity. One misstep on my part could cause me to lose the box, shattering my world forever. Losing my husband almost killed me but losing my son and granddaughter because of my own clumsiness would surely finish me off.
“Do they ever give up?” Oberon, king of the dark fae, asks as we slowly make our way through the rocky landscape. “It’s been at least two hours and we’re no closer to losing them than we were when we first landed in the pond.”
“My father designed them to be tenacious killers,” I say, slightly out of breath. “They’re smart and cunning. The more distance we can put between us and them, the better.”
“But that’s my point,” Oberon grunts as he pulls himself up between two large boulders, “they’re keeping up with us. We haven’t gained any ground on them.”
“Do you always complain this much?” If the situation wasn’t so dire, I would laugh at Oberon’s bellyaching. “I didn’t realize the dark fae were so delicate.”
“Woman,” irritation drenches the word as it comes out of Oberon’s mouth, “I am far from delicate, but even I have my limits. Aren’t you tired yet?”
“Of course, I’m tired,” I openly admit, “but if I stop, I know the wolves will tear me into teeny tiny pieces. It’s enough of an incentive to keep me going.”
Oberon scoffs. “I’m about ready to stop and start throwing some of these rocks at them.”
I glance over my shoulder at Oberon. His clothes are drenched in sweat and his long dark hair is so wet he looks like he just stepped out of a bath. Our eyes lock and I almost lose my footing.
“Are my good looks distracting you, Princess?” He laughs softly at my expense. “I often have that effect on women.”
“I assure you nothing could be further from the truth, you egotistical lout. I’m just getting tired. That’s all.”
Oberon grunts as he jogs to catch up with me over the rough terrain.
“You know,” he says, “there’s nothing wrong with being attracted to me. After all, we are to be wed. Our time in bed with each other would be far more enjoyable if you let yourself like me just a little.”
I stop in my tracks and look at him like he’s lost his mind. Oberon appears amused as he waits for me to speak.
“Just because we get married doesn’t mean I have to share a bed with you.Ever,” I inform him tartly.
“Oh, I fully agree with you.”
He seems genuine in his statement. Although, I sense a “but” coming.
“But,” he says as his lips stretch into a cocky grin and his eyes twinkle with barely concealed amusement. He takes two steps forward, bringing our bodies so close I can feel the heat radiating from his. “I would willingly bet a hefty wager that you and I will share a bed after we’re married and quite often.”
I can’t deny that Oberon is awakening certain parts of my libido that I had thought long gone. I haven’t been with a man since Mark. The thought of giving my heart to someone else always revolted me for some reason. I could never tell if it was because I couldn’t imagine loving anyone else as much or if losing myself to another person like that frightened me.
“You think a lot of yourself,” I quip, but my words lack the bite I had intended. For some reason, I can’t stop looking at Oberon’s lips. With his face flush from exertion, they stand out like plump red strawberries begging to be teased and tasted.
“If you want to kiss me,” his voice is husky as he leans in toward me, “all you have to do is take it, Emily.”
My stubbornness kicks in and I force my eyes up to meet his.
That was a mistake because I instantly become lost within the pools of his deep blue eyes. I see an ocean of memories and hopes, revealing his soul to me. There’s pain there too but also a silent promise that I can’t quite decipher.
A wolf howls in the distance, breaking our connection as worry enters Oberon’s eyes.
He peers ahead of us because that was the direction of the wolf’s call.
“That can’t be right,” he says. His body tenses. “They can’t be ahead of us.”
Another wolf howls but this time it’s directly behind us.
“Damnit!” Oberon looks at me. “They’ve been driving us to this spot all along.”
We both eye the narrow ravine we’re in, wondering how we could have been such fools.
