senses were attuned to the male at her back. Something in this place had seriously
disturbed his equilibrium.
She attributed it to the cloak of dark magic seeping into the surrounding parklands.
“Alex, be ready when I call.” Hugging her tight Cat kissed her cheek. “It’ll be soon…”
With a nod her friend promised her life to the freedom of the Sidhe.
“I love you angel.” With a parting kiss Cat led Drusal through a mass of noisy school kids.
Their laughter held him in thrall as dangerous as any glamour.
“Drusal what’s happening to you?” He had stopped so suddenly Cat bounced off the taut
muscles of his back.
“My heart weeps for the loss of young in my world. I see so much joy in the eyes of human
fathers, I can taste the desolation of a Court denied any child but that borne by the Queen.”
She hadn’t expected Drusal to be a frustrated father. Considering the source of any progeny,
the dearth of parenthood was understandable.
Reaching the security of the BMW, Cat manoeuvred him into the passenger seat, retrieving
the car fob from a deep pocket with difficulty.
“I’ve had enough of Grandmother’s failures as a Queen. I’m fedup with being so scared you
have to drain your reserves to soothe me. Direct me to your cottage. I’m ready to call her
out.” Drusal gripped at her hand, pulling Cat round to face him.
“It is a dangerous thing you attempt. Calling her forth will only fuel her desire to control
you.” His face had lost it’s golden glow, turning ashen at the thought of losing a love he
had tasted but for a fleeting time.
“I know how terrifying she is, that’s why I want to do this near her realm. Grandmother
will never be allowed to step on my land, and I’m not ready to take on the whole Court.
Not yet…” Cat temporised, hoping he would see the value in her reasoning.
“Drawing her out alone, I will be able to protect us within a shield of force strengthened
by both our fire elements. I will face her by myself if need be, but I want you there to
secure the hold I have on the mate marks.”
A growl of distaste at the mention of other mates slipped past Drusal’s lips.
“Please don’t regress we don’t have time to argue. I have to know the warriors are alive
and well. I want to be certain it is safe for you to return to Court to make sure the Lords
of the Court still have all their skin intact.” Starting the car, Cat glanced at his face, biting
at her lip. “I ask that you follow my lead in behaving as any mate of the Queen’s would.
Beaten and cowed by constant abuse. We have to make her believe I’m as vicious and
vindictive as she is.”
Drusal had to concede it was the only path available to ease his return. He was averse to
the idea of forcing the Queen’s hand. Cat was placing herself directly in the line of fire, in
inciting a confrontation of wills. Her plan had the merit of neutral ground, but Istirina was
as devious as a snake when it came to trading favours.
“You will have to out think every word she utters, her will is law. If at any time she senses
a lie in all you say, she will destroy us both.” Shuddering at the thought of an imminent
encounter with a dreaded mistress, Drusal gave Cat the instructions needed to drive to his
cottage, in a low monotone.
“The one advantage I have Drusal, is the fact I am not subject to her commands. My life is
my own. Grandmother is going to learn this once and for all.”
Shaking his head, the male at her side gripped her thigh with biting fingers.
“I stand with thee, in the hope it is enough to survive this night.”
Cat laughed a bitter discordant sound. “I love a male who’s filled with optimism…”
Putting the car into gear, she tore from the car park in a mood far more dangerous than
any the Dark Hound had seen in his Queen. It was time for him to start biting his lip in
turmoil at the sudden turn of events.
Easing the car to halt on the gravel drive next to Drusal’s Range Rover, Cat slid from the
seat to stare in wonder at the beauty of the scenery. The tiny was cottage sat atop the moors.
Across the deep valley she recognised the features of the woods surrounding her own
spacious property. As the crow flies, she and Grandmother lived within spitting distance
of each other.
“Why do Jarl and Shayla stay so close to a female so dangerous to our lives?” It seemed
ridiculous to Cat that her family had never moved away from a Court that threatened the
security of anonymity, didn’t choose to seek safety in a more obscure location.
“The further from any Sidhe Court travelled, the energy used to control glamour is dimmed.
Having abdicated from the throne of the Irish Court, thy grandparents were unable to return
with the heir to the Sovereign Court without fear of reprisal.” Sitting on the hood of the car
arms folded across his chest, Drusal solved another piece of the puzzle of Cat’s life.
“My grandparents gave up so much to raise me…” Shayla’s hate for all that Drusal had become
in assuming the mantle of the Queen’s Dark Hound came home with blinding insight.
“They lost the power of the Irish Court, and live in fear, that the deterioration of the
Sovereign Court will nullify all that they are?” Wide emerald eyes fell on her lover’s face,
filled with guilt for the burden she had placed on her remaining family.
“This is why Shayla can’t translocate, because Istirina drains the life force of all the Fae who
rely on the Court to sustain their energy? The females are affected more than the males?”
Cat felt sick at the misuse of power held in the hands of one entity. That the entity was
related to her by blood, made the shame growing in her soul for all that Queen Grandmother
had done in the quest for total domination, a stain on a heritage that should have been
noble and compassionate in the face of rising threats.
“As always your grasp of the true nature of a Court in decline belies the ignorance of your
upbringing.” Drusal’s whisper held defeat.
Coming to stand directly in front of a male reluctant to invoke a war with a vindictive Queen,
Cat leaned down to look directly in his eyes.
“Do you honestly believe I can ignore this? Do you want me to scurry away to spend endless
nights of bliss in your arms, while the Sidhe are reduced to nothing more than slightly gifted
humans?” Reaching out to touch his face with the tip of one finger, Cat traced rainbow swirls
of all four elements on satin skin.
“Would you be happy mated to a female who turned her back on the people who most
need our help, to appease the desires of her body in nights of wanton passion?”
Drusal returned her glare with one that held all the fire she had gifted to him, in a melding
of body, mind and soul.
“No, never… I am afraid only that I will lose you.” Pulling Cat into an embrace as gentle
as a summer shower, he rested his forehead on her shoulder.
“I can’t promise anything other than that my love is yours, and always will be.” She whispered
softly against his hair.
Lifting his head Drusal watched the fire of an indomitable spirit flare in eyes glowing with
spears of incandescent white light.
“Do it Iscatya… Bring forth the malignant force that traps all save you in a web o
f decay
and dissolution.” Laying a soft kiss on her lips, he planted himself firmly at her back ready
to translocate them both to safety at a moment’s notice.
Summoning all her resolve to end the nightmare reign of a Queen who abused the power
of Sovereignty, Cat sent out the call. “Istirina, Istirina, Istirina…”
Called thrice, Grandmother couldn’t refuse the summons. Building a cage of force to enclose
both herself and her mate, she tensed as a shimmer of white light signalled the Queen’s
emergence on the hill top. The vision of stunning beauty stepping from the mist caught Cat’s
breath in a shocked gasp, throat tightened by fear and anxiety for the male at her back.
Burgundy hair the same colour and texture as Iscatya’s surrounded a delicately formed face
dominated by stormy grey eyes, tilted at the exact angle as her Granddaughter’s. Here was
the Sidhe visage that Cat had inherited, except for the difference in eye colour, they could
be twins. Drusal would run from her true form, when faced with a near duplicate of the
dreaded Queen.
“You are disrespectful child in daring to summon me this way.” Shaking out the folds of
a blood red velvet gown that barely covered the abundant assets of a seductive female,
Istirina smiled widely, a malicious reveal of pearly white teeth.
“That’s rich, coming from a loving Grandparent who orchestrated gang rape.” Cat returned
the smile with a grin, as mean and malicious as the one offered to her.
“Actually Grandma, I’m being very respectful in advising you that my Mate will be returning
to the Court for a short visit, to ascertain that the remainder of my property is whole and well.
I would be displeased to find them in less than perfect condition when I come to retrieve
them.” Playing with the braid on her shoulder she exuded total confidence.
Storm grey eyes flicked over Cat from head to toe, a smile of contempt on luscious lips.
“For one so lacking in grace and beauty, I must assume you have talents that my Noble
Consorts were too weak to resist.” Indicating to the tense male at Cat’s shoulder, Istirina
leered at the meek demeanour of subservience.
“My Dark Hound is not mate marked… One step across my borders and I shall feed him
to Dardanos one piece at a time.” Reaching out a hand to test the barrier, Istirina took a
solid pace back as if stung.
Drusal’s mental shudder at the proximity of the beautiful creature who had subjugated
him for eons, rocked Cat’s composure for a split second. The Queen had no idea how to
deal with an obstinate, wilful child raised in the human world. She was about to learn a
lesson in painful parenting. Cat had to be crude and rude to pull this off, to disabuse the
disbelief in Istrina’s eyes, that an insignificant female had the ability to trap the males in
sexual bondage. Trailing her fingernails lightly over the crotch of Drusal’s jeans, a wicked
grin split her lips in vicious smile.
“I had no idea the mark was meant to be visible. Ooops, my bad…” Cat giggled. A lush,
slightly manic sound of hysterical discomfort at being caught in a faux pas, causing a
wealth of feigned anger to be directed at the male who had misled her. She ignored the
mental slap at over playing the role.
“Do you hear my grandmother Fur ball? We will have to do it all over again.” With a snarl
she gripped tightly at the piece of his body under discussion. The look of pain that crossed
his face was priceless. Drusal bowed low to Cat in total obedience at the promised treat in
store for him.
The tinkling laugh issuing from Istirina’s lips was pure appreciation of the torment on the
Dark Hound’s face.
“You are truly of my blood Iscatya. The dog has been tamed at your hands. How exciting…”
The exquisitely beautiful female showed a morbid fascination at the fear emanating from
a once noble warrior. Licking at her lips, waves of greedy desire lashed out at Drusal.
Cat struck back instantly.
“It’s mine…” A feral growl erupted from her throat. “I do not share my toys Grandmother.”
The threat of retaliation was explicit in her words.
Wide grey eyes scanned the slim figure holding onto a magnificent male, as if his manhood
represented no more than an instrument of pleasure to be used and discarded at the will
of a dominant female.
“I will allow this ‘Visit’ you propose my child. The only condition I make is that you never
enter my Court without permission.”
Cat pursed her lips considering Istirina’s restriction. Wording an answer carefully she left
open a loophole.
“As you wish Grandmother, for as long as we have a truce. Piss me off, lay a finger on any
of my mates and I will storm your Palace.” Wrapping her arms round Drusal’s waist she
gazed dreamily into his face. “What I take, I keep…”
Raising one knee she rubbed up against his groin with a fatuous grin, licking at his neck in
one long stroke.
“Did you know he tastes divine? Vanilla sweet meadows and seductive chocolate…”
With a shudder of arousal Cat threw out an image of Drusal immobile on her bed.
“I want the taste of all my mates on my tongue….” Languishing in the rigid arms of her
lover, Cat played on the jealousy of her grandmother to allow her mate back at Court
veins, with the flame of love branded on his heart.
Flicking her Granddaughter a glance of distaste, Istirina turned her attention to Drusal.
“I anticipate your return Dark Hound, to regale me with the tale of your coupling.”
Ignoring a female who showed little regard for familial respect, a lust soaked duplicate
of herself, Istirina felt the first stirrings of fear since her marked mate had disavowed
their bond. A whirl of white mist preceded the Queen’s departure.
“We go, now, Iscatya…” Drusal tucked her to one side ready to translocate directly to
her home.
“Why can’t we just drive both cars back?” Reaching to grab her bag from the car, Cat felt
his overwhelming fear that a trap was forming.
“The vehicles can be followed. Translocation hides our destination from her spies.”
The journey was over in less time than it took to blink. Cat gripped tightly to the t-shirt
under her hands, woozy with the sudden shift, falling onto the bed in a tangle of limbs,
her breath whooshed out in a huge sigh.
“Oh My God…. What did I just do….?” Lying within the cage of Drusal’s powerful arms,
Cat had to apologise for demeaning her mate in front of a female intent on securing his
seed for herself. “I am so sorry… I made her want you more than ever.”
Shaking his head Drusal had to smile at a sublime performance of needy female.
“What you succeeded in doing, was to shake the Queen’s convictions that she alone is enough
to keep her males satiated.” The thought of returning to a realm where his body could be
stripped of dignity and self, brought home to Drusal the full worth of a life where he was
free to love his mate, with loyal friends supporting the fight to establish a new, more
tolerant relationship between Sidhe and human.
“You were magnificent in establishing a persona more voracious and decadent than the
Queen’s. I fear that her jealousy will overcome the admiration of a creature descended
from her loins. It will lead ultimately to your death.” Taking her face in his hands Drusal
laid his lips on her forehead.
“Go to bed my love, sleep in the knowledge we are one together.” Wrapping a sheet
over a body suddenly rigid with a sense of impending loss, he placed his head on her
breast. The rapid beat of her heart beneath his ear, a staccato of fear for him to soothe.
“You are safe behind the shields. I will not be away from you for long in ascertaining my
brethren are safe and well.”
Running her fingers through a glorious mass of copper curls Cat had to smile as he tucked
her into bed. “Can’t I have a shower and put my pyjamas on?”
An unblinking stare riveted her to the bed. A flush of desire brought the heat of pink
colour to her cheeks.
“You will enjoy the shower more if you wait for me. Rest for now, you will not miss me
in sleep.” A calming mist doused her mind, leaving her feeling drowsy, limbs lethargic.
“You cheated again…” Her words were slurred, lids drooping like lead weights over
sleep-gritty eyes. A tender kiss on her lips came with a mental chuckle.
It is my turn to play the dominant partner. Silky tones eased Cat into a peaceful slumber.
Once he was certain that his mate’s sleep was restful and deep, Drusal placed a further
barrier over the shell of the rambling house. He planned to return before she woke to
an empty bed. With a last gentle touch of his lips to her cheek, he translocated to
insinuate a way into a realm he was familiar with. A silent warning sent to his brethren
to be ready to listen to a brother warrior they had grown to distrust, preceded his arrival
inside the portal of the Sovereign Court. The familiar weight of a night cloaked realm
fell heavily on his shoulders. With sadistic days came an endless, fear filled darkness.
The sun failed to rise on a debauched realm, it had ceased to breach the wall of cloud
on an undeserving land. Tall oak trees and dense shrubbery crowded out the once