As soon as he released me, Black Ember placed his hand on my shoulder. An electric warmth spread through my skin where he touched me. It felt like a warm shower or standing bare-shouldered beneath the sun. For as midnight black as his clothes and hair were, now I understood why they called him the Sun Regent. He looked like nighttime, but his touch was pure sunlight. There was something so alluring about that strange warmth that drew me to it like a fire on a cold night, and I had to remind myself that this man was my enemy.
His hand slipped down to my upper arm, drawing me away from Severn. I found that I couldn’t look away from his gray eyes.Why are you so familiar?I wondered in my head.Why do I feel this way?
He gave me a dark smile as though he could read my thoughts and then waved over a few of his fae. “Take her inside. She doesn’t see Severn again until we reach a deal.”
“No!” I protested, but the other fae grabbed me.
Severn balled his fists, looking furious. I heard a sizzle of flesh as the iron chain around his wrist burned his skin. “Go, Willow,” he ordered through a clenched jaw. “Do as he says.”
Coral and another fae started to herd me into Jack’s chalet, but I shook my head, unwilling to be apart from Severn now that we were finally reunited.
Puck raced forward, barking and growling in his little puppy yap at Black Ember and the Sun Court fae. I sucked in a breath, afraid Black Ember would kick him. He had a reputation for complete depravity, for feeding his victims to coyotes and sharks; kicking a dog was nothing to him.
Instead, to my incredulity, Black Ember knelt down and gently scratched the dog on the head. Puck went still. He sat down, gazed up at Black Ember, and then started wagging his tail.
“What spell did you cast on my dog?” I snapped.
“None,” Black Ember said with a smirk, turning to face me. “I guess he simply prefers me to Severn.” He picked up Puck under one arm, petting him on the back. I bristled to see my dog in my enemy’s arms, and yet Black Ember didn’t seem to be threatening him, which was a small blessing.
Black Ember turned his smirk on Severn. “I wonder if, in time, your wife will feel the same as the dog.”
I sucked in a tight breath, knowing that this was a line too far. All I saw before the fae dragged me into Jack’s house was pure fury cross Severn’s face as he lunged toward Black Ember.
And then the mansion’s front door was shut, cutting us off from each other once more.
ChapterThirty-Five
Jack’s werewolves locked me in a guest room with a view overlooking the valley.Yet another beautiful cage.I could hardly appreciate the gorgeous scenery as I paced all afternoon, worried about what was happening in the rest of the house. It was an estate filled with rival fae, a deal brokered by werewolves, and I was caught in the middle.
After what felt like hours, my stamina gave out. There was only so long a person could exist in such a panicked state of uncertainty. I sank onto the bed, cradling my head in my hands.
What would my mother think if she saw me here, a pawn in this dangerous realm?
I found a pencil and some paper in a desk drawer to distract myself and began sketching the mountains. I could see why Jack had fallen in love with this part of the country. Though he wasn’t exactly the cowboy type, there was something rugged about this land that fit with what I knew of werewolves. The Central Park werewolves had never seemed quite at home in New York. I could picture Kell far happier here with the forests and wide-open lands to ease his wandering soul.
The guest bedroom window overlooked the ranch’s barn and a few fenced-in pastures where horses grazed. Werewolves milled about making repairs and feeding the animals. Construction equipment operating in the valley suggested Jack was expanding with more housing. He really was creating an empire—but it was different than I’d thought. I didn’t see anything here that suggested he wanted to rival the fae courts; simply create a home for his kind.
A knock came at the door. I jumped up, setting down the pencil, breathing hard.Please let it be Severn.
“Yes?” I said apprehensively.
The lock turned, and Jack came in. He held up a brown paper bag. “I brought tacos.”
He shook the bag temptingly.
My shoulders eased—as much as I’d wanted it to be Severn, it could be worse than Jack. Besides, the delicious smell coming from the bag made my stomach groan.
“Okay,” I relented, “butonlybecause of the tacos.”
Jack’s mouth hitched in a smile as he closed the door behind him and began unpacking tinfoil-wrapped items onto the room’s desk.
“What’s happening down there?” I asked, chewing on a fingernail.
He scratched the back of his neck before returning to unpacking the food. He motioned to a chair. “Sit.”
Warily, I did and set into a black bean taco.
“Severn and Black Ember locked themselves in my study. No other fae, no werewolves. There’s been some…raised voices, but I don’t think they’ve killed each other yet.”
