Huntsman's Prey (27 page)

Her fingers were warm as they slid beneath the fabric of his shirt, tracing the ridges of his stomach. Groaning, his thighs shook and he quickly led them to the soft grass beneath.

Rolling on top of him, she continued to explore him. Kissing his jaw and chin, running her tongue along the curve of his neck, making him hiss as she nipped at his nipple.

Glancing up at him as if unsure whether she’d hurt him he quickly shook his head. “It’s good, Chrysa,” he said in a throaty voice.

Nothing moved fast, she took her time learning him. Pushing the shirt up until she’d exposed enough of his flesh to lick and nibble her way across and he couldn’t stop from moaning, from arching his back as all the blood in his body rushed between his thighs.

At one point she must have been aware of the firm rod poking into her backside because her eyes widened and a blush stole across her cheeks when she looked down at him. They were still fully dressed. Reaching out a hand she grabbed hold of him.

“I…I know we’ve…you’ve done this before with me. Her.” She sighed and he could sense her withdrawing, pulling back into herself because of the worry that she was fumbling her way through this.

Deciding it was his turn to take the lead, he rolled her over, framing her gorgeous face. “I love everything there is about you, Chrysalis. Everything. You’re every soft whisper, the way your lips twitch when you’re desperately pleased, how your cheeks bloom crimson when you think I don’t see you looking at me.”

She bit her lip.

“You are exactly who you are meant to be, and I’m wild about you.”

She nodded.

And when he began to unbutton her blue summer dress and slip it off her shoulders, she didn’t fight him. Groaning when his hot gaze landed on her creamy breasts and peachy tipped nipples he took one into his mouth and trembled when she slipped her fingers through his hair moaning loud and long.

He was tender and he was slow, building her want, her desire. Because for Chrysalis this would be truly her first time.

Piece by piece, he took their clothes off and when they were finally both nude and there was nothing but the sun and the wind caressing his back he gently laid on top of her. Her thighs and arms gripped him and her eyes were wide as she whispered, “I’m ready.”

And poised just above her, his cock hard and his body desperate for her slick warmth, he kissed the corner of her lip. “How do you feel about—”

This time it was her turn to smile and nod and gently stroke his face. “I love you, Aeric, with all my heart and soul. I love you.”

Their union was slow and sweet and passionate, their bodies melding into one. Her cries were a symphony in his ears and when she came, she called his name.

Aeric had found his home, his loves, and he would never leave them and with that thought he fragmented into a thousand pieces of bliss.

For another month they grew closer and tighter and Aeric knew now what he had to do.

As if sensing what’d taken place, Lissa finally returned to him after four months apart. She came to him one morning and he knew immediately it was her by the way she laughed.

“Aeric,” she smiled and it wasn’t sad, but radiant full of joy and verve. “You’ve done it, you’re now ours. Well and truly.”

He grinned. “I’ve missed you, Lissa. Every day.”

“And I know that’s true, because I’ve seen all that’s happened, but I also know that you love her as surely as you do me. And it’s okay.” She grabbed his hands, knowing he needed reassurance; she was quick to give it. Kissing the palms.

Feeling an urge to shout in jubilation, he grabbed her up and swung her around instead. “I love you. Have I told you that? You’re the most amazing woman ever. And yes, I do love her, Lissa, but I meant it when I told her back in the beginning that I wanted to exchange
Veritas
vows.” Dropping to a knee, he stared her deep in the eyes. “Would you do me the honor of becoming one with me?”

With tears in her eyes, she nodded and then jumped into his arms.

~*~

The wedding was a who’s who of Wonderland. Everyone who was anyone attended, there was Pillar and her cronies in one corner causing a drunken raucous with their bawdy cries of what would happen after the wedding. The March Hare, and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. Why even the Queen of Hearts was there, though all knew to give her and her royal court wide berth as none wanted to go ‘off with their heads’ on such a festive occasion. And of course, the most important people to both Aeric and his butterfly—Danika, Hatter, and Alice.

Though Danika looked nothing like the fairy he’d known these past two decades. Chrysa had explained that when Siria’s curse had been broken on her, so too had it been broken on Jericho and Danika.

Years ago Siria had cursed Danika with plainness and she and Jericho with being apart for centuries. But with the curse lifted The Man in the Moon was now able to visit his beloved once a month. And Danika was once again the woman Jericho had fallen in love with. Not the cherubic matronly fairy, but breathtakingly beautiful with glossy brown hair and brilliant sapphire blue eyes.

On top of that, rumor was spreading that now that Siria’s curse was lifted there was the possibility that Jericho could finally step down from his mantle as official Man in the Moon.

The fact that Danika was currently in the market for a larger, more spacious mushroom cap home lent the rumor credence. But until Jericho could find his replacement any reunions would have to wait.

Danika still hadn’t found a replacement for Siria’s duties, as of now, Aeric had heard there was a fairy handling the sun’s affairs in the interim.

But really, none of that mattered right now. Because here he was standing in the middle of the fairy forest, with flickering golden lights dancing all around. The heavenly scent of Alice’s baking filled the air and a murder of crows were currently humming the wedding march.

Danika had handed over the reigns of officiating to Jericho, who stood before Aeric with a robe that glittered and sparkled with moon glow. And floating down the isle in a gown of lemony yellow chiffon was his bride.

He recognized that it was Lissa holding onto the Hatter’s arms as she walked to him with eyes never swerving from his face.

The moment her hand slipped into his and Hatter patted his shoulder, Aeric knew he should have been nervous. But he wasn’t.

Because he was finally home. In this strange and wonderful land. And even though some might have wondered why he and his butterfly exchanged vows twice, he knew it was because he promised his undying affection to not one, but the both of them.

Only the rare few among them knew of Chrysa’s duality and no one was talking, she’d gone through enough, now was a time of rest and peace and he for one could not wait to step into that new life with her.

The chuckling warmth of a Cheshire cat faded into the delicate strings of violin’s that suddenly stirred through the trees.

Alice was beaming proudly and Aeric was fairly certain that there was a sheen in the Hatter’s eyes when he placed the stone of
veritas
upon her chest.

“…the truth is, my love,” he tucked a strand of silky hair behind her ear and nuzzled the corner of her cheek just as Jericho pronounced them man and wife, “you may have thought yourself my prey, but I never stood a chance against you.”

She laughed and her sound filled his heart with light. “No, hunter,” Chrysalis nuzzled him back, “you never stood a chance against us.”

When they turned to walk down the aisle as husband and wife, everyone clapped, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

Holding her close as they danced their first dance, he caged her tight in his arms.

“I’m never letting you go again,” he growled.

Lissa’s eyes twinkled back at him this time. “Then you better hang on tight, because we cats are never fully tamed.”

And turning on her heels she sprinted, laughing joyfully, and he chased her. Not caring that the two of them had ditched their own wedding, because when prey ran, a hunter had no choice but to follow.

And he did, for the rest of their long, lived lives…

* * *

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Marie loves books that make you think, or feel something. Preferably both. And while she’s a total girly girl and loves glitter and rainbows, she’s just as happy when she’s writing about the dark underbelly of society. Well, if things like zombies, and vampires, and werewolves, and mermaids existed. (Although she has it on good authority that mermaids do in fact exist, because the internet told her so.)

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Kingdom Series (Fairytale Romance)

Her Mad Hatter
 (Free everywhere! Book 1 based on Alice and the Mad Hatter)

Gerard’s Beauty
 (Book 2 based on Beauty and the Beast)

Red and Her Wolf
 (Book 3 based on Little Red Riding Hood)

The Kingdom Collection
 (Books 1-3 with bonus deleted scenes)

Jinni’s Wish
 (Book 4, based on Arabian Nights)

Hook’s Pan
 (Book 5, Based on Peter Pan)

Danika’s Surprise
 (Book 5.5, novelette and first introduction to the upcoming Dark Princess Series)

Moon’s Flower
, (Book 6 based on the legend of The Man in the Moon)

Huntsman’s Prey, (Book 7 spinoff Dark Princess Series)

Rumpel’s Prize, (Book 8 coming in April!)

Moments Series (NA Contemporary Romance)

A Moment
, Book 1 (Ryan and Liliana’s Story)

Right Now
, Book 2 (Alex and Zoe’s Story)

Tor and Jaime’s Story, Book 3 COMING SOON!

Night Series (Urban Fantasy)

Crimson Night
,- Book 1

All Hallows Eve,- Book 2 (Coming March!)

Chaos Time Serial

Sable

Slayde

Synnergy

Eternal Lover’s Series

Death’s Lover
 (Book 1) From Grand Central—Forever Yours—Publishing

Previously published under the title
The Witching Hour

Death’s Redemption
 (Book 2) Coming JUNE, 2014 from Grand Central!

Prologue

“You failed.” Rumpelstiltskin looked at the girl dressed in red standing before him with her chin notched and her spine rigid, her hair was long and brown and gleamed. Her face was elfin, long and thin with striking cheekbones. She was pretty in a banal kind of way.

Angelica glared at him with eyes as cold as steel. Her ruby red lips thinned. “You lie!” Her body quivered with fury.

The volcanic mountainside rumbled as the slide of heated magma ran slowly down the black rock between them. The sky was an angry shade of gray and against that dreary backdrop he could almost believe her to be a warrior goddess the way she stood barefoot on the jagged shards of rock, feet torn and bloody, with the sulfuric tinted breeze whipping through her tresses. Her face was covered in angry red scratches and her once luxurious gown was now little more than shreds of ribbon clinging to her.