Heart's Storm (Falling Underhill Book 4) Read online

  “Of course, but I will have to touch you again.”

  “Uh, why?”

  “Because we can’t walk it all on our own feet. You would get tired and see nothing.”

  “Oh. Okay. How are we going to travel then?”

  He grinned. “I need to get out of the trees for this.”

  He walked out of the trees and held a hand up, his sleeve falling back and exposing his graceful and muscular forearm. The clouds above them moved down into a twisting funnel, and the cloud formed into a horse, or rather, a unicorn.

  He smiled at her. “Your steed awaits, my lady.”

  She walked out of the woods and looked at the swirling water confined in horse form. “Oh, you are a beauty.”

  The creature looked at her with white eyes. The horn was a little awkward as she reached her hand out to him. If the unicorn needed a human virgin, he wasn’t going to find much luck with her.

  The unicorn lifted his head and placed it on her shoulder, snuffling down her back. She was closer to it than she had been to the elf. She smiled and hugged the neck, inhaling the smell of summer rain as she rubbed her cheek against the hide.

  “So, we can get going, or you can just hug the steed for the rest of the day.” Raiden laughed.

  She tried to move away, and the long equine nose pressed her back against the beast. She hugged it again and sighed happily. “Thank you. I needed that.”

  The unicorn lifted its head, and she stepped away from it, looking back at the fey who had a bemused expression on his face. “Shall we?”

  He put his hands on her waist and lifted her up and onto the creature. He was up and behind her, settling in a moment later. He tugged his robe out and wrapped it around her. “It is going to get cold.”

  The unicorn shook its mane, and they set off. They began with a slow walk that took them past the trees, and as Audra stared, she could swear that there were eyes in the trunks looking at them. The trees rustled as they passed.

  He chuckled. “It seems that I am not the only one fixed on you. The ancient forest is fascinated, and my steed has never cuddled up to a mortal before.”

  They exited the area with the forest and were wandering through a meadow where strange creatures took to the air as they passed. “What are those?”

  He chuckled. “Dragonflies. They hang around with Summer and Wind.”

  She stared as one came toward her, looked her in the eyes, and then buzzed away. The tiny dragons with dragonfly wings fluttered away. “They are dragons.”

  “No, they are dragonflies. Dragons are much larger, and I don’t want you anywhere near one. They are rather grabby when it comes to mortal women.”

  “What?”

  He leaned down and whispered into her ear. “Nothing that you need to concern yourself with. I am not going to allow one near you.”

  She chuckled. “Fair enough. So, where are we going?”

  “We are touring some of the area, some of the best views, and most stunning vistas, but we will have to move a little faster to see them all.”

  Audra twisted and looked at him. “Why are you grinning?”

  “I will have to hold onto you while we increase speed. I don’t want you falling off.”

  She sighed. “Fine. But no straying.”

  He murmured, “Agreed.”

  He wrapped one arm around her waist and ribs and leaned forward to grasp the flowing silky mane of their ride. He spoke in a heavy whisper, and the animal began to move forward with heavy thuds of its hooves, moving faster with every step.

  “What did you say to him?” She started being jolted against him, so he held her more firmly.

  “I asked him to pick up the pace.” He held her, and the beat increased into an even rocking as they rode through the meadow and toward a gentle hill.

  The pounding of hooves jolted through her, and her point of contact with the beast’s back was distracting. Horseback riding wasn’t something she indulged in, but she had friends who rode, and they never mentioned the effect of having her bits rubbed. Maybe it was the lack of saddle, the snugness of the ribbon, or even the horse being made of water, but the friction was starting to become all-consuming.

  She tried to keep her head averted from his so that her situation wasn’t so obvious, but when her body twitched in a short, hard orgasm, she bit her lip until she tasted blood. She inhaled through her nose and tried to take in the landscape that was moving past, but the after pulses were moving through her, and there didn’t seem to be an end to them.

  Raiden spoke to the unicorn, and the horse slowed to a walk as they crested the hill and overlooked a stunning lake in a valley with a wall of stone behind it. “You are very tense.”

  She tried to speak, but her voice came out all husky. “I am not used to riding.”

  He leaned forward and looked at her face. “You are flushed.”

  She growled. “Can we just drop it, please?”

  He put his hand on her forehead. “You are not hot.”

  She snorted and grabbed his wrist. “That’s enough. I am fine.”

  Her fingers were wrapped around his wrist, and another pulse made her fingers clench.

  He blinked. “What was that?”

  She wanted to yell, but she looked away. “The steed, the beat, and the damned tight ribbon.”

  The unicorn let out a horsey laugh and shook his head. He looked smug.

  She grimaced and felt Raiden’s chest shaking against her back. “Stop laughing. It isn’t funny.”

  He nodded, and she felt the motion against her back. “You are right. Are you sure that it was the cause?”

  She shrugged. “No idea.”

  He made a small noise and spoke to their ride again. “Let’s find out.”

  The unicorn took off at the same pace, and Audra wanted to scream. Four minutes later, she did.

  Chapter Three

  Audra was sweating and swearing. They were now moving at a more sedate pace, but Raiden was chuckling as she calmed down. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder, and she could feel the smile on his lips.

  “Stop laughing, you pointy-eared asshole.” She inhaled slowly and shuddered as her body kept twitching and clenching without her permission.

  “Sorry. It is just so intriguing to bring a woman to pleasure without having to lift a finger.” He chuckled. “Would you like to walk?”

  “Not right now. I need a few minutes.” She shivered again.

  The unicorn laughed again. There was no mistaking it; that was laughter.

  “Right. Good point. I am going to walk.”

  She pulled her right leg over and slid out of Raiden’s grip, landing with a thud and staggering a few feet away.

  He sighed and dismounted in a graceful slide, his clothing settling into perfect lines.

  Audra scowled and started to walk slowly on stiff legs. She took one step after another, wishing that she could get rid of the stupid shoes. As she thought about it, the ribbons loosened and slithered away from her ankles, and she stepped out of her shoes. “Huh. That was easier than I thought.”

  She ditched the shoes and started walking, the grass soft and prickly at the same time. Raiden was next to her, and her shoes were dangling from his fingers. “I have never heard of walking off an orgasm before. I usually cuddle.”

  She snorted and ignored the shiver that the thought of him wrapped around her caused.

  “Of course, the cuddling leads to touching, and the touching leads to more tangled limbs, so that leads to more cuddling... eventually.” He sighed. “It is an endless cycle, but then, I do have time on my hands.”

  She chuckled and groaned. “Right, which way next?”

  “You don’t want to talk about sex? I find it a fascinating subject, but then, I am a fan of unpredictable humidity.”

  Audra looked at him, and he had a charming smile on his lips. There were clouds gathering and the rumble of thunder. She moved toward him, her lizard b
rain seeking shelter with the nearest, tallest thing.

  “Are you afraid of thunder?” He wrapped his robe around her, and she was instantly warmer and relaxed.

  His smell was that of petrichor, and she loved that smell. It was the scent of plants rising and streaking toward the light with plenty of water to assist their efforts and soil to feed them.

  “I am not afraid of thunder. If I am home and warm and dry, a nice storm with thunder and lightning is great. The whipping wind, driving rain, it’s all good. If I am outside, I just want some shelter.”

  He pulled her in close. “The rain won’t touch you.”

  She snorted. “I thought you were going to say I wouldn’t get wet.”

  “Ah, I believe it is too late for that.”

  Audra made a face. He wasn’t wrong, but then... “You can seek comfort in the fact that you weren’t the cause.”

  He chuckled. “Are you sure about that?” He extended his hand, and the unicorn dissolved into mist and disappeared.

  “You are a sneaky bastard.”

  He chuckled. “I am not a bastard. My parents tried very ardently to gain my presence before I came into the world.”

  “Fine. Jackass.”

  “Ah, that one I can claim.”

  Audra grunted. “So, are we continuing with the farce of the tour, or are you going to release a rainstorm so I hide under your clothing?”

  He chuckled. “I believe that we can compromise and enter another arena.”

  “What?”

  He held out his hand, and the unicorn reformed, but this time, there were wings involved.

  She wanted to pet it, but she acknowledged that it was a manifestation of Raiden.

  “I actually do want to show you the expanse of Underhill. This is the fastest way to do it. Do you have a head for heights?” His concern seemed genuine.

  “I am fine with heights.”

  He grinned. “Good.” He simply picked her up and walked her the few steps to the steed and put her on the back before climbing up after her. He was sitting over the centre of the wings, and she was perched over the muscles that flexed and flapped as the wings extended.

  The beast took a run, and then, the wings began flapping. They slowly lifted off, and the creature jumped off the slope of a hill; wind caught them and carried them upward. Audra gasped as they climbed, and Raiden gripped the mane of the beast so that he could keep her in the cage of his arms.

  The heaving beat of the wings made them rise and fall with every flex and was a much less erotic rhythm than the canter had been.

  Raiden was leaning forward as they climbed, and she swore that he was inhaling against her hair.

  The steed was running and flying at the same time, and they climbed high before they evened out, and Raiden murmured, “Look down.”

  She looked down, and a fairy tale landscape unfolded under her. “Oh, wow.”

  Her eyes and mind tried to memorize the expanses of green growing spaces full of bright life, small ranges of mountains, and wide lakes. She fixated on the green belts of trees, and her avaricious arborist rose and wanted to take seeds and cuttings.

  “What do you think?”

  “I think it is amazing. Do the trees really have faces?”

  He paused. “You saw that?”

  “Sure. They were watching me while I was moving around in the woods. What are they?”

  “Ancient fey who didn’t want to die or go to the bright lands. They decided to become part of Underhill and simply spend their existences in quiet contemplation.”

  “Oh, so instead of dying...”

  “They root to the ground. It is a choice.”

  “Right. Sure. I can see that. Well, they are lovely trees.”

  He chuckled. “They are. Nosey, too, but they make windbreaks that even the king of the wind has trouble getting through.”

  “So, there is wind as well?”

  “Certainly, and all four seasons. We have the strongest ties to your world, and our power leaks onto your plane constantly.” He chuckled.

  She looked down, and his robe was covering her now as they flew through the sky. She hadn’t even realized when he pulled it forward. The silk of his shirt clung to her back, and he kept his arms around her to keep her from slipping from side to side.

  When they climbed and evened out again, she leaned against one arm and looked directly down below.

  His voice was husky when he whispered, “Not that I mind your breasts on my arm, but you might not be aware of it.”

  She looked down, and she was, indeed, resting her breasts on his forearm. She eased back, and they jolted lightly as they settled back into place. She had been using him as support without realizing it. “Sorry about that.”

  “I enjoyed it, but I thought you might not when you realized it.”

  “Thanks for the notification. I will keep them under control.”

  He chuckled. “That is not a conversation I have ever had with a woman before. Unruly breasts is not generally a concern.”

  “Ah, mine are usually well behaved, but then, I don’t make outfits out of ribbons.”

  “Puck has a funny sense of humour. The ribbons are both to mark you so that if you get lost, you can be directed properly and to make sure that you consent to anything that happens next.”

  “So, when I feel like having sex, the ribbon will unravel.”

  He chuckled. “Precisely.”

  “Interesting. So, Puck lives in the mortal realm?”

  “He does. How did you know?”

  “It is only the last few decades where consent is something that women have been made aware we could enforce. It was an eye-opener for a few generations of women.” She chuckled.

  He made a confirming noise. “In the old days, there was one set of rules, then those rules evolved as folks settled, and new rules when villages sprang up then cities. Each time we dealt with mortals, we had to update what we knew and how we worked into their society. The first of the kings to have found a bride has begun his education and is running a strange little school to bring us up to speed on modern parlance.”

  She glanced back. “Why?”

  “Do you remember that image of the connections between our realms?”

  “Yes.”

  “How do you think they are formed?”

  She paused and then blushed. “Oh, hence the sex talk.”

  “Correct. If the connection is made and agreeable to both parties, our kind can adapt to the new world in the mortal realm. A bride waiting there is a very strong inducement to shake ourselves out of the past.”

  She blinked. “A bride? I always heard that your kind was just after flings.”

  “The initial attraction is fun, but seeking anchors in the world, finding things to look forward to, and the possibility of a line spreading through the human world is an intoxicating inducement.”

  It took her a second, and then, she blinked. “Oh. Children.”

  It was a surreal conversation to be had while they travelled through the sky above a fairy tale world that ran parallel to her own.

  “Yes, children. My kind do not breed easily, but we do hunger for the next generation, so we try a lot.” He nipped her ear, and she yelped. “The trying can be a lot of fun.”

  He had nipped the upper curve of her ear, and the effect had been light lightning straight to her groin. Her body clenched, and she shuddered. That was new. No one had ever touched the top of her ear before.

  He chuckled. “I thought as much. Puck is a sneaky bastard. So, he has found brides that are descended from the fey.”

  She was wary as she turned to look at him. “What now?”

  “A few hundred years ago, one of your ancestors had a child with one of the fey. Not any of those who are left here now, but there is something familiar about the taste of your skin.”

  She put her hand over her ear. “The fact that you are tasting my ear is disturbing.”
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br />   He grinned. “You were caught by surprise, and you are not happy with that.”

  “That is very accurate.”

  He nodded and looked like he was thinking something over, and then, he kissed her. He slid one hand into her hair, and he pressed his lips to hers as he nipped and caressed her until she leaned into him.

  He chuckled against her mouth, and his tongue flicked against her lower lip. He sucked that lip gently, causing a strange throbbing to start deep in her belly.

  He held her in his arms, and the slow and thorough kiss continued. She closed her eyes and kept them closed as her body woke up in his arms. When he lifted his head, he smiled slightly. “Still surprised?”

  “Well, I can see what happened to get fey into my ancestry. You are a very good kisser.”

  He chuckled. “Thank you. With a woman like you in my arms, I did want to get it right.”

  He was holding her tight, but his hand was still decorously wrapped around her bare midriff.

  He smiled. “So, what do you feel about going down?”

  She blushed and then blinked. “Uh, okay.”

  The steed wheeled and arrowed toward the place that Raiden called home. It was then that she realized he meant he wanted to drop altitude. That was good, too. She was wondering how he could manage that manoeuvre on the horse.

  Chapter Four

  The closer they got to the surface, the more she wondered about her decision-making skills. She was really doubting the wisdom of her agreement.

  The unicorn landed lightly and walked toward the door of the stone home of the man behind her. The steed stopped, and she moved to land on the ground, but he kept hold of her, and the hooves, wings, and horn disappeared in a foggy cloud before dissipating completely.

  Raiden was holding her against him, and he shifted his grip, swinging her into his arms completely. Audra squeaked and tried not to make eye contact, but he was looking down at her as he carried her into his home via the front door.

  “Why are these buildings so empty?”

  “The fey have either gone to the mortal realm or the bright lands. There is nothing for them here.” He walked quickly with her down a few dozen halls.