Locket of Fire

By

Elizabeth Lapthorne

ADVANCED READER COPY: DISCLAIMER

This Advance Reader Copy is the property of Elizabeth Lapthorne.
The Advance Reader Copy may not be sold, rented, loaned, or

copied.

This is an uncorrected copy and may differ slightly from the final
published novel, which will be available from Triskelion Publishing

in March 2005.

This work is copyrighted as of March 2005 by Elizabeth Lapthorne.

Prologue

He stared out of the window. Rolling green hills spread out before him as far as
his eyes could see. Dotted here and there, playing on the grass or under the

enormous trees were men, women and children. Everyone had smiles, out
enjoying the gorgeous day for a million different reasons.

The sun shone brightly, but without the stinging heat mid-summer often

brought. The sky stretched into infinity; a clear, utterly perfect blue. Each
reason alone would be more than enough for even the thickest of men to be out

enjoying the day. Or at the very least smiling happily at such perfect
surroundings and weather.

Yet King Llewellyn’s handsome face was marred by a frown. Chiselled features

women across his kingdom swooned over were set and annoyed. He did not see
the perfection of the day, he did not want to bask in the heat of the almost-

summer sun, did not want to wander his enormous green kingdom.

He still could not find that damned Opal locket.

He had offered gold, diamonds, jewels and even the granting of a single wish
for the person who could return the wretched thing to him.

But nada. Nothing. No sign, no hint, not even a whiff of where the priceless

item lay. That bloody bitch Glada must have meant it when she had shrieked at
him and cast it into the blaze of the fire. The magical flames she had enchanted

to lead straight into the hands of the Goddess herself. Glada had shrieked as he
had rushed toward her, offered the Locket to the Goddess, to do with what She

will.

Without that bloody locket he was powerless. Worse still, his Fate, his Destiny
no longer lay in his own hands.

For generations his forefathers had chosen carefully and wisely. For the woman

who could unlock and utilise the powers of the Opal locket were destined to

become Queen. Queen of all the Fey. More importantly, they were Queen to his
King.

Fey, he might be. Stupid he wasn’t.

He, and all his forefathers, had never even let women they considered

unworthy look upon the locket, let alone try to divine its secrets. If one must be
shackled to a woman for three centuries, one might as well have respect for her,

think her worthy of the station she must fulfil, not to mention be able to stand
her company.

Yet that bloody bitch, Glada, had been positively green with jealousy, driven

mad by her desire for the power of the locket. She had cunningly sought and
stolen it from him. He had been hard on her heels, determined to chase her to

the ends of the world. Luckily, it had taken him less than a day to run her and
the precious locket down.

Even so, fast as he had been, Glada had been given more than enough time to

come to the realization she could not wield its power, could not unlock its
secrets.

Driven insane by the knowledge she was not destined to be Queen, despite her

years of planning to become so, Glada had cast the locket into her Enchanted
Fire. She had ranted at him and the world at large, screamed that the Goddess

was to bestow the locket and it’s powers to one whom She considered worthy -
the one whom She considered destined. He and his male arrogance and male

driven pride be damned.

At the end of her shrieking, just as she had cast the Opal Locket of Fire into the
enchanted blaze, he had seen a flash of green and golden light within the fire,

obviously coming from the Locket. Crying out, he had thrust his hand in,
uncaring of the damage to himself. A white-hot bolt of lightning had thrown

him bodily across the room.

The flesh of his hand had not even been singed, though every hair stood up in
place. It had not been the Fire or its Enchantment that had cast him aside. The

Goddess had listened to Glada, and quixotic create She was, the Goddess had
agreed with the insane Fey and had taken the sacred Locket.

The Locket of Fire, the key to his Destiny and his Reign was gone. Disappeared.

He had scoffed at first. The Goddess could not take his locket. Could not decide

his future, nor change his destiny.

Now, after more than six months, Llewellyn felt more open to the possibility.
He still, however, felt sick to his stomach. With no hold over his Destiny, with

no say in whom his Queen could be, the myriad of horrendous possibilities kept
him up most nights, pacing the long stone halls.

Sighing, he left his window and sat cross-legged on his enormous bed. Closing

his eyes, focusing on the mental image of the golden and green fire, as well as
the white-hot bolt that had thrown him, he prayed to the Goddess.

Let me find it. If necessary, let me find ‘Her’. Just let this get started so I can

get back on my feet.

He breathed deeply for a few moments, willed with every iota of his strength,
and prayed for the Goddess to hear and heed his plea.

Slowly, the blackness of his vision cleared.

He saw a beach, the white sand soft and inviting, the blue green waves a

calming crash in the background. And there, staring out into the vastness of the
ocean, he saw a woman. A beautiful woman, of pale though lightly tanned skin.

Underneath her wide hat, made of what he assumed to be woven hay, she had a
wealth of dark blonde, curly hair falling to her shoulders. He could not see the

colour of her eyes, as she faced him in profile, yet he thought they were dark.
Dark, mysterious eyes that seemed full of laughter and secrets.

Llewellyn realised he had been concentrating so heavily on the women, he

found he couldn’t exactly feel his body anymore. Without knowing where it
came from nor realising it had begun, he felt his magic stir deep inside himself.

Llewellyn felt unseen forces lifting him and transporting his body to the scene
he had been viewing. He felt an unfamiliar, yet in no way threatening, feminine

essence guiding him to this place.

The Goddess was indeed moving him, guiding him, just as he had asked.

Heaven help him.

Chapter One

Somewhere on Philip Island—just off the coast of Victoria, Australia.

Katie stared out at the ocean. The strong heat of the mid-summer sun beat
down on her wide brimmed, straw hat. Her shoulder length, dark blond hair

had originally been tucked neatly up underneath the hat, also protected from
the harsh glare of sunlight, but during the morning it had started to fall down.

She didn’t bother to tuck it back up. Not only would it simply fall down again,
but also she could feel her neck getting hot, and she didn’t want to burn. The

thin barrier of her hair would act as a second barrier to the sun, along with the
wide brim of her hat.

Knowing she should move didn’t help her either. Her arms and legs felt heated,

heavy in the bright sunlight, but the warmth felt so wonderful and she needed
its heat so much she couldn’t bear to go back inside.

Not wanting a repeat of a painful lesson in how quickly she could burn in the

incredibly strong, Australian sunlight, she pulled a floppy T-shirt over her blue
and white bikini. After years of struggling with her weight, she had finally

resigned herself to the fact she would never be model thin. A voluptuous size
fourteen was her natural state, and it felt too good to eat whatever she wanted

to try and give it up by dieting now.

Besides, much like anywhere else in the world, there were fat and skinny, tall
and short people here on the Victorian beach. Katie knew she would, by no

means, be the skinniest woman around, yet after a good talking to herself, she
could now show her body off in a bikini without wanting to cringe in

embarrassment.

Looking back out to sea, Katie wondered if she were positioned to swim to
Tasmania, or the Antarctic. Laughing at herself, she realised she should have

paid more attention in Geography classes back in school.

What the hell had brought her all the way out here? She mused. Katie
understood herself well enough to know she sometimes acted before thinking.

Okay, maybe she regularly did odd things simply because they felt right at the
time. Yet, even for her, this time she might have bitten off more than she could

chew.

Still grieving for much-beloved parents, who had passed away nearly two years
ago, Katie had been struggling to move back into reality for a while. Losing her

job last week had not been foreseen or in her carefully structured plan.
However, it fell right into the hazy fantasies she had been daydreaming about

for what felt like an age.

Go on an extended holiday, move somewhere exotic.

It sounded like something cheesy out of a cheap fortune cookie, yet the thrill,
the adventure would not leave her mind. Exotic locales, flittered through her

mind at the oddest times, and the freedom of visiting somewhere completely
foreign continued to tempt her and tease her senses worse than the most

decadent last slice of cheesecake.

After clearing out her desk, wishing a cheerful goodbye to her newly ex-fellow
captives in the cubicle, Katie had travelled home on the public transport with a

huge smile plastered on her face as she juggled the bulky box of her meagre
work possessions.

She had ditched most of her work items into the trash and eagerly packed her

parent’s old suitcase with her more outrageous and flirty clothes. Katie had
carefully packed her remaining possessions into boxes and labelled them to be

sent by her kindly landlord into storage.

She had checked her savings online, worked out a few numbers with a pad of
paper and pen, and then confidant in herself if nothing else picked up a dart.

Moving to the enormous wall-map of the world, she had silently contemplated
it.

Egypt beckoned temptingly to her, with its desert heat, sexy sheikhs and long

camel rides to the Sphinx and Pyramids. The Sahara would be a challenge and
beauty unlike anything she had ever seen and for a split second, the image

shimmered erotically before her. But then she could hear her mother’s voice in
her head, cautioning her still.

“Now Katie-girl. Don’t go somewhere where you’re more likely to end up as

a fourth string harem wife! Pick again, my darling.”

Letting her eyes rove, she pondered an African safari, which she silently
admitted felt just as tempting as Egypt, but also she knew it would be just as

dangerous to travel alone.

Slowly, she moved her eye up to backpacking through various countries. The
United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and Russia all subsequently called to her

—China and Tokyo also waved, vying for some attention.

Katie took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She could feel the excitement well
up in her, could feel the significance, the beginning of her destiny flower and

blossom in this moment. Letting the joy within her well, letting the freedom of
her choice, of this “beginning-the-rest-of-her-life” feeling envelop her, she sent

a quick prayer to her mother and father.

Guide me to the right place for me to start again, Mom, she begged.

Taking a huge breath, keeping her eyes tightly shut, she threw the dart at the
map.

Hearing the solid thunk of the dart as it hit into the wall and the very faint rip

as it penetrated the map somewhere, Katie’s eyes flew open. Rushing over, she
peered the location the dart had fallen. It had indeed struck land, somewhere

down the bottom of Australia, of all places!

A huge grin crossed her face. Childhood memories of Crocodile Dundee and
weather beaten, smiling, overly friendly men all crammed for attention. Much

of the land was beautiful and vastly contrasted as well. Scenes of pictures from
movies and magazines flashed through her mind. Australia had everything

from golden beaches to swamps. The land was also famous for its arid desert
and Ayers Rock.

She could easily spend years working her way around and exploring the vast

land!

Taking a closer look, she saw the dart itself had fallen down near the bottom
Eastern coast, in the state of Victoria. Katie carefully kept her finger where the

dart had landed and gently pulled it free of the map and wall.

Down near the capitol, Melbourne, the point had landed smack in the middle of
an island just off Port Philip Bay.

Philip Island.

Katie had splurged and spent a sizeable chunk of her savings on a plane ticket

to Melbourne. The flight had been unendingly long and arduous. Katie had
constantly revived herself by daydreaming all the different adventures she

could and would do. From Melbourne, she had splurged once again and bought
a second hand car. The drive had only been a few hours, and the popular Island

was well marked for tourists.

Now, three weeks later and heading into the middle of summer, she was golden
tan, working in the local bakery over the inordinately busy summer holiday

season to earn some cash, and loving every minute of her time here.

Yet, something drew her to the sea. Something had her sitting out here on the
warm, sandy beach at all sorts of odd hours, and staring out into the sea.

Almost as if something here sang to her, drew her. Smiling and shaking her
head at her silliness, Katie stood and, not even bothering to dust the sand from

her ass, headed to the edge of the sea.

Maybe she just needed to collect some seashells. Bending to her task, Katie
picked up a few pretty items here and there. A pink shell, a huge purple one, the

sunlight caught and glinted from a strange looking blue-ish shell.

Intrigued, Katie picked it up, brushing sand away from it. Bending low to look
at it as she lifted it up, she felt startled to find it a heart-shaped pendant on a

silver chain. Despite the fact it must have been in the ocean, the silver shone
perfectly, and except for a tiny trace of sand, no indication of damage could be

seen by her eyes.

Amazed, Katie turned the beautiful necklace over in her hands. She could feel
the power in the necklace. The stunning stone seemed to glow with an inner

fire, almost as if it were a living, breathing thing. Its heat, its power caressed
her face and her neck, it sent warmth through her arms and hands.

Katie looked around the beach, both on the sand and in the water. For a

moment, she wondered if some poor girl had been swimming and lost her
precious necklace. Yet Katie couldn’t see anyone either in the water, or close by

on the beach, madly searching for a lost item of jewellery.

Katie looked back down at the necklace once more. The pendant seemed to
practically breathe its fire at her. Mostly blue, there were unusual flecks of

white, red, black and green in it. Racking her brain, she tried to remember
where she had seen a gem like this.

As if being handed the answer, she recognised it as an opal. Indigenous to

Australia, it was one of the very, very few places on earth the semi-precious
stone was mined.

Oh boy! Threading the silver chain through her fingers, Katie let the sunlight

glint and sparkle from both the chain and the small, heart-shaped gem.

Once again, Katie could feel the power inside the pendant, could feel almost
invisible hands and arms reaching out to her, drawing her somewhere. The

more she looked at the necklace, the deeper she could feel the fire burn inside
the locket and resonate deep inside her chest. She had heard and read articles

about how opals were considered Fire Stones, rare gems that shone with an
inner fire, an inner light that were incredibly rare in any other stone.

“Thank you for finding my locket,” a deep, masculine voice sounded from

beside her. Instinctively, Katie closed the pendant protectively into her hand
and looked up.

One of the most handsome men she had ever seen stood beside her. Light

brown hair, carelessly styled in curls around his face, blew every which way in
the gentle sea breeze. Dark brown eyes bored into her, almost as if he could

read her every secret and thought.

“Your locket?” she repeated stupidly, trying desperately to gather her wits. The
man wore soft looking blue pants and a lighter blue shirt. His feet were bare as

they both stood just on the edge of the water, though he didn’t seem to even
notice the warm waves as they lapped at his feet, crashing softly around where

they stood. He seemed purely focused on her. Or maybe the necklace, the little
voice in her head reminded her.

Katie frowned. While her instinct instantly believed he was connected with the

pendant, something felt strange about the whole situation. This man had not
been walking towards her ten seconds ago when she had visually scoured the

beachside.

Her fist tightened over the necklace.

The man seemed to sense he had put her on edge. He smiled brightly, almost
too brightly to her mind, and lowered his voice to a soothing, charming tone.

“That locket is a family heirloom of mine. I lost it and just saw you pick it up. I

wanted to thank you for finding it for me. My name is Llewellyn.”

“I’m Katie. And I didn’t see you just moments ago. I looked around to see if
someone dropped it. Where did you come from?”

Katie watched as Llewellyn’s eyes narrowed in on her. He didn’t seem annoyed

or upset, indeed he seemed to be concentrating deeply on her. As if he were
trying to figure something out. Katie blinked her eyes, slightly confused at the

odd rush of thoughts through her head. You really need to get a grip, she
chided to herself.

“I was just down the beach a little. It really is my locket.”

Katie studied Llewellyn as much as he seemed to be studying her. The hand

that held the necklace grew warmer for a moment. The fire didn’t seem hot, it
didn’t even seem to be coming from her hand, but from inside the opal itself.

Without meaning to, or even thinking about it, Katie opened her mouth.

“The opal is yours, but you’re supposed to give it away, it doesn’t belong to
you.”

Not really knowing where the words had come from, Katie felt her face

flushing.

Oh my gosh, was that really me saying those words? For a moment, she felt
overcome with the urge to thrust the pendant and chain into his hands and run

away. She had a strange feeling that even though this man, Llewellyn, looked to
be the sexiest man she had met in years, she knew he would be trouble.

He made her do strange things like not handing over a trinket to someone

saying they are the owner, and the locket she held tightly in her hand seemed to
make her think and say strange things as well. Even knowing these things,

Katie fought through the urge to simply run away and go back to her boring life.
A tiny part of her brain, the part she sometimes labelled her intuition, insisted

the Opal had “given” her the thoughts and knowledge that seemed so bizarre
and alien.

Much as she wanted to shy away, to thrust the pendant into Llewellyn’s hands

and run back to her small apartment, Katie’s curiosity got the better of her.

Why the hell not stay and find out what’s happening? Her mind insisted. It’s
not as if she had other plans she couldn’t break. On top of that, Llewellyn didn’t

look like a troll, he would be delicious eye candy for the duration of whatever
the hell was going on here. Her mother had always said that eye candy was

calorie free, so why not indulge?

Not only did he seem easy on the eyes, but he didn’t seem to be acting like some
axe-wielding, mass murderer. Katie couldn’t remember the last time a sexy-as-

hell man had hung around her with that gleam Llewellyn had in his eye. That
wicked, “wouldn’t-it-be-great-if-we-could-get-it-on” look. It had been years

since any man had that glint in his eyes when talking to Katie if truth be told.
Why not push him into dinner and get an explanation?

While she thought, Llewellyn seemed to be staring at her even more deeply
than he had a moment ago.

“Have an early lunch with me?” he offered, holding out a hand for her to take.

Katie thought for all of one second. She wanted to know what was going on. She

wanted to explore the pendant, or locket, or whatever the hell it was. She
wanted to see for herself what Llewellyn would say. Reaching up, she clasped

the necklace around her neck, tucking it under her T-shirt so as to not tease
Llewellyn.

“Let me put my shorts and sandals on,” she said as she headed back up the

beach to where her discarded clothes and shoes lay.

A minute later, with sandals and shorts on, they walked back up to the road
together, hand in hand. It felt strange, as she had only met him minutes before,

yet somehow it felt comfortable at the same time. Katie knew she had a million
questions for this man, but she felt happy for the moment just walking up the

street and holding his hand.

He seemed to be in no rush, and Katie loved that. Llewellyn was content to let
this thing between them take its own time and unfold as it should. Katie didn’t

want to bombard him with questions, and he seemed to be similarly disinclined
to rush things.

She enjoyed walking slowly past the stalls and shops scattered so closely to the

edge of the beach. Ice cream stalls, hat, and sunscreen vendors sat lazily on
collapsible chairs. In this summer heat, everyone seemed to be feeling

incredibly lazy.

Hand in hand, they strolled up the main street, content in the silence of each
other’s company.

Chapter Two

Katie led Llewellyn to a fish and chip shop. The beach area held a number of
them, proving just how popular they were. Katie smiled as she remembered her

shock the first time she had come to eat here.

Chips were actually French Fries. Though she had guessed this, it still made her
smile at how identical food items could be called something completely foreign.

The fish, on the other hand had come as a greater shock.

The black board behind the service counter had chalk listings of everything the
small take-away sold. The fish listed was called “Flake”. Remembering her

second day here in Australia, Katie had innocently asked what type of fish Flake
actually was. The large man behind the counter had looked at her oddly, but

politely explained Flake was Shark meat.

Having already ordered a piece of Flake as well as minimum chips and two
potato cakes, Katie didn’t feel confidant enough to cancel the order. The man

had smiled kindly down at her, and reassured her.

“Don’t you worry, little lady. We Aussie’s have been eating Flake for over fifty
years, and no one’s been sick yet. I’d recommend you don’t question too deeply

if you think you won’t like the answers.”

Just as the man had said, Flake tasted delicious. Hot, buttery, and a very light
tasting fish, she gobbled it down in no time. From then on, Katie had

determined if something looked fine and tasted fine, she wouldn’t ask what
food it was, just what its name was so she could order it again.

Surprisingly, she had found little food she didn’t enjoy. Though when she had

asked for jelly, to make some sandwiches with, she received the weirdest looks,
and was directed to Jell-O. She had discovered Australia didn’t make jelly, but

they instead called their Jell-O jelly.

A strange bunch of people.

Katie turned her head slightly so she could continue to walk, but still catch a

glimpse of the handsome man beside her. She had no idea why she felt resistant
to the idea of giving him back the necklace. She knew it wasn’t hers, had never

seen it before, yet the necklace felt so right sitting around her neck. It almost
felt as if the necklace itself accepted her and was content to be with her.

Something deep inside her gut made her believe, because of this, it might
indeed be hers.

Katie shook her head in confusion. The necklace can’t feel, she insisted to

herself. And it sure as hell can’t send feelings to me! It’s just a lovely piece of
jewellery.

A piece of jewellery that heats in your hand every time you think of letting it

and this whole situation go and just returning it to Llewellyn, her mind silkily
reminded her.

Katie grimaced as she and Llewellyn continued to walk down the street. Every

time she seriously thought about handing the opal back to Llewellyn and going
back to her average existence, the locket would heat up. And it wasn’t the

warm, welcoming heat she had felt upon initially picking the jewellery up, or
when she held it tightly in her hand. It felt…like a warning heat, a cautionary

heat.

“Will Flake and chips be okay for you?” she asked Llewellyn politely as she drew
to a halt outside the fish and chip shop.

Llewellyn looked at her face a moment, and Katie wondered what he was

thinking. Llewellyn seemed to make a snap decision and he nodded at her,
smiling to convey his trust in her. His mind almost seemed to be elsewhere, as

his gaze seemed to cloud over as he returned to his own thoughts.

“Sure thing,” he said easily to her.

Quickly stepping inside the small shop, Katie made their order, paid for it, and
then took their receipt number. Exiting the shop, making sure Llewellyn

followed her out, Katie sat down on one of the benches just outside the door,
inhaling the fresh sea air deeply.

“I’d rather wait out here, in the fresh air,” she explained as she indicated for

Llewellyn to sit beside her on the wooden bench. She smiled as he gently shook
his head and took a few paces up and down the street.

“So, Llewellyn,” she turned slightly so she could look at him as he paced. She

glanced back at the shop, as she didn’t want to miss their number being called.

“Tell me about this heirloom locket of yours,” she invited.

Katie watched patiently as Llewellyn gazed up and down the crowded beach
road, took a few paces up and down again, and then with a large sigh, sat down

next to her on the bench.

“There’s not a lot to tell,” he said, completely unconvincingly. Katie could tell by
his manner alone he wasn’t happy with the turn in conversation. He clasped his

hands around his knee, and wouldn’t meet her gaze. If he had been a teenager,
Katie bet to herself, he would be turning bright red and stammering.

“It’s a family heirloom—one that is always passed on from the…father…to the

eldest son in each generation. When they find their…uh…wife…they give her
the locket as a symbol of their love and faithfulness. That’s about it.”

Katie could feel the heart-shaped pendant grow warm against her skin. It felt as

if the locket was agreeing with his words, but straining for more. For a split
second, Katie could imagine the locket growing a voice and crying out “And?

Don’t stop there! There’s far more to me than ‘That’!”

Katie stared at his handsome face, willing him to tell her more.

“And?” she finally prompted.

Llewellyn looked at her, searchingly. Katie wondered what exactly he looked
for. After a minute, with a bland face, he shrugged.

“And what?”

“And so your wife was careless enough to drop it by the edge of the water?”

Katie looked significantly down at his bare finger.

“Uh,” Llewellyn thought for a second, and Katie wondered if he would outright
lie. So far he had merely not told her the whole truth.

“I don’t have a wife, yet. The necklace was taken by a person I know. It was…a

prank...of sorts.”

Katie frowned at him. Not only did she suddenly feel fed up with his blocking of
her questions, but she felt heartily weary of his treating her as if she had no

brain. She opened her mouth, about to blast him, when she heard a shout from
inside the fish and chip shop, “Docket number eighty-three!”

“Bloody bastard,” she swore, surprised to find the very Australian expletive

coming from her lips. A few weeks here, hearing the surfers and sunbathers

talking and cursing and she found herself following suit.

Standing up with a jerk, throwing a fuming glare at the sexy man sitting next to
her, grinning his relief, Katie stomped into the shop. Exchanging a smile with

the owner, she took the paper wrapped parcel and, without even glancing
behind her to see if the annoying, sexy, hard-headed man followed her, she

headed back towards the beach.

Katie found a fairly bare stretch of sand and sat down cross-legged in it. She
took a deep breath as she saw Llewellyn stop beside her.

“Sit down. Let’s eat and then we can argue about this to our heart’s content.”

Not waiting to hear whether he agreed with her plan or not, Katie started

unwrapping the already greasy paper. Being careful to keep the sand away from
the food, Katie soon had the paper spread out as a blanket across the sand, with

the fish and chips sitting neatly in the middle.

Sitting up straight, Katie beamed at herself. Really, she thought as she
remembered the fumbling manner she had tried to eat her first meal of the

Australian fast food, I’m getting the hang of this rather well.

As she mentally patted herself on the back, she became aware of just how close
Llewellyn sat beside her. Hastily, she picked up one of the pieces of fish and

broke a piece from it. Waving to the chips and the other piece of Flake, she said,
“Help yourself,” as she bit into the tender piece of fish.

She watched as Llewellyn similarly broke a piece from his large piece of fish

and popped it into his mouth. Katie found herself surprised at how something
so ordinary could appear so sensual with this man. As he gazed out into the

vastness of the ocean, chewing the fish thoughtfully, Katie became entranced
with the intricate movement of his jaws.

Katie blushed as she realized she had been staring. She turned her head

quickly, and watched the waves crash on the edge of the sand. What was it
about this man that appealed to her so much?

Popping a few chips into her mouth, Katie chewed and thought. Gazing out to

sea and sneaking glances at the handsome man sitting next to her, she felt
herself relax as the greasy fish and chips filled her stomach.

In between savouring the saltiness of the sea breeze and the food she ate, she

couldn’t help the few lascivious thoughts that crossed her mind. Llewellyn’s oil
slick lips and fingers brought to mind the smooth and salty taste they would

have if she licked him. The slow, steady way he seemed to savour the food made
her wonder if he would use the same slow, sensual enjoyment when it came to

his lovemaking.

When she found herself imaging Llewellyn leaning close and slowly removing
her shirt, feeling her nipples peak, Katie pulled her thoughts back to reality.

“So,” she cleared her throat and waved an offer of the last few chips to

Llewellyn, “what is really the deal between you and this necklace. I believe you
when you say it’s yours, but I think there’s a hell of a lot more to it than you’re

letting on.”

Katie watched as the man casually licked his fingers and lips. Seeing his tongue
dart over his smooth skin, and then slide back into his mouth had her

squirming in the sand. She watched him as he dug his feet into the sand and
lay down on his arms.

Katie smiled. He looked like he was preparing himself for a good, long chat.

“What makes you think there is more to it than what I’ve said?” he said, not

even looking at her. He gazed out, watching the waves come in from the ocean.

Katie watched him for a moment, and then raised a hand to touch the heart-
shaped opal through her thin shirt. She shrugged, unable to really articulate the

feelings, emotions, and heat she felt from the pendant.

“Just a feeling,” she finally conceded.

Llewellyn turned his head away from the ocean and stared hard at her. Katie
didn’t look at him, not wanting to admit to anything more. It sounded crazy

enough to her, she didn’t want him to realise she felt heat emanating from an
opal and silver pendant. He’d be calling the men in the white coats for her.

“A feeling,” he said slowly, as if tasting the words for their content. “From the

necklace?”

Katie blushed and refused to meet his eyes as she continued to stare out at the
crashing waves. It sounded silly enough, but she somehow sensed he knew

something about this that she didn’t… why shouldn’t she be honest? It’s not as
if she knew him or cared about his opinion.

“I can feel heat from it too. And I can practically hear it shouting that there’s

more to it, more to the story than you’re saying.”

For a moment Katie thought she might have said too much. Llewellyn looked at

her silently for a number of minutes, seemingly taking in every one of her
features. Katie returned his look with a glare of her own. She had spoken her

mind and the truth. She wouldn’t back down. If he thought she were a raving
lunatic he was more than welcome to leave.

“Okay. Let’s try it this way instead. How about you tell me a little about yourself

and the impressions the locket gives you, and then I will tell you the full truth.”

Katie cocked her head to one side. Llewellyn seemed to only want to buy
himself some time. She could go with this. Her life was extremely yawn-worthy,

she could summarise herself in less than five minutes.

“Fine, but be ready, this will only take a minute.” Katie waited until he had
nodded, and then she shrugged.

“My name is Katie McMillon. I’m in my late twenties. I’m from Mississippi. My

parents died a few years ago and I was exceedingly close to them. My mom
practised Wicca, my dad was a Christian, though an admittedly loose one. It

took me a while to get over their deaths, and just as I was coming out of the
grief from them I was fired from my job. I decided I wanted to see more of the

world, to explore more. I literally threw a dart at a map of the world and ended
up here.”

Katie looked back out at the sea, wondering what else there really was to say.

Shrugging, she just spoke without thinking.

“I want to experience life, want to be able to look back in ten years time and not
regret the choices I made, to not wish wistfully that I’d gone on that trip or

experienced that culture. I want to make something of my life.”

Shrugging again, she turned to face the man next to her.

“So, that’s me in a nut shell. What’s your deal?”

Chapter Three

Llewellyn silently cursed Glada and Fate. How the hell was he supposed to
make a life-altering decision on less than half an hours’ meeting? Every other

woman he had considered showing the locket to he had known for weeks—
months—even years in some cases.

Yet this woman alone, a human for the Goddess’ sake, now held his locket, and

claimed to feel its heat and hear its calling. No one, not even he, really knew
how the locket worked. It seemed to differ slightly from couple to couple. All

he knew, beyond a doubt, was the woman he and the locket jointly chose would
be his Queen. Their hearts and soul’s would merge, and they would rule the Fey

for the next three hundred years.

He also knew he had to choose wisely and well. Not just because the woman
they decided on would rule beside him for the next three centuries, but also

because the locket was an integral aspect of the sacred ritual, and if he had
chosen purely by himself, and not with the locket’s approval, the ritual would

not work, and then they would both be in deep shit.

“Well?” Katie injected impatiently into his thoughts. Llewellyn smiled. She
seemed as completely unlike any of this other chosen paramours as possible.

No pale, creamy skin here. No tiny, petite women he could sneeze on and blow
away. This woman had sun streaked, dark blond hair, a tanned and voluptuous

body. She also seemed to speak her mind and have quite a sharp brain behind
her beautiful eyes.

All good aspects in a woman—just completely unlike his normal choice of

bedmates.

“Well, the legend surrounding that locket is that only a woman who can unlock
its secrets can marry the…men…of my family. Usually when we’re ready to

settle down and chose our life partner, when we’re ready to commit to them, we
bestow the locket upon them.” Katie caught her breath as Llewellyn smiled

charmingly. His handsome features brightened and he looked like an
unbelievably sexy, alluring man. “We then pray diligently that they can unlock

its secrets.”

Katie smiled back, completely lost in his handsome face. His cheeky grin
charmed her, as he laughed at himself and the men of his line. She had to shake

her head and concentrate as he continued.

“When the women prove to be able to unlock the secrets, the Priestesses
consider them “worthy” and we can…uh…marry…and live happily ever after.”

Llewellyn couldn’t help the huge smile that crossed over his face. Katie looked

absolutely adorable, torn somewhere between disbelief and outrage. He knew
how she would react to his explanation, but he had made a calculated risk. Say

a few words she would fume and concentrate on, and hopefully she wouldn’t
pay attention to his other hesitations.

“Prove worthy?” she spluttered and Llewellyn had a hard time not laughing

outright. The harder she tried to talk to him, the more she worked up her anger,
the more incoherent her speech became.

“Unlock the secrets! Let me tell you something, oh High and Mighty One!”

Llewellyn felt his eyes narrow again. Even though she seemed to be speaking
partly in an angry sort of jest, he could tell that in her outrage she seemed to be

drawing on a power, drawing on something else that wasn’t purely her own
internal strength. Only the Priestesses called him the “High” or “Mighty” One,

as his station in life allowed. Yet Katie couldn’t possibly know anything about
that, about who he really was or anything about his Royalty.

Unless she was channelling without realising it, she had to be drawing on the

feminine power of the Fire in the Opal Locket. How else could he explain the
specific wording she used?

He felt his heart sinking as he realised in her annoyance and temper with him,

she unknowingly and unwittingly seemed to draw power, as well as the fire,
from the locket, and it accepted her without a qualm.

She was his Queen, and he would have a hell of a time convincing her of her

duty. Sure, it would make life incredibly interesting – but he had a feeling there
were a number of things he would have to explain to her that would bring

nothing but arguments. Like the Ceremony.

Llewellyn could feel his chest tighten as he realised he would have a very long
road to travel ahead of him.

“You make it sound like some sort of honour to be chosen by ‘the men of my

line’.”

Llewellyn could no more halt the laughter bubbling inside him than he could
stop the wind. The utter contempt and scathing scorn positively dripped from

her words. The comical face she wore, trying to imitate him also had him
grinning.

Annoying she might prove to be, but he would get a million laughs from her.

If he could convince her he needed her.

“Let me tell you something else, My Liege, many women wouldn’t consider it
the height of their life-purpose to be proposed to by you! Some women want

their own lives, want their own destinies. Some of us do not wish to become
Fairy Princesses, and rule a Kingdom. Some of us want to live on our own terms

and find our own men who love us for being ourselves and not just because
their prophesies would be fulfilled. I’ve always hated how the Cinderella and

Snow White’s of the world never had anything better to do than bow and scrape
to their princes. I sincerely hope once that ring was on their finger they gave

them holy hell!”

Llewellyn opened his mouth to interject. Now that Katie had paused to take a
deep breath, he hoped to calm her down a little. Yet the odd light in her eyes

flickered, and he saw a dawning knowledge appear in their brown depths.

“Could you please explain to me,”she started very softly, “how the hell do I
suddenly know you’re some Fey Prince looking for his Queen and trying to find

a way to sweep me off to something completely alien to me? Should I be
looking for the local loony bin to check myself into?”

Llewellyn took another deep breath.

“It’s the locket. I believe in your anger you unknowingly drew on its power, fire,

and knowledge, and now some of each have entered your head. I am only
assuming this, I couldn’t swear to it. Tell me though, does everyone here in

your world have these same opinions as you?”

Llewellyn could tell she felt grateful for the momentary distraction.

“Don’t be stupid. I figure that, much like your world, most women here would
give their right arm to be a Fairy Princess. Unlike most of the rest of the world,

I learnt from Princess Di. I realise it’s more than hot baths and heaps of jewels.
It’s politics and hard work and smiling till your face wants to crack. It also

seems deadly dull and a hell of a lot of work for a few pretty gems and dresses.
I’d rather stay here, thanks all the same.”

Llewellyn felt panic overtake him for the first time as she reached back to

remove the necklace. She couldn’t refuse to come back with him. Sure, she
wouldn’t have been his first, or even second choice in a companion, and

certainly not as his Queen, but if Fate had chosen her to be his partner, he
couldn’t really argue.

He needed to convince her to stay with him, to seduce her and introduce her
into the better side of Fey Royal life. Llewellyn thought quickly as he reached

forward to stop her hands from unclasping the locket.

“Don’t take it off!” he cried out, his feet throwing sand up everywhere as he
lunged to stop her removing the necklace. He saw a moment’s worth of panic

flicker through her eyes.

“Why?” she asked cautiously.

Llewellyn struggled to think for a moment.

“Now you’ve drawn on the powers you can’t take it off unless we do a ritual.”

Llewellyn nearly smiled as he saw panic be replaced by a calculating wariness.
She mightn’t have been his own choice had he simply bumped into her in a

meadow somewhere, but she had one hell of a sharp brain, and for that, he felt
eternally grateful. Sharp enough to be cautious of the cock-and-bull story he

had created in that instant. That sort of brains would serve her very well back at
the court.

“What sort of ritual? I don’t do blood, pain, or anything weird.”

He chuckled and started folding up their rubbish. Screwing up the paper from

the remains of their meal, he stood in the soft sand and held out his other hand.
Smiling warily, she lifted up her hand and accepted it, accepted him. He felt his

grin broaden.

“Who said anything about weird? Besides, you might find weird isn’t quite as
bad as you imagine.”

“Llewellyn,” she said warningly, and he couldn’t help the laughter that spilled

from him.

“Come for a walk,” he insisted, throwing the waste away in a bin up at the edge
of the sand. “Let’s talk more before we decide to do anything rash.”

Enjoying her capitulation, even on this short acquaintance he knew it would

not be repeated too often, he led them back to where the ocean hit the sand.
Enjoying the sand and sea beneath his feet, they began to walk.

“Tell me more about your homeland,” Katie said shyly, looking out to the sea.

Surprised and touched, Llewellyn held her hand tighter and began to regale her

with a loving description of his home world.

Hand in hand, they walked along the beach.

Chapter Four

Katie strolled along the beach and concentrated on the enjoyment and
simplicity of the smaller pleasures in her life. She inhaled the salty freshness of

the sea breeze, closed her eyes and focused on the pleasure from the warmth of
the sun on her face and her arms. She tried to memorize the sensations

surrounding her, the coolness of the sea as it swelled gently around her ankles
and the grittiness of the sand between her toes.

As they walked, she looked out to the endless blue of the sea, and listened as

Llewellyn talked of his homeland. He described rolling green hills and clear,
perfect blue skies. He told her of men in shining armour who rode horses and

of draughty castles with secret passages.

He told her of bonfires more than three people tall, and how he and friends
would dance around them, giving thanks to the Gods and Goddesses. He

explained about dragons not making good pets —their sense of humour is really
off and they were found to be too temperamental to become fully domesticated

—and how most women grew giggly and stupid in his presence.

“Why?” she finally queried. Up until now she hadn’t come across a question
burning enough to make her want to interrupt the lilting cadence of his voice

and the story he wove around them both.

But the casual reference to how women would grow silly and giggly around him
struck a chord in her somewhere. This bothered her in some way and she

couldn’t put her finger on exactly why. Llewellyn looked at her as she asked her
question, blinking as if he were awakening from a trance or very deep thought.

A frown wrinkled his forehead and his eyes became focused on her once more.

“Why, what?” he asked.

“Why do most women become giggling imbeciles in your presence? Sure,
you’re hot, but so what? Half the men surfing in the sea here are hot, but you

don’t see all the women here doing more than have a decent perv on the
delicious eye candy!”

Katie watched in great interest as Llewellyn chewed over his thoughts as they
continued to walk.

“Well, they turn all giggly, usually because…uh…stories have a tendency to…

umm…gossip is rife…ahh…”

Katie sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Oh.” Great, just perfect, she groused. Not only does the politics make your
head spin, but the place will be littered with his ex-lovers and ex-mistresses.

Just bloody brilliant.

Katie cringed when she heard how Australianified her thoughts and slang had
become. A few weeks in the country, listening to the people all around her

talking and grouching, and her American accent had a decided Aussie twang.

“Fine. Well, I have a perfect solution to all of this.” Katie missed his look of
apprehension. Her temper seemed to be bubbling once more, and as she

watched the waves crash and rumble, so lost in her own thoughts, she
completely missed the wariness that had overcome Llewellyn.

Katie could feel the opal against her chest begin to heat up again. She felt her

own internal power, her confidence as a woman build and grow. If she was to
be stuck with this man until they could perform whatever the hell ritual they

needed to do in order to remove the bloody locket, then she would insist on it
being only her hands upon his chest, or running through that silky softness of

his hair.

It wouldn’t be until later she would wonder where all this power and personal
confidence came from. Until she had made the final decision to come here to

Australia, she had never held so much self-assurance and confidence.

“I decree,” she said in strong, confidant tones, to the world at large and out over
the ocean, “that no other woman except myself will be allowed touch your

skin.”

Smiling, feeling herself return back to normal and enjoying her personal
assurance, she faced Llewellyn.

“There! Wow, I came over all strong and confident-like, didn’t I? Well, now

that I’ve made up my mind all we need to do is tell everyone and explain—”

“I am most certain they all heard.”

Katie frowned.

“What do you mean they heard? How could they? No one from your…place…is
around here are they?”

Katie looked around her, half expecting to see some ditzy blonde all angry at

her holding Llewellyn’s hand. Katie frowned as she wondered again what
Llewellyn had meant, she couldn’t see anyone even vaguely close or even within

hearing distance who seemed upset at what she had just decreed.

Llewellyn grabbed her wrist and started them walking down the edge of the
water once more.

“That has nothing to do with it. You made a decree, sealed it with your power.

Damn it. You really can’t go along using the locket like this. You’re going to
drive my personal secretary nuts.”

“Hang on! I just said some words, I didn’t make a…” Katie paused when she

remembered her wording. “Do you really mean all I have to say is: “I decree”
and it becomes law? Wicked cool!”

Llewellyn sighed the sigh of a martyr. Katie almost felt sorry for him until she

remembered the mythical Fey palace littered with his ex lovers.

“Not just say the words, Katie. You need to use the power of the locket. At least
until we…erm...until you become…”Llewellyn sighed and shook his head. Katie

frowned again, wishing he would finish a sentence for once. “Never mind,” he
said and she decided to let the whole thing go. She didn’t even want to know.

Katie frowned as they continued slowly walking along the edge of the beach.

Really, she thought sourly, nothing much had made sense since she’d found
the damned opal and even less so since she’d put it on.

“We are going to do the ritual to remove the necklace, right?” she asked. Katie

watched the ground and the perfectly clear, warm water wash around her feet
as she splashed a bit. “I don’t have three centuries to spare running around

playing Queen to your King. I am by no means old, but I have better things to
do with my next fifty odd years than trying to escape assassination attempts

and sitting through deadly dull political sessions. I want to explore the world
here! Not become some weird Fairy Queen!”

She watched as Llewellyn snorted. Honestly, how could a man snort with

laughter and still appear so damned sexy!

“Weird Fairy Queen?” he asked.

“Oh shut up! And stop that!”

“Stop what?” Great, she grouched to herself, staring out into the ocean. Not
only can he snort and still look sexy, but he can look perplexed and still be

sexy. No wonder the damn place has his ex-lovers everywhere. I am in deep
shit here.

“Stop looking so sexy.” She gnawed her lower lip and tried to think of a way to

get out of this predicament without becoming even more attached to the man
who held her hand. How the hell could everything spin out of control so fast?

“Stop looking at me like that, and stop running your hand through your hair
like that. And for heaven’s sake stop furrowing your brow. It isn’t allowed!”

Katie tried to work up her anger, but it just wouldn’t come. He looked too damn

sexy to be really mad at.

Katie frowned even more as Llewellyn chuckled, but she didn’t fight him as he
stopped, and drew her close to him. He trapped her legs between his and

wrapped his arms very tightly around her. He drew her even nearer, and they
basked in each other’s arms and the sunlight for a moment.

“You find me sexy,” he softly teased her. Katie looked up into his dark brown

eyes, glinting wickedly with laughter and suppressed amusement.

“Well,” she pouted, “that’s not exactly hard, you know. I find a number of men
sexy. Heaps of men in fact.”

“You find me sexy,” he repeated teasingly, bending his head down to be closer

to hers. Katie knew he was about to kiss her. She wanted to pull away, wanted
to stop him. Yet she felt herself curious. Questions like how soft his lips were,

whether he would press her hard or wait for her to make a move. She felt
incredibly curious and desperately wanted to feel him against her lips.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, drew him slightly closer to her. He

bent his head and softly pressed his lips against her. He felt firm, but soft. He
did indeed press her, but not hard. Katie felt almost as if he drew her towards

him. Sucked her down inside him until they meshed.

Katie opened her mouth, moaned, and slowly flicked her tongue out. She found
the tip of his, warm and damp. He felt strong in her arms, as if he truly were

some knight of old. He felt sturdy and muscled in all the right places, hard and
determined as he pressed his groin into the softness of her belly.

Katie moaned and arched into his embrace. She duelled with his tongue, the old

man/woman duel that had occurred throughout the centuries. Time ticked by,
and Katie felt herself becoming lost in the sensations, uncaring whether anyone

watched or noticed them there together. The crash of the ocean roared in her
ears, the heat of the sun waned in the burning heat of her own lusts and desires,

and the warmth emanating from Llewellyn’s body.

Finally, after what felt like a delicious forever, Llewellyn pulled back slightly.

“Take us home, Katie, bring us back where we belong.”

Dazed, still lost in her own haze of lust and the urgent desire to strip them both
here on the sandy beach, Katie blinked her eyes, squinting against the glare of

the sunlight.

“Huh?”

“Take us back to my land. The land I’ve been telling you about.”

Without even conscious thought, Katie saw in her mind’s eye the rolling green
hills Llewellyn had described to her earlier. The castle he had painted for her,

the clear blue sky. Katie, her eyes still half closed, could see everything
Llewellyn had so lovingly described to her.

She felt the familiar warmth of the opal pendant against her breast, the opal

didn’t burn, but she could feel the deep fire within it. Katie smiled, wondered
how she should explain to Llewellyn she had no idea how to “transport” them

back to his homeland…she didn’t even know where it was!

“Just think about those hills, my darling, the castle and everything I have talked
about.”

Katie laughed and kissed him fiercely. She could feel the heat build back up

between them, and for just a moment, she mentally pictured the scenes he had
described to her. She imagined the great rolling hills, the perfect sky and the

scents of jasmine and other exotic flowers in the air.

Pulling back a moment later, she hugged him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. How am I supposed to bring us
somewhere I have no idea…what the hell?”

Instead of feeling the soft sand between her toes, Katie stood on soft grass.

Instead of hearing the ocean crash and roar around her, she stood near a forest,
under the clearest, most perfectly blue sky she had ever seen.

“Oh, my goodness. What the hell just happened?”

Llewellyn kissed the tip of her nose, looking exceedingly proud of himself.

“You transported us here, just like I said you could. The locket gave you the
power, or let you amplify your own power, I should say.”

Katie looked around her, dazed and more than a little befuddled. If she

couldn’t feel the grass beneath her feet, be seeing what she could with her very
own eyes, she’d have thought she was having a hallucination.

“Oh boy. You have some major explaining to do, mister!”

Giving her a cheeky grin, Llewellyn took her hand and led her towards the

enormous castle at the top of the hill they stood on.

“Sure thing, sweetheart. But let’s head back home while we have this chat.”

Katie assured herself she let him take her hand, and let him lead her towards
the castle. The fact her mind felt completely numb and she had no idea

whatsoever what was happening had nothing to do with it.

Chapter Five

“There you are Your…oh Goddess, you’ve finally found her!”

Katie braced herself as a tall, extremely thin man with a shock of blond curls
bobbed as he rushed down the hallway towards her. She watched as the man

crushed Llewellyn to him in a huge hug. The man practically danced on the spot
as he looked her up and down.

Rather belatedly, Katie remembered her sandy shorts, sandals and T-shirt.

“Your Highness, I am so pleased to finally meet you. Tell me naughty Llewellyn

has been hiding you away somewhere.”

“Uh—” Katie couldn’t even formulate a thought to finish before the thin man
had answered his own questions, gesticulating madly.

“But of course he has. Now, there’s so much to arrange! The coronation, the

Soul-Joining ceremony, the—“

“Soul-Joining ceremony?” Katie sweetly asked, turning flashing brown eyes
upon the man next to her. Llewellyn at least had the grace to shuffle his feet.

“Like I said, we need to talk. Owan, could you give Katie and myself a bit of

time?”

The man turned confused blue eyes between them.

“Oh Goddess, tell me you’ve explained at least the traditions to her! No! Don’t
bother! I can see in your eyes you haven’t. How could you give someone the

locket without at least explaining everything to her? My dear, what family are
you from?”

Katie frowned.

“What’s left of my family are back in America. And my clothes,” she shot an evil

glance at Llewellyn, “are still in my place back in Australia. Rather a long way
to travel, even if I do say so myself.”

“You’re from the old country?” A strangled sound emanated from Owan. Katie
wondered if it were possible for him to truly have kittens, because that certainly

seemed to be what he was about to do. “No heritage? No family crest to add?
Oh!”

Katie reached out an arm to steady the skinny man. He looked as if he were

about to faint.

“Sure I have a heritage. It’s just different. Surely different is good, right? Exotic.
Untamed. Yeah?”

A militant gleam appeared in the man’s eyes.

“Of course! Only an exotic beauty is good enough for our Queen. New

surroundings. New beginnings. But even so, we must bring you up to date.
Your Highness?”

Katie still cringed slightly at the formal tone. What the hell had she found

herself dropped in?

“I can tell Her Highness all the history and everything she will need to know.
You had best get some conjurers to start on her wardrobe. Exotic and unusual

might be a brilliant idea, sand and beach gear, however, mightn’t be the image
we are wishing to create.”

“Of course, Your Highness, I will get on it right away.”

Katie watched and suppressed the urge to giggle as Owan minced down the

hallway, looking for all the world as if he owned the place. She wondered if he
purposely put the kink into his steps, but he seemed so excited and puffed up in

his own pride for being the first to greet her, she couldn’t help but feel maybe
he really did just walk that way.

Katie followed Llewellyn down a hallway. The place felt rather like a maze to

her, left turns and right turns and most of the corridors looking identical to her.

Finally, he opened a door and led her into a dark blue room. Katie entered and
tried not to gape. The world’s largest bed stood beside a wall-length set of

windows. Blue curtains and throw pillows, dark green sheets and doona’s
covered the bed. Fanciful landscapes were painted across the walls, a forest of

dark greens and browns on one side. Katie turned slightly to stare at a blue and
black lake on the other wall.

“Wow! I take it you like blues and greens? The ocean and the forest?”

She felt her breath catch as Llewellyn came towards her. For a split moment she
felt completely overwhelmed. The reality of being in another world, of having

expectations brought down on her and duties she needed to learn about.

She felt her chest tighten in anxiety. She wanted to run. Wanted to go back to
the safety of a known beach and a known, albeit boring, job. For a few breaths,

she felt the dizzy, the overpowering weight of expectations she had no idea
about crushing her down.

And then she felt the anger and her strength come back to her. With her anger

and frustration the locket warmed once more. She wanted to stomp her foot
like a defiant child and demand to be taken back to Australia.

Then Katie realised it had been she who had brought them both here. He

hadn’t forced her, or stolen or kidnapped her. It had been her, and her damned
locket, which had brought them both here somehow. Closing her eyes, she tried

to focus her thoughts on taking her back, tried to mentally picture the
Australian beach and the soothing quality of the waves crashing against the

sand.

The locket cooled, and she couldn’t feel even a drop of her previous power
within.

In a flash, she suddenly understood why he called it a locket. There were secrets

inside it—the heart was more than a gorgeous opal with a fiery heat, all on a
slinky silver chain.

“Tell me about the opal heart,” she started, shivering as he ran his hands up

and down over her shoulders. She needed to talk, do anything to keep her mind
away from the panic she felt hovering over the edges of her mind.

“Later,” he said softly, bending close to kiss the arch of her neck. “I promise I’ll

tell you everything I know once I’ve done this. Goddess, I’ve been thinking of
this since I saw you sitting in the sand, staring out to sea. Did you know you

brought me to you? I don’t know what it was, Fate, or maybe your heart calling
out to mine. But I swear, one minute I was in here, staring out my window at

the grassy hills and cursing Fate, wishing I could be walking and enjoying the
green in the sunshine. The next moment I could see you, by the beach, staring

out into nothingness, just like me. Before I can blink I’m transported to just
down by your side.”

Katie gasped as he buried his head in her neck. He strung kisses up to her ear,

and gently bit the sensitive spot where the hairline met her neck.

“But there’s nothing special about me.” She protested. “I just found the locket,
it didn’t call me or draw me with it’s heat…” she couldn’t help trailing off, his

touch, his fingers made her even more sensitive, made her shudder and want to
strip all her clothes off, and lose herself in his delicious body.

“You can feel the heat, can’t you? The heat in me—the heat in the locket.

They’re one and the same. Because your internal power, your womanly heat,
can control the heat in the locket, so too are you able to control the heat in me.

That is why you are my Queen, why you will rule beside me over the next three
centuries. Goddess, I am so glad She picked you.”

Katie knew she should be paying attention, knew she should be asking

questions and getting answers. About the locket, but also about how the hell an
average getting-awfully-close-to-thirty year old woman could rule the Fey for

three hundred bloody years.

Instead, she decided for once in her boring, “always-following-the-rules”
lifetime, she would relax and let everything take care of itself. Even after only a

few caresses and kisses, a few heated looks, she knew, beyond a shadow of a
doubt, that sex between herself and Llewellyn would be not only life-changing,

but would be better than fantastically good.

Why not live a little? What the hell else did she have to go home to? A glow in
the dark vibrator whose batteries she had to constantly change? Tepid coffee

dates that invariably turned into either pathetic loser one-night-stands, or
worse, a “let’s-just-be-friends” lecture?

Who the hell said she had to stay here and be his Queen? Why not indulge

herself in some wonderful make-your-toes-curl sex and then politely ask to be
taken home? Or hell, it had been she who had brought them both here, she

could return herself! If she could work out what the bloody hell she had done
in the first place…

Katie shrugged, literally. She had no interest in thinking any more. She was a

wild woman. She was a sexual machine! She could—and would!—indulge
herself here, and think her boring, sensible, goody-two-shoes thoughts again

afterwards.

Smiling wickedly, enjoying the sensation of letting herself go with a vengeance,
Katie grabbed Llewellyn’s hips. She pulled him close to her, so her breasts were

thrust up against his large chest.

“Let’s play,” she huskily laughed, surprised as hell at the phone-sex-ish voice
coming from her own mouth.

Pulling his hips flush with her aching pussy, forcing him to take steps in time
with her own, she back-walked him until she felt his enormous bed against the

back of her legs.

Wanting to get the ball rolling before she lost her nerve, Katie let go of his hips,
and quickly stripped her T-shirt up and over her chest. Twisting, she removed

her sandals and shorts in record time.

Standing upright again, only in her bikini, Katie smiled and hoped she didn’t
look too ridiculous. From the fire burning deep in his dark brown eyes, Katie

figured she looked rather good.

“Now,” she murmured, glad to find her voice still sexy and not croaky, “where
were we? Ah yes, stripping you.”

Katie loved it how Llewellyn visibly swallowed. She felt powerful, sexy, and for

the first time in what felt like years, she felt completely and utterly in control.
She treasured the power and innate sensuality in the feeling.

Katie ran her fingers along the neckline of his tunic-looking top. She quickly

scanned its length, but it seemed loose enough to simply be pulled up and over
his head. With no buttons, zippers or other visible means of tying it, she

decided even if she did tear it, he was royalty, he could afford another shirt.

Smiling widely, Katie reached for the bottom of his shirt. For a moment she
enjoyed the softness of the fabric. It was a light blue, much the same colours of

the sky still visible outside the windows.

“You look magnificent in this. But I am afraid it needs to go.”

Trying not to giggle, she never giggled, she pulled the tunic-shirt over his head,
baring his chest. Wow, Katie couldn’t believe Llewellyn’s chest was so broad.

He wasn’t bulky in a muscle-man or working-out way, but in the fully grown
way of a real man.

The inane thought of: No “King of the Fairy” jokes from me! Crossed her mind

and she smiled. The thought reverberated around her head and she couldn’t
help it, she giggled.

Llewellyn sighed and she giggled harder. Katie just couldn’t help it. It’s not like

there seemed to be a particular joke other than his play on the words “king of
the Fairies.” In and of itself it wasn’t hilarious, it’s just that his reaction came

across as so masculine, so martyred it made her want to laugh even harder.

“You know,” he said in a dry way that made her giggle harder, “most women
aren’t overcome with a fit of giggles when they view my chest.”

Katie laughed harder.

“It’s not that,” she gasped as she did her best to calm down. “It’s just, I can’t

make King of the Fairy jokes now, you’re simply too gorgeous. Maybe it’s just
me, but I find it hilarious.”

Nearly doubled over with laughter as she was, she missed the look of complete

surprise that crossed his handsome face.

“Let me get this straight,” he said seriously, “you find it incredibly funny that
you find my body sexy.”

Katie fell back on the bed, one big laugh away from hysteria.

“Yes!” she cried out and held her stomach in the hopes she wouldn’t disgrace

herself.

“Okay, this just won’t do.”

Katie hiccuped, pressed one hand over her mouth to try and stifle the laughter.
She knew if she didn’t stop herself now, she mightn’t be able to stop for an hour

or more.

“Say what?” she asked, as she half sat up. She saw Llewellyn, slightly bent over,
removing his pants.

“Uh,” Katie felt like she had swallowed an apple or something. A sort of

something that was big and sticking in her throat.

Goddess, but he’s hung. How the hell did he pack that away and hide it?

Llewellyn was one of the most handsome men she had ever met. His face was
not pretty, or movie-star gorgeous, but it made a girl stop and stare. His chest

was broad, and she strongly suspected it could carry the weight of the world
upon it.

Or at least carry her through her own usually small issues.

Katie opened her mouth, wanting to say something. Something witty.

Something to prove her sexual experience and superiority.

“Uh,” came form her mouth. A strangled, octave-too-high sound.

Closing her mouth again, Katie swallowed. Surely she could do better than that.

“Ugh,” was her “”better-than-that”.

Llewellyn chuckled and crouched over her on the big bed.

“You know, my dear,” he kissed her neck again and Katie tried to keep her brain
functioning. “I really do think it’s time I took charge. Otherwise we might both

just lie here laughing ourselves silly. Think of my reputation. I’d never survive
it.”

Katie gasped as Llewellyn gently removed her bikini top, tossing aside the tiny

triangles of blue lycra. Her nipples instantaneously peaked, whether due to the
cool air, or the excitement of having Llewellyn hover over her she couldn’t say.

He palmed her breast, the rough pad of his thumb caressing over her nipple.

“Ah!” she cried out, wondering where the bloody hell her witty conversation

had fled to.

“Oh yeah,” he murmured, “I love it when I make you speechless.”

“You’ve never done this to me before!” she interjected, hoping her brain wasn’t
about to turn into mush.

“Maybe not,” he conceded, his other hand resting on her hip and slowly

drawing her up to cradle himself, “but damn I’m loving this. I’ll have to do it as
much as I can. It’s great fun having you practically insensate.”

Before she could even try to think of a comeback, he lowered his head and

sealed her lips shut with his own. Katie felt the earth move, her mind spin, and
she knew she was lost.

The locket burned between her breasts, and for the first time, she knew it was

her heat melding with Llewellyn’s heat. They were fusing, or their sexual heat
was fusing. In the back of her mind, she gathered they were bonding in some

manner, but frankly, she couldn’t give a shit. Llewellyn made her feel alive,
made her feel hot, burning. She wanted him, inside her as deeply as he could

penetrate.

And just for this one, absolutely perfect moment, nothing else mattered.

Chapter Six

Llewellyn could feel the heat within his body rising. Burning up from his
painfully erect cock and out through his chest until he wondered if he would

self-combust. Never had he felt the heat this strongly. It was as if a flaming
inferno raged inside his cock and chest.

He felt the flame licking up from his chest and in through his throat. It entered

his mouth, until finally, when he thrust his tongue into Katie’s mouth, wanting
more than anything else in his lifetime to possess her, he felt a moment’s panic

as a red and white, hot burst of flame raged from him and into her.

He numbly saw Katie’s back arch, saw her grab his shoulders to drag him
closer. It was only then he realised she burned hotly under his hands as well.

Her breasts were incredibly hot, her lips were like molten lava.

She burned as well!

He didn’t really understand, couldn’t get enough oxygen into his mind to try
and work it out. Katie rolled them both on his bed, so now he lay, bemused and

“pinned” beneath her.

“More,” she gasped, barely cognisant.

Llewellyn continued to kiss her, completely mystified how his inner fire
couldn’t hurt her. It was as she duelled her tongue with him he felt her own fire,

arching back into him.

They were genuinely duelling. Fire for fire. His fire raged inside her, and hers
in him. He didn’t fully understand what was occurring, but it felt so damn

wonderful he wasn’t sure he cared. She could take his fire, take it and even give
her own back, as good as she got. Women like her were beyond rare—he had

never felt this before. Damned if he would ruin it by thinking!

Fiercely, wallowing in the joy of being able to release himself, he kissed her
harder than he had anyone before her. He dragged her as close to him as

possible, holding her so tightly, he worried for a moment she would bruise.

Loosening his hold slightly, not wanting to cause her damage, he felt yet
another rush of heat as she bit down on his lip. The pain was only slight, but it

stung enough to make him grin like a man possessed.

“More,” she panted as she straddled his legs. Llewellyn felt what little brain
capacity he had retained dribble away as if it never existed. His woman was

well beyond rare, she not only could take his fire, and match his passion with
her own, but she even chastised him when he tried to “go softly” for her sake!

Llewellyn moaned, he knew instinctively she felt as lost in this moment as he.

“Give me all of it, Llewellyn,” she gasped, turning him on incredibly more.
Llewellyn wondered if she knew what, exactly, she asked of him. He doubted it,

but in this one glorious, shining moment of time, he couldn’t care less if she
knew the magnitude of what she asked.

His Queen asked, and he sure as Hell would deliver to her.

This time.

He rolled them again, sending up a prayer of gratitude he had specially made

and bought the biggest bed in the Kingdom. He pressed her into the softness of
the mattress, wanting her to enjoy the comparison between the softness of the

bed and the hardness and heat of his body. He tore the rest of her bikini from
her body, loving the rip of the thin material made as it broke from her body.

The two tiny scraps of material dangled from his hands.

Women really thought these tiny pieces covered their flesh?

Shrugging, throwing the thought from his head as he tossed the scraps to the
floor, he concentrated back on Katie.

Her short nails bit enticingly down into his skin. He loved how she wasn’t

afraid to inflict a tiny amount of pain into their lovemaking. He sure as hell
wouldn’t break, and he felt glad she understood him enough instinctively that

she could relax and let herself go in his bed.

She arched as he rubbed the swollen head of his cock against her moist
entrance, in her need she tightened her hold on him as she tried to pull him

even closer to her body. He smiled, loving the differences in this woman. She
enchanted him as none before her ever had.

“More, Llewellyn, I need more of you.”

Her throaty plea sent him completely over the edge. For years now he had held

himself back, unwilling to completely trust any woman. Yet this woman
understood him better than anyone he had ever met, and she didn’t even know

or understand half his secrets or traditions. What came to her naturally just
seemed to fit so perfectly into exactly what he needed. His Queen cried out and

arched her back and needed him more truthfully and honestly than any other.

He could no longer restrain himself. He fell upon her body, feeding from her
heat, loving the way it embraced him and accepted him. For a short moment,

he pulled himself back. Completely incoherent, Katie could only cry out.
Llewellyn smiled at her, keeping his eye contact. He drew into himself, his heat,

his passion, everything he could ever claim to be welling up inside him into one
flaming ball of fire.

And then in one fierce, erotic, completely freeing moment, he thrust everything

he would ever become into her. His thickly swollen cock penetrated her
incredibly wet pussy, his tongue thrust its way between her lips.

His heat penetrated every cell of her body. In a conflagration of need and

desire, he entered her as fully as any King of the Fey could. Every part of her,
for this one moment in time, felt the burning, desperate need and penetration

of his body and soul.

As he pulsed inside her, as he gritted his teeth in the determination to not move
anymore, Llewellyn felt her accept his heat, and her own response build within

her. Llewellyn bit his lip until he could feel the tiny trickling heat of a bead of
blood emerge.

He could not ruin this one moment. Everything hinged on it.

And then he felt Katie run a hand through his hair, pulling him back so his lips

crushed against hers.

“Why aren’t you moving?” she panted, as overcome with need and passion as
he.

“Can’t,” he said, breathlessly, “need to finish the ritual.” He wished he could

explain it, but if he did, it would ruin it completely.

“Don’t give a flying shit about some bloody ritual. Unless you’re trying to kill
me…oh fuck it, I’ll do it myself.”

He smiled secretly, amusedly to himself, as he felt them being turned over once

more. His Queen had no idea they must be kept on an even footing if they were
to rule harmoniously and jointly. If he hadn’t been half out of his head with

crazy desire he mightn’t have turned them that last time.

For everything he gave her, she needed to return to him. They must be equals,
both in the bed and out of it. She didn’t know this, but she must firmly believe it

deep inside herself, or she wouldn’t insist of giving him just as much as he gave
her.

He felt fierce pride and joy in her as she moved over him. She was a Queen to

be proud of, a Queen to love and desire, an easy feat for the next three hundred
years.

Their children would be scary as hell—the most stubborn and determined

children to ever grace this land. But they would be children one could stand tall
and claim with pride and love.

By law, this first time Llewellyn couldn’t move once he entered her. He could

touch, taste and caress. But he could not move. This proved his love and trust in
his Queen. Proved he knew she could bring them both pleasure. Never in his

life had he sat back idle. He was a man who liked to actively participate.

Katie made some sort of motion, she lifted her body from him, without moving
her hips from contact. He could feel the friction of her gloving pussy rubbing

against his swollen shaft, yet her hips didn’t move. It felt incredible, more
pleasurable than he had ever experienced.

She blew his mind.

He reached up, desperately needing to touch her breasts. He snaked one hand

around her neck and brought her down to him, so they could kiss. He felt the
fire within him explode. And suddenly, he knew he couldn’t last more than a

few seconds.

“I’m going to blow, Baby, take your pleasure.”

He had never felt it before, but he had heard whispers. She pressed her thumb
down on his neck, kissed him fiercely. He felt her heat enter him and make his

mind spin. Dizzy, more turned on that he had ever been in all his years,
Llewellyn could not help himself as he felt Katie’s pussy contract and tighten

around him.

The heat, her heat, combined with the urgency of their mutual desire, exploded
within him. Her tight, fisting pussy threw him over the brink. She screamed as

he poured his heat, his desire, and his soul’s essence deep within her.

He grabbed her hips as his cock contracted inside her over and over again. Her
body fisted him, milking him for everything it could. Llewellyn couldn’t think,

couldn’t breathe, couldn’t do anything except mindlessly shout as he poured his
seed and his heat into her in engulfing waves.

And then he realised she truly came with him. He felt her own heat crashing

into him in waves completely in tune with his. They had truly merged, soul-
joined. Even though his father had warned him he wouldn’t understand, many,

many years ago, not until now had Llewellyn believed.

The joining was just so intimate, so mind-blowing, he couldn’t describe it if his
life depended on it. All he knew was their exchange of heat. All he could feel

was Katie’s heat and essence residing deeply inside him.

Well, damn. It’s just like the old man said! I can’t describe it, can’t explain it
to my future son. Damn, Dad, you were completely right!

Collapsing back onto the bed, he sent a quick prayer for forgiveness up to his

old man. For years he had resented the guy for not giving more details. Even
though he had insisted it was too primitive, too elemental to explain in mere

words, Llewellyn had always believed deep inside himself the old man simply
hadn’t wanted to share such personal, sentimental details.

Oh boy was he fucked when their son asked for details.

Idly, slowly coming down from the incredible high, he let his mind wander.

Katie lay sprawled on top of him. She mightn’t have understood much of the
ritual, but she had certainly enjoyed herself. Her breathing still came in gasps

and pants, tiny shivers were still covering her body. Her head lay in the crook of
his neck, and he found he quite liked still being buried deeply within her.

Now with just the ceremony to go, he found himself entranced by his beautiful

new wife. He hadn’t exactly meant for them to complete the ritual, or not
exactly. But having done it, and in such a perfect and exciting manner, he

couldn’t wait to repeat their performance.

It would never be with quite the same intensity, but he did remember fond
stories from his father. The heat would only intensify, the connection between

them would grow. And the fire inside her would only rage hotter.

Llewellyn watched as Katie panted on his sweaty chest. He felt amusement as
she looked into his eyes, and then away, obviously sorting through her

thoughts. After a few moments, she sighed and shifted, moved so he could
spoon her. Somehow she kept the physical connection. He felt glad she didn’t

wiggle to dislodge his flaccid cock, as he liked it still nestled inside her warmth.
As her eyes fluttered shut, her breathing evened out, he knew she didn’t sleep,

but she was resting.

He knew they would lead each other a merry chase, clash wills, and probably
drive each other nuts at times. Yet, he also knew that this sexual intensity

would only increase, would grow and take on its own life.

They might rant and scream, shout, and argue. But they would always have this
connection, this bond between them. And if all the stories he had heard were

true, and their fire exploded between them and grew with their age and other
intimacies time gave, then they would probably set light to the bed and half the

castle.

He could hardly wait.

Chapter Seven

Katie lay panting on Llewellyn’s broad, sweaty chest. She was no sexual novice.
She had experience. But she might as well have been a cloistered nun in a

convent for all her experience had given her.

The heat.

The excitement.

The climax!

Man, what the hell had she been doing all this time? Was sex with a Fairy King
always this good? Maybe the stories were all just camouflage so no one would

ever seek the King out? If word of this became public news, he would have
lines of people outside his door from here to eternity and he would never get

any rest. Women would maul him constantly.

How the hell did a girl give him up? Was there a drug for rehabilitation? There
just had to be. Usually Katie was a cold turkey girl. If she needed to quit

something other than chocolate, which was a hopeless cause going cold turkey
was her only solution. Yet going cold turkey on Llewellyn would likely kill a

girl!

She slid gently next to his warm body, to lie beside him, spoon fashion. She felt
gratified to realise he, too, was panting, and lay still, closing her eyes and trying

to regain control of her breath. The least she could do for him after he rocked
her world like that was return the favour.

Life was brilliant.

Sure, her mind was fuzzy. She felt certain she had a heap of questions she

wanted to ask, but her mind simply buzzed happily. Sex was great, it told her,
sex was magnificent. Questions? What questions? Sex was great, seemed to

be the playing record of the moment.

Until a solid banging on the heavy door sounded.

“Your Majesty! Uhh…your Majesties! We must make preparations!”

Katie recognised the voice of Owan, the mincing blond guy. She thought she
heard Llewellyn groan, but couldn’t be sure. Without even opening his eyes or

moving his body he flicked a sheet over to cover them, and called out “Enter,
Owan, but you better be alone!”

“Of course, Your Highness. I just bought one of the new dresses for her…oh,

you can’t have done the—of course you haven’t just…” Katie interrupted him,
the poor man looked as if his eyes would boggle and he would faint from a heart

attack.

“What? Do I have “just had sex” written on my face?” Katie chose to ignore the
fact she lay naked in bed beside Llewellyn.

Owan moved his mouth, but no sound emerged. Really, Katie felt almost sorry

for the man.

“But you didn’t just have sex, that’s fine, expected even. You exchanged heat!
Tell me you know…of course you don’t know, I can tell.”

“Oh, my ‘Gosh No’!” Katie screamed. She could barely believe she had done it,

until she blinked and realised her eyes hadn’t deceived her.

In his hands, partially crushed and obviously forgotten lay the dress from Hell.
Bright Barbie pink with ruffles and lace, the monstrosity looked like a bad

Halloween costume, or a bad Valentine’s Day gag.

“Tell me that’s not for me.”

“Uh, but your Highness, it’s the height of—”

“No ruffles,” she insisted in her most “don’t-fuck-with-me” voice, “Little to no
lace, and absolutely, positively, definitely ‘No’ pink! I do not wear pink,

particularly not Barbie pink that will make me look like a demented poodle.”

Owan looked from her to Llewellyn. “What’s a poodle?”

Llewellyn shrugged. “Beats me, but I bet it doesn’t look good in pink. Tell you
what,” he started, and Katie had the definite feeling she was about to be

managed. “Jump back into your shorts and T-shirt and go with Owan. He can
take you to the conjurers and you can choose your own wardrobe. That way, no

one will be wasting time. I have to see my secretary and set things in motion.
Owan can bring you back to me when you have a couple of things.”

“Future Queens can wear jeans, right?” she asked, batting her eyelashes.

Llewellyn hesitated. “Sometimes, but you will need to dress up, too. Just go
with the flow, Katie. You might find you like it every now and then.”

Katie bit her lip. Bending over, she gave him a brief kiss, licking his lip, and

shooting him with a tiny zing of fire. Really, this could be fun, she assured
herself. Nodding, she motioned for Owan to turn around. As soon as he

glimpsed the scattered clothing, he nearly fell in his haste to turn his back.

Katie jumped down from the bed and pulled on the sandy clothes. Brushing the
front of her t-shirt down, she gathered her courage. Really, it wasn’t like she

would be stuck here forever, this definitely fell into the category of “summer
fling.” She might as well go with the flow while necessary. She might learn some

interesting facts.

The opal locket glowed hotly against her breasts. She found it interesting he
hadn’t removed it, even when they had been making love. Then again, if the

clothes she had been wearing hadn’t been hampering him, he mightn’t have
removed those either.

Katie shrugged to herself. Blowing a hot kiss to Llewellyn, she walked up to

Owan and tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped and turned around.

“Fantastic, let’s go, Your Highness.”

Katie rolled her eyes.

“I have a feeling we’ll be screaming and shouting at each other like a couple of
fish mongers within about five minutes. What say I call you Owan and you call

me Katie?” Owan cast a glance over to the bed. Llewellyn nodded and smiled.

Owan blushed bright, bright red, making his blue eyes and blond curls shine
even more brightly.

“As you wish, Katie.” Owan smiled.

“Remember that when I start yelling and you want to strangle me. I have some

strange tastes in clothing.”

Owan looked nervous, and laughed, obviously hoping she was baiting him or
kidding. Katie winked to Llewellyn as they left.

She wasn’t kidding, but she didn’t want to break the poor man just yet.

Chapter Eight

Llewellyn couldn’t hear the screams, shouts, and denials he knew would be
reverberating around the other wing of his large castle. All the walls were made

from heavy stone and worked wonderfully as insulation. He could, however,
hear the giggles and lightning-quick whispered gossip of the assorted people

who lived in the castle with him as they passed by his partially opened office
door.

“She’s insisting on green for her ball gown! Can you believe it?”

“With silver dragon piping, I heard.”

“I could hear her shouting with Owan—apparently golden peach is the

equivalent to horse manure!”

“Do you know what a demented psychedelic frog-spawn is?”

“…said if she saw another pink feather she’d throw herself from the top of the
castle to get her point across.”

Llewellyn couldn’t help chuckling as each new and more preposterous story was

subtly brought to his attention by his help-staff. As each incident grew in
outrageousness throughout the morning, more outrageous because Llewellyn

truly could imagine Katie threatening to shove the next seven inch stiletto heal
they presented her with up someone’s nose, his secretary, Iain, seemed to be

sweating more than ever, and becoming more and more nervous.

“Are you sure we should leave Her Highness—”

Llewellyn cut him off.

“Trust me, Iain, it’s Owan and the conjurers I’m worried about. My Katie can
more than take care of herself.” Llewellyn nearly laughed when Iain snorted

and shook his head. Llewellyn had the gut feeling his secretary didn’t believe
him at all. Just wait till you meet her, buddy. Then you’ll understand, he

couldn’t help thinking.

For the first time in his many, many years, Llewellyn wished his father could
still be around to watch his new daughter-by-blood. Laurence had loved a good

laugh more than anything else. It had been he who had broken the stuffy
traditions—he and his wife, Pamela, who had restored harmony throughout the

lands in their three hundred years of reign.

Fey had never had such bounties in crops, offspring, or happiness. Llewellyn
fully intended to continue the prosperity. He stood up and walked over to the

window, much as he had earlier that day.

Now that he thought about his parents, both enjoying the next stages of their
lives together in the misty realms, he realised a large part of his hesitation in

finding his Queen had been fear. He wanted to have a happy life and reign with
his Queen, wanted the joy and laughter that had been ever-present in his

parent’s life.

Even as an only child, their love and joy had been more than enough to
overflow to him and the rest of Feykind. For millennium couples had only been

able to have one rare child. Families with two children were considered beyond
blessed. Part of the true happiness experienced throughout his parents reign

had been more and more families being blessed with multiple offspring as the
joie de vivre of the King and Queen passed down to every man and woman.

Llewellyn missed his parents, yet he could never help the huge grin that would

cross his face when he could still see them dancing together in the sun or
moonlight, laughing with joyous abandon. They had loved each other so much

they had always insisted to him privately that they wanted to move on to the
next journey together.

When Llewellyn’s mother had been stricken five years after their three

centuries had passed, Llewellyn knew without a shadow of a doubt his father
would not stay long. Indeed, when Llewellyn had entered his parent’s sleeping

chambers, later the same day his mother had passed, he had not been too
surprised to find his father fallen onto the floor beside his window.

In moments of whimsy, Llewellyn wondered if they had both passed onwards at

identical moments.

“Llewellyn?”

Llewellyn turned back, shaking his head. It had been a long time since he had
thought so seriously about his parents. But yes, they definitely would have

loved his fiery Katie.

“Yes, Iain? What is it?”

“The Ball, Your Majesty. Here is the invitation list; I just need your permission
to send out the messengers. The Soul-Joining Ceremony can follow afterwards

with just the High Priestess.”

Llewellyn swallowed guiltily. He didn’t know why he felt bad about not telling
Iain about already merging with Katie. Truly, it was between them and the

Goddess. As soon as the High Priestess saw them together she would know they
had Soul-Joined anyway.

One of his first ever lessons had been to trust his instincts, and for some

completely obscure reason, his instincts currently warned him not to make
public the fact they had already merged. Nestled in with that instinct was the

vague knowledge that Katie wouldn’t exactly be thrilled to learn the changes he
had brought about for her with them taking such a step. She still believed she

played Fairy Princess for a day or so and then got to go home.

Llewellyn felt strangely reluctant to inform her after controlling both their heat,
not to mention soul merging with him, she couldn’t go home without him. No

other woman could be his Queen now. As much as he knew about her, he hadn’t
yet worked out how to tempt her to stay.

Jewels would only hold her interest momentarily. Clothes certainly didn’t seem

to be the ticket. He thankfully still held the lure of food up his sleeve, but his
mind warned him strongly that if the woman went into ecstasy over greasy “fish

and chips” he doubted the lure of a gourmet chef would hold much permanent
appeal.

Llewellyn jerked himself back from his musings when Iain waved his hand in

front of his face. Llewellyn frowned.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, man?”

Iain sighed as if he were a tutor with a particularly stupid charge.

“I have been talking to you these last ten minutes. So far we have agreed all the
dragons must be charged down and burnt, the third-born children will inherit

your jewels, and the future Queen is actually a pixie in drag.”

Llewellyn snorted with laughter.

“If Katie had any idea just what sort of insult that is, she’d probably try to take
off your head.” Llewellyn was interested to see Iain look at him very carefully.

Finally, he’s realising Katie isn’t some vapid airhead.

“Just so,” Iain said very carefully, handing the list to Llewellyn.

Sighing in resignation, he took the list and quickly cast his eye down it.

It was a long list.

With every dignitary within travelling distance, most of the court pompous
fools the lot of them, and all the upper-crust, old-style aristocracy, Llewellyn

shuddered. Pretty much everyone would be there, either helping cater the
party, or attending it.

“You would veto the suggestion we just have an enormous party and invite

everyone, wouldn’t you?”

“Your Majesty, the tradition surrounding—”

Llewellyn held up a hand, knowing the speech that would follow by heart. He’d
been hearing the “You must find your Queen” version of it for close to five years

now. Handing the list back to Iain, he pushed himself away from his desk and
stood up.

“Gotcha, Iain. Send out the messengers, let’s get this ball rolling.”

Llewellyn brushed past a stunned Iain and turned to leave his office. He felt an

overwhelming need to see Katie.

“I’ll be in the Golden Room with the conjurers and Katie,” he tossed over his
shoulder. With his back to Iain, he missed the wry smile his secretary gave his

receding back.

Chapter Nine

“But my love—”

“No!” Glada shrieked as she closed her eyes and tried desperately to squeeze a
few tears out, just for luck. “There has to be a way for us to find where the Soul-

Joining ceremony will take place. I’ve never seen a Soul-Joining Ceremony,
pookie.”

Glada opened her deep blue eyes wide, gratified to feel a couple of tears

strategically in both of them. She knew her paramour detested the nickname
pookie, but it would give him something to concentrate on other than her

reasons behind wanting in on the Soul-Joining Ceremony.

“But my dearest, no one knows where the Soul-Joining occurs. Only the King,
Queen, and High Priestess are ever present. More often than not everyone else

is so plastered it’s over and done with before they can even think to question
where it’s being held.”

Glada felt her temper simmer. Honestly, while her paramour might be the best

lover she’d ever had, his utter lack of sense when it came to snooping and
crossing lines seriously left something to be desired.

“Darling,” she purred as she stroked his erect shaft, even in the dark of the

closet they were in she could feel the heat of his need and desire. I was time to
bring out the big guns, “I really want to see that ceremony. I will do anything

you ask if you find out where it is.”

She began to stroke below his balls, the hardening twin sacs showing his
interest and desire more than mere words ever could.

“Anything?” he uttered hoarsely.

“Anything,” she confirmed, going down on her knees. She opened her mouth in

an easy, practised move, and let her lips caress down his shaft as she swallowed
him. She hummed in the back of her throat, her mind busy dreaming up how it

would be to interrupt the King and his almost-Queen just before they could

Soul-join.

In the heat of passion, the King wouldn’t care who it was he coupled with.
Once a man hit a certain point, she knew from vast experience, it could be any

vessel he emptied himself into.

Glada felt a fierce determination it would be she whom he joined with. Oh, she
had heard rumours about the opal locket of Fire, but she didn’t believe them.

She personally knew two women who had tried wearing the locket, and neither
of them had felt a thing. A pretty trinket, they had insisted.

Stealing the stupid locket had been child’s play, a waste of her talents, she knew

upon looking back. Getting the King to have sex with her during the Soul-
Joining Ceremony, now that would take planning.

And so her mind came back to the task she had at hand…or mouth as the case

might be. She sucked a little more, very gently pinched under his sacs, and
breathed a sigh of relief as he strangled his shout. She obediently swallowed the

hot seed that ran down her throat, and when he was done, she pulled her
mouth away and licked her lips.

“Now,” she said, her voice husky once more, “find out where that damned

ceremony will take place.”

She could dimly see her paramour nod dejectedly, wrung dry, literally.

Having received what she came for, she adjusted her shirt, brushed her hair
back from her face and exited the small closet. She smiled slyly as her heals

clacked on the stone floor.

She left behind the man she had used, knowing he would do his best. It
shouldn’t be too hard for him to steal into that uptight secretary’s study and

find the location of the Ceremony. She smiled like a well-satisfied cat.

Soon, she would be Queen, as it had always been meant to be.

Pity that stupid Llewellyn hadn’t listened to her the first time. No matter what,
she would wear that locket and crown, and have all the power in the Kingdom.

It was her Destiny. She felt certain of it.

Chapter Ten

Katie wrinkled her nose at the proper, ankle length, swishy navy skirt and
matching pretty cream shirt she wore. Much to her consternation, the cream

shirt had small navy blue and purple flowers around the collar.

She felt like a dork.

What felt even worse than her stupid get-up, was this dance lesson that didn’t
seem to be going according to plan.

“You do realise,” Llewellyn stage-whispered to her naughtily, “it is supposed to

be me, the man and King, who leads the dance.”

“Goddess above!” cried out Crispen, her dance instructor, “how many times
must I tell you, my Katie, you turn left, not right. The man must turn to the

right to thusly lead the female.”

Katie stopped, tried not to smile at the secret thrill the flowing skirt gave her.
Owan stood stoically at the other end of the ballroom, continuously hiding his

face in his hands. If he even got a whiff of her enjoying the girly skirt she’d
suddenly find her wardrobe crammed full with the damned things.

Not that she was staying.

No siree. She was simply enjoying herself.

Temporarily.

Sure. Maybe if she repeated it enough to herself she’d start to believe it.

“I thought I was turning left,” she complained. Katie frowned and turned to

Llewellyn.

“Instead of letting poor Crispen know I’m botching his dance up, couldn’t you
tell me I’m dancing it wrong. Besides,” she smirked, her mood lightening,

“admit it, you looove me taking control of the dance.”

Katie smiled and swished her hips, setting the long skirt swirling sexily around
her ankles. Before she could start chanting something childish to him, he had

dragged her back into his arms.

“Whether I love you taking the lead, my darling, is a moot point. A thousand
plus odd dignitaries coming to the Ball won’t be expecting my future-Queen to

be taking the lead of the dance.”

“Mon Dieu no!” Crispen wailed, obviously stricken with the thought. He put a
hand to his forehead as if he were some Regency England virgin feeling faint.

“My name would be mud! I could never hold my head up in Fey! Now
attention, my Katie!”

Katie sighed as Crispen rather forcefully talked her through the set.

After three more successful completions, Katie decided to start throwing her

weight around.

“Owan,” she called out, yanking herself out of Llewellyn’s lovely embrace, “put
something on that has a beat, a strong, decent, dancing beat and I’ll wear the

burgundy dress instead of the navy blue one down to dinner tonight.”

Katie turned to give Llewellyn a brilliant smile. He gallantly bowed, and then
blew her a kiss.

“Less than a day here and already you know exactly how to get my staff to do

your bidding. And you don’t think you could be a Queen.”

Something that sounded vaguely like classic rock, only slightly different, began
to pulse around the large room. Katie closed her eyes, and even though the

music was completely foreign, she found herself listening to the rhythm.

Unconsciously, she swung her hips in time to the beat, until she had worked out
the timing. Then, she raised her arms above her head and began to dance in

earnest. As the music became more familiar, she stomped her foot at the right
times, swung her hips and danced around the large room.

She made a motion with her hand to Owan to turn the music up louder.

The beat thrummed harder and Katie danced more. She started to laugh, to

swing her hair around, and really get down and enjoy herself. As the song came
to its conclusion, she whirled, opened her mouth to shout for more, until she

saw Crispen moaning with his head hanging down in his hands.

He looked so pale Katie wondered for a moment if he would pass out.

She nodded to Owan, and the music cut off.

“Hey, Crispen, I’m just having some fun. We have your dance moves down pat.
And hell, worst-case scenario is I step a bit on Llewellyn’s toes tomorrow night.

He’s big and strong, he can deal.”

Behind her, Llewellyn snorted.

“I’ll make sure to wear my toughest shoes.”

Katie stuck her tongue out at him and continued to pat Crispen’s shoulder.
“Honestly, Crispen, don’t worry. It will be just perfect, and everyone will be

jealous of your teaching prowess.” When not even this seemed to make him feel
better, Katie tried a different track.

“Hey, how about we boast around to everyone how magnificent you are as a

teacher to teach a complete foreigner these steps? I mean, it’s not like you’ve
had much time, or anything much to work from.”

Crispen’s wailing subsided. “You’re a foreigner?”

Katie rolled her eyes.

“No, I turned up in sandy shorts and shirt with this weird accent because I

wanted to piss off Llewellyn. Of course I’m not from around here! Think of how
you can boast of this feat! And if I do step on Llewellyn’s feet or something

then you can just put it down to my…ah…barbaric traditional dance moves.”

The spark came back into his eyes. He stood back up and seemed excited once
more. Katie felt relief to have this man back and the sobbing broken wreck but

a memory.

“You are so right! Everyone will know how far you have come, and they will be
so eager to spread the gossip of your homeland, no one will notice if you take

the lead.”

“That’s the spirit,” she enthused, not entirely sure if she had created a monster
or not. “Well,” she said, heading towards the door, “now that we have that out

of the way…”

“But wait! That was only the one dance, we have at least six others to
practise!” Crispen rushed over towards her and gently grabbed her upper arm.

Llewellyn laughed.

Katie groaned.

“Tell me you are teasing.”

A million different excuses crammed in her head, but Llewellyn hugged her to
him and whispered in her ear so no one else could hear.

“If you stay, and do your best to learn, without harassing poor Crispen too

much, you can have your will in bed tonight.”

Hmm…her will huh? Katie looked at Llewellyn; bit her lip in thought. “You
serious?” she had to check.

Llewellyn cocked his head to one side in a gesture of agreement. “You have my

word.”

Katie beamed her smile.

“Brilliant, we have a deal then.”

Practically prancing over to Crispen, she let him tease and berate her as he
started her on their second dance. Instead of thinking evil thoughts on the

complications of dance, instead she plotted for the coming night.

Chapter Eleven

“Tell me that long-winded old noodle is not going to make another speech
before we eat at the ball tomorrow!” Katie grumbled as they negotiated their

way through the corridors after dinner. When Llewellyn didn’t chuckle and
reassure her, Katie stopped and reached for his hand.

“Llewellyn?”

Looking sheepish, he shrugged and began to apologise.

“I’m sorry, darling, but he’s my Great-Uncle! One of the oldest and most

respected men in the whole of Fey. He—”

“Talks for a couple of centuries and is a stuffy old grouch. Did you hear the
number of times he referred to my “shady” past and our “inexplicable” meeting,

or my “odd” thoughts and “strange” looks! I mean, honestly, the man would
choke before he actually said something pleasant.”

Katie let Llewellyn drag her down yet another corridor, until she recognised the

hallway that led to their rooms.

Katie pulled Llewellyn to a halt and dragged him behind a particularly garish
floor-length tapestry. Pushing him into the wall, she nibbled gently on his neck.

“We have a room for this, my darling,” he panted, clutching her hips so she

rested flush against his straining erection.

“I know,” she teased him as she knew her breath tickled against his ear, “but
think of the excitement of maybe getting caught.”

Pressing her lips against his, she ground her body into the hardness of his

muscles. Despite her objection to all the new clothes, the new dances, and
“important person” details to learn and remember, Katie knew she could

happily put up with it all for a few days to be with him like this.

Deep in her heart, she didn’t expect the opal would lead her through whatever-
the-hell kind of ritual she was supposed to conclude with Llewellyn. Especially

if a High Priestess sat in the room with them. Surely some acolyte of the
Goddess would be able to take one look at her and see she had no special

powers or breeding, and deduce she was actually an impostor?

Apart from the times she was making love with him, when the opal always
seemed to grow so hot with its own internal heat as well as the fire radiating

from Llewellyn, the opal just appeared to be a gorgeous necklace. The opal
never helped her when she was arguing with stubborn, backward conjurers

who wanted to deck her out in furry Barbie pink, or when she became totally
lost in this maze of a castle.

Katie knew sometime tomorrow evening she would have to tell Llewellyn the

truth about the opal locket. Explain she just found the damned thing by chance,
that it was definitely meant for someone else. But right now, with him kissing

her so sweetly, and their bodies heating up like a couple of firecrackers, she
could barely think, let alone contemplate leaving him.

It was as she carefully eased her hand down his pants Katie heard a door close

further up the hall and a woman giggle.

Mental note: don’t giggle, it sounds ridiculous.

“Did you hear, my love? Even that pompous Rosst, the King’s own Great-Uncle,
detests the girl. No way in hell will she be able to complete the ritual.

Everything is going soo well.”

Katie flinched and withdrew her hand so quickly Llewellyn gulped. The venom,
the sarcastic, awful tone of voice the woman spoke in conveyed volumes on how

she really felt about Katie. That level of hatred really shocked her.

What the hell have I ever done to her?

Katie really thought, deep and hard. She hadn’t been rude to anyone, excluding
the ancient and masculine conjurers hadn’t bitten anyone’s nose off or yelled at

anyone. Yet this woman seemed to really detest her.

Llewellyn gently pulled her out from behind the tapestry and engulfed her in a
hug.

“She’s just jealous, my sweet. Honest. She’s probably some bitter guest who will

be gone in a couple of days—the maids have been doing nothing but sing your
praises all day. I’m afraid for a while a number of people will try to drag you

down from pure spite.

“Yeah, well I said at the beginning I never wanted to be a Fairy Princess. Maybe
I should—”

Katie smiled sadly as Llewellyn quickly cut her off.

“Are you forfeiting your night of leadership and choice?”

Katie’s mouth quirked in a half-smile.

“Hmmm…good point. Are you kidding? I might never get this chance again. I

think I’ll start with you having to give me a bubble bath.”

Llewellyn opened their chamber doors and bowed her in.

“As my lady requests.” Katie couldn’t help but be charmed and smile as she
walked into their enormous room. Llewellyn could be just so gallant sometimes

it made her melt deep inside her chest. Her locket warmed slightly and she felt
her heart pick up its pace in anticipation.

Katie cocked her head as she heard Llewellyn, who had stayed by the door as he

shut the rest of the castle out, murmur some words and wave his hand. The
doorknob glowed a bright orange-red for an instant, and Katie could swear she

saw a green puff of smoke erupt from the keyhole.

“What are you doing?” she couldn’t help asking. Llewellyn turned back to her
and gently led her to the bathroom. He began to fill the tub and scout about

amongst a huge tray of oils and lotions.

“I locked the door by spell, of course.”

Katie blinked, and then mentally shrugged.

“Of course, what else?” she hesitated a moment, but her curiosity was simply
too great. “What kind of spell?” As soon as the words were out of her mouth,

she could see from his expression that Llewellyn had been expecting the
question. His eyes danced and his mouth split wide with a grin.

“A royalty lock. Only you and I can open the door, no one can come in, and only

you or I can leave.”

Katie frowned.

“But I’m not royalty.”

Llewellyn came to her then, and began the long process of unbuttoning the

damned burgundy dress. The one that Owan had howled about when she had
previously insisted she’d not be seen dead in. The dress itself was lovely, full-

skirted, with a high, tight waist. Gold piping ran along the edges.

But it screamed of money and class and being grown up, and most of the time
Katie didn’t feel any of the above. A woman needed a hell of a lot of confidence

to wear a gown like this, and until she had seen the hungry light in Llewellyn’s
eyes when he had come to walk her down to the dinner table, she hadn’t been at

all certain she could pull it off.

“You are my Queen,” Llewellyn insisted, kissing down her neck and spine as
more and more of her skin became exposed. “And anyone who says otherwise

will have me to answer to.”

Katie laughed and helped pull her arms out of the gown. In less than a minute
she stood only in one of the thongs she had insisted quite vocally on receiving

and her heeled slippers. With two sighs of relief, she kicked off the slippers as
well.

“Llewellyn, much as it makes my heart race to hear you talk about defending

my honour, I have been taking care of myself for a long time. If we find the
little slut girl,” Llewellyn made a choking noise and raised an eyebrow at her.

“Okay, okay, if we find little Miss Don’t-like-the-Queen, then I’ll deal with her.
Okay?”

Llewellyn just smiled and nodded. Katie would have insisted on a proper verbal

agreement, but she became sidetracked as he started to remove his own shirt.
Katie unconsciously licked her lips and gazed at the lovely chest and thighs he

exposed to her. Far too quickly for her, he stripped himself down and nodded
towards the almost-overflowing bath.

“It’s going to get cold if you distract me,” he teased.

Katie laughed and bent over the tub to switch off the faucets. Wanting to tempt

him even half as much as he did to her, she removed her thong slowly and with
lots of wiggling. Enjoying the fierce hunger glowing in his eyes, Katie swished

her ass and stepped into the enormous tub.

She sank down into the warm, lavender scented water with a sigh of bliss, all
thoughts of teasing the man on the other side of the room having flown from

her mind. Llewellyn splashed a lot more of the water as he sank in behind her,
but his sigh came just as deeply and just as heartfelt as her own had.

“Oh wow, we’ve got to do this more often,” she sighed. Llewellyn lay back,

stretched his legs wide as she sat between them. The tub felt incredibly deep,
covering her easily to the tips of her breasts. The warm water lapped at her and

made her want to close her eyes to savour the experience.

She didn’t resist in the slightest as Llewellyn pulled her down, so she lay over
his chest. She smiled, though, as his hands settled possessively over her breasts,

cupped them, and gently scraped over her erect nipples. Katie lay her head back
to one side, into a niche over his collarbone that seemed custom-made just for

her. The hairs of Llewellyn’s chest slightly scratched her back, but if anything it
felt more erotic than annoying.

They both lay there together, breathing deeply. Llewellyn slowly, almost

absentmindedly, caressed her breasts. Time ticked by slowly as Katie let the
heat and scent of the bath seep deep into her skin and muscle. Katie jerked

suddenly, realised she had nearly fallen asleep, when she felt one of Llewellyn’s
thick fingers spread the lips of her labia apart.

“Wakey, wakey,” he chanted softly, teasingly in her ear.

Katie squirmed as the warm, thick finger penetrated her damp pussy. Even

with the lubrication of the water, Katie knew his massaging of her breasts had
made her damp. Katie found herself panting. She closed her mouth and

swallowed, tried to get some moisture in her mouth. When she opened her
mouth again, Llewellyn thrust a second finger inside her.

She moaned. She couldn’t for the life of her remember what she had wanted to

say to him. Katie gasped as she spread her legs wider for him, and sloshed a
heap of water over the rim of the tub.

“Oh no!” she moaned.

Llewellyn inserted his third finger.

“Don’t worry,” he said softly into her ear, “we can clean it up later.”

Katie nodded and let her head fall back. With her eyes closed, she blindly

groped behind her, trying to feel for the heavy erection she could feel pressing
into her lower back.

Arching her back, gasping again as the chill air peaked her nipples even tighter,

Katie finally managed to fist Llewellyn. As she ran her hand tightly up and back
down his length, Katie felt the opal burn hotly between her breasts.

“Llewellyn, the locket—” Katie couldn’t think as Llewellyn began to stroke her

clit with his other hand. She made a strangled sound and lost her train of
thought.

Needing to kiss him, Katie rose partially and, crying out at the loss of his

fingers, turned herself over so she lay face down on top of him. Straddling his
waist, Katie pressed her mouth hungrily to his. Nibbling on his lower lip,

rasping him with her tongue, she angled his hips the perfect way for her to slide
right down onto him.

They both moaned at the wet, deep penetration.

Uncaring now of the water sloshing over the rim of the tub, Katie kissed her

lover wildly and rode him. She started slowly, wanting to tease him, tease
herself, and drag the moment out. But as the minutes passed, the heat within

herself as well as within the locket began to grow. Soon, Katie felt certain she
would explode, with desire and the fiery burning within her soul.

Also, the strangest thing seemed to be happening. Just as she felt her own

desire, knew what she needed to make herself feel good, so too could she feel
which angle Llewellyn seemed to prefer. She knew when she changed a few

degrees he felt more or less pleasure, knew when she bit his lips too hard or not
hard enough.

In some bizarre way, she seemed connected to him. As if they could read the

other’s sexual desires and wants. Katie felt amazed how masculine and…
urgent…Llewellyn’s desire was. It seemed alien, yet also reassuring at the same

time. She had never really thought about the different ways men and women
would feel pleasure, yet she could easily tell which feelings were her own, and

which ones were Llewellyn’s.

If it didn’t feel so beautiful and wonderful, she would have been scared at the
incredible intimacy that had grown so easily and naturally between them in

such a short time.

Katie knew she would need to come soon as the red-hot need inside her seemed
close to bursting point. She felt amused at the pressure she could so easily feel

building within Llewellyn. She knew he neared the peak, knew he needed
something $more, but she couldn’t tell exactly what it would be.

Katie moved slightly to the side, to nibble on his neck.

“What is it?” she murmured against the strong column of his neck, “what do

you need, Llewellyn?”

He gently cupped her face, turned her so she faced him.

“I need to hear you scream as you come, my love. I want to feel your tight
contractions around me.”

Katie smiled as he thrust even deeper inside him. She could feel the urgency

within herself grow even larger.

“I don’t think that will be much of a problem,” she laughed throatily at him.

When he pulled her down, kissed her fiercely, she could feel the tiny sting of his
teeth on her full lower lip push her over the edge. Everything inside her seized

up, and she screamed. Startlingly, when she came, she could feel her own
contractions around his cock.

She could feel the tight, gripping warmth of herself as she squeezed him into

his own climax. Holding her tightly against his body, Llewellyn continued to
push into her with a desperate need.

Katie could feel the explosion rock through his balls and cock, the white-hot

bolt of lightning that exploded inside his head. She could feel his cock from his
perspective as he erupted inside her, but she could also feel the hot seed

explode inside her own pussy as he shot load after load deeply inside her.

Everything seemed so fused, so melded together it confused her. She could
hardly differentiate between what she felt and what he felt. It was the most

intimate, arousing, and addictive thing she had ever experienced. She realised
with a flash of clarity she might not be able to leave him after all. If they were so

connected, so meshed together now, how could she leave him?

Katie instantly cut off the train of thought. She didn’t want to think about it at
all. She’d wait until later. Much later.

Finally she felt her body begin to come down from her climax. She collapsed

softly against Llewellyn’s large chest, enjoying the feel of his strong, fast
heartbeat beneath his skin. He, too, panted slightly, needing to catch his breath

after the intensity of his orgasm.

It was only when their breathing began to return to normal and he started idly
stroking her damp hair she noticed the lukewarm water that lapped over both

their bodies.

Katie peeked over the edge of the bath.

“I do hope you have a heap of towels. We’ve made a bloody mess out here.”

Llewellyn snickered.

“I’ll make sure from now on that we keep a bucket and mop in here.”

Katie laughed with him, snuggled down against his chest for a moment while
they let the intimate moment wash over them both.

She felt light, happy and at peace.

Until she remembered she wasn’t supposed to be here later on to enjoy the use

of that bucket and mop.

Chapter Twelve

Llewellyn surveyed the ballroom with a critical eye. Damn how he wished he
knew who that silly bitch that had upset Katie was. Katie had been on edge all

day. Not only wasn’t she eating with her regular gusto, but she had trod on his
feet twice during practice and not even cracked a smile as he teased and joked

to her about it.

He had been tempted beyond bearing to inform her they were already Soul-
Joined, that everything tonight was simply a formality. Tradition said the King

and Queen could not merge until after the Ball and during the privacy of the
Ceremony. The High Priestess hadn’t arrived yet, and knowing her, probably

wouldn’t arrive until close to the conclusion of the ball.

So no one knew, or could tell, that they had broken tradition and already
joined. Not that $he cared if anyone else knew. Katie, however, might be upset

later on when she realised they had completely bucked tradition. It also might
upset some of the higher-sticklers of the old traditions and rules.

To make matters even more frustrating, he wasn’t completely certain that it was

the Soul-Joining Ceremony that she worried about. All that glorious intimacy
they shared during sex, the understanding of each other’s emotions and needs

didn’t seem to stretch over into their normal life.

That had been annoying him all day. He didn’t want to burden her with the

knowledge they alone had bucked tradition in more millennium than could be
counted, if it wasn’t this worry that weighed so heavily upon her.

For a moment, Llewellyn wished their merging would help more than just in

the bedroom. At the moment, he would give half his kingdom away just to read
her thoughts and find out what upset her so he could fix it to make her relax

and enjoy herself.

“Your Majesty,” Llewellyn turned to Owan’s beaming face. His pride and self-
satisfaction positively shone from him. “Doesn’t Her Majesty look simply

divine? Even if she did insist on wearing the dark green. I continuously told
her green was so very two seasons ago—”

Llewellyn smiled and interrupted. If he let Owan start up again he would never

be able to shut the man up. “Katie looks absolutely divine. I think she’ll set her
own fashion traditions, don’t you agree?” Llewellyn knew he didn’t need to

pretend or cover his feelings in the slightest. Katie looked absolutely stunning
in the dark forest green long ball gown. The silver embroidery offset her

gloriously pale skin. The green and silver were the perfect accents to her dark
blonde hair and deep brown eyes.

Owan’s grin, if possible, grew even more.

“Oh yes,” he enthused, “She will positively set all the known trends on their ear.

Imagine my surprise when all the Court’s ladies started agreeing like a bunch of
idiots that Fey Pink was so unflattering to the Fey complexion, and whomever

brought it in to fashion should be shot like a dirty dog! I wouldn’t have
believed it if I hadn’t seen and heard it myself! Pink has been in fashion for nigh

on two years now! By tomorrow no one in all the Kingdom would dare wear it!
The Conjurers will have a field day! Why, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if

by this time tomorrow evening every Conjurer in the land will be booked solid
for a month organising every woman’s new wardrobe!”

Llewellyn could almost see the scene Owan described. He snickered, knowing

Katie probably had merely mentioned a few derogatory comments on her
feelings on “Barbie pink” as she called it, and every gossiping tongue had

extended the story. He would bet a hefty amount Owan’s predictions would
come true. No Fey woman would dare be seen in Fey pink again.

“I’m sorry?” he said, tuning back in to Owan’s comments, realising he had been

asked a question.

“Dark Forest Green is perfect for this coming season, isn’t it? Her Highness is
positively a genius! Everyone who is anyone will want to wear it after tonight.

Such a perfect colour that can never go out of season! Our Queen is just
brilliant when it comes to colours and fashions.”

Llewellyn rolled his eyes. Anyone who had heard Owan beg, bribe, whine, and

cry throughout the hour he tried to convince Katie to wear any other ball gown
mightn’t have agreed.

“I must go,” he hastened to add, spying one of the rival fashion guru’s. “Piers is

going to be positively sick with envy when I tell him I started this season’s
craze. He has been ever so stuffy and full of himself since he started that stupid

golden bell on a pastel peach background thing last season!”

Llewellyn was still chortling when Katie returned on Iain’s arm.

“If you make one more crack about this ghastly hair-do, I won’t be responsible
for the shortest ever reign of a King!”

“Actually,” Iain said idly as he scanned the ballroom for his date, “he’s not the

King and you’re not the Queen until after the Soul-Joining Ceremony.”

Katie noticed out the corner of her eye Llewellyn glaring at him and trying to
catch his eye. Obviously Iain was overstepping his bounds somehow. Katie

shrugged.

“Oh really,” she grinned to herself, this might prove interesting, “when is the
Soul-Joining Ceremony again?”

“After the ball, of course. Llewellyn must have told you where it is. Only the

two of you and the High Priestess will be present and know anything about the
ceremony itself.”

Katie turned to Llewellyn. At that moment, Iain breathed something that

sounded like “Aha!” and, with barely a backward glance at the two of them,
excused himself. Katie watched him thread his way through the crowd for a

moment to a stunning brunette. Oddly, her ball gown was a dark, dark black,
embroidered with dragons and phoenixes in silver and green and blue.

“Who is that woman?” Katie asked, her mind diverted. She had asked for dark

black flowers to be embroidered on her ball gown and Owan had nearly fainted
from shock.

”Black is ‘so’ taboo! Don’t you dare even entertain thoughts on wearing black!

You simply can’t or I shall ‘die’ from the shame.”

As it had just been a passing fancy, Katie had decided to pick her fights and let

that one drop immediately.

“Hmm? I’m not certain, Iain invited so many people she could be the escort of
almost any travelling dignitary.” Llewellyn smiled as he watched Iain barely

restrain himself from punching the man his date spoke to. “I haven’t seen her
before, but that doesn’t mean a lot, merely that she either doesn’t live here, or

hasn’t for very long. By the looks of things most of the upper-aristocratic snobs
floating around detest her, judging from the way she’s been snubbed from most

of the women.”

Instantly Katie felt her locket warm up.

Wow…Self-righteousness.

“I like her gown,” she insisted. Llewellyn looked around uneasily. A number of
the floating court and aristocrats had perked up their ears, turning slightly to

listen to the future-Queen declare her opinions at the top of her voice. “It has
class and style. Who the hell cares if it’s black? There’s more than enough

moonbeams and colour on it for me! I think it looks brilliant on her and I bet
she has a mile of guts to flaunt in front of everyone with such grace and style.”

Katie nodded to herself, and Llewellyn saw a half dozen ladies turn to stare
curiously at the stunning woman.

“I really like her, let’s go get introduced,” Katie took a determined step towards

where Iain seemed to be trying to talk her into a dance with him. Llewellyn
grabbed her arm so they could go together. He steered them towards where

they stood talking closely together.

Llewellyn noted a number of shocked expressions, and more than one woman
delicately try to excuse themselves from the conversation to follow and see

what would happen between the two couples.

“A little less vocal on the black gown, huh? I don’t think the kitchen staff three
floors down heard you say that. Next thing you know Owan will be murdering

you for starting a trend of black clothing.”

Katie snorted. “I like black, and don’t see why someone as pretty as she, or I for
that matter, can’t wear any damn color we want to. But, I doubt I’ll be

breaking many fashion trends in the near future.”

Llewellyn shook his head and didn’t comment. Might as well let her see the
results of her impetuosity later on for herself.

Katie was stunned at how they never even got close to where Iain had cornered

the woman. Everyone seemed to want to stop them to talk, and congratulate
them. If it wasn’t for the fact they also seemed to want to make sly remarks

about the upcoming ceremony she wouldn’t have minded so much.

As the evening wore on, her patience waned. She felt heartily sick of dancing
the same four dances, over and over. She could never make it far enough to the

buffet table to get more than a single bite of the food. The beverages being
served were so potently alcoholic that a few sips had made her trip on her own

feet, and so she couldn’t even enjoy the drinks!

What made her even more impatient was the fact that she only could dance one
in a handful of dances with Llewellyn. He had carefully explained after the third

“visiting dignitary” had stolen her away for a dance that she had to be polite
and couldn’t possibly dance each dance with him.

Katie had decided to definitely pick and chose her battles, she still struggled

with wanting to take her uncomfortably high heeled dancing slippers off. She
knew sooner or later she would simply ditch them into a corner plant or

something, but she valiantly tried to restrain herself.

After what felt like hours of struggling, she knew she had to do something or go
completely insane. She gave the sour-breathed old man trying to stare at her

tits a brilliant, totally fake smile.

“I am so sorry to bring this scintillating conversation to a halt, but I simply
must talk to Llewellyn about something of vital importance.”

“Ah! Of course, my dear. Going to go practise for the Ceremony tonight, eh?

Eh, Llewellyn?”

When he opened his mouth to reply, Katie stepped on his foot.

“Of course we are. Practise makes perfect, after all.”

Not even wanting to listen to the crony’s spluttering, Katie half dragged
Llewellyn out into one of the corridors.

“Katie,” he called out forbiddingly. She refused to listen to him. She felt tired of

doing things his way. Finally, when the music from the ballroom was muted
enough she made another turn, feeling completely lost in the huge place.

She stopped and pushed Llewellyn against the wall.

“Darling,” he laughed, “if you wanted a bit of action you should have—”

“Don’t you start with me. What the hell is this Ceremony! I am so tired of
being kept in the dark, and particularly of everyone around me sniggering and

making suggestive remarks. I am doing fairly well in brazening all this out, but
I am getting really sick of being the only person around who doesn’t understand

anything. Just because I’ll be going home soon doesn’t give you the right to
keep me in the dark.”

Llewellyn sighed.

“I really meant to tell you earlier. And here is not the place. No one else can

know.”

Katie looked around sarcastically, “I don’t see anyone else, do you?”

Llewellyn shook his head.

“There’s always someone else around. And remind me to teach you the lock I
performed last night.”

Katie bit her lip and thought hard.

She had only known Llewellyn two days, yet she felt closer to him that any

other person she had known. She felt her locket begin to emit a warmth, not the
usual blast of heat she had come to recognise. She raised a hand and closed it

around the opal heart.

“It really does burn with an internal fire, doesn’t it?” she asked softly.

Llewellyn nodded, smiling slightly.

“Our fire, my love. There has always been a fire within you, the locket has just
helped you tap into it.”

“But it feels your fire, too.”

“Sure it does. And as I told you before, you can control both flames.” Katie

smiled as Llewellyn dragged her into his warm embrace. She pressed her hands
against the cold stone walls. She could feel the heat radiating from both her

hands and his body.

She’d never be cold in bed again, that was for sure!

Katie frowned. She could remind herself she wanted to go home until she was
blue in the face, but in her heart she didn’t believe it, deep in her soul she knew

she would stay with this man until she withered and died.

When had she made her commitment to him? Was it when she had first seen
him walk up to her on that sandy Australian beach? Maybe it had been during

their dancing lessons? When he had gallantly not mentioned her stomping on
his feet - both accidentally and on purpose? Or when she had seen him turn to

hide his laughter at her arguments with Owan?

Yet she couldn’t deny at some stage she had committed to him, brought him
deep into her heart. And then she realized what the softer warmth reflected in

her locket was.

She loved him.

She looked into his eyes and smiled. She could feel an answering warmth inside
him. For a split second, she thanked the heavens she didn’t need to say the

words just yet. Llewellyn’s world seemed so very different from the one she
knew. A girl had to be careful where she threw herself.

Gently, as if she would break, Llewellyn leaned forwards and kissed her. Their

lips met softly, almost in reverence. Katie sighed as he pulled back and took her
hand in his.

“We’d better get back. No use in spreading rumours we’re performing the

Ceremony early.”

Katie laughed and decided he deserved to be teased.

“I thought we needed the High Priestess for this kinky Ceremony. You know,
I’ve never had a threesome before, it could prove to be interesting.”

Llewellyn chuckled and shook his head.

“I’ll tell you everything once the High Priestess arrives, she—”

“Is not used to being left waiting…Your Highness.”

Both Katie and Llewellyn stopped mid-stride. A few paces in front of them

stood a regally tall woman. Easily five-nine, she seemed to tower above them,
as if her internal strength and power far exceeded the inches in height she held.

She had a mass of long, wavy silver hair tied back into a neat ponytail. She wore

a beautiful dark blue ball gown, elegant in its simplicity.

Katie couldn’t help but smile.

“Owan must be so proud of you. At least someone wore midnight blue like he

kept on insisting I should.”

The High Priestess looked her up and down, and even though maybe a few days
ago, the look of intelligence and interest in her eyes might have made her

squirm, Katie knew this woman would never cause her harm.

“You were right to stick to your beliefs, Your Majesty. Our Queen must always
do what she thinks is best, no matter who tells her otherwise.”

Katie turned to beam at Llewellyn.

“You hear that? Bet I’ll be reminding you of that in the years to come!”

Llewellyn looked at her as if he had just discovered something incredibly

important. Katie frowned, not understanding.

“What? Do I have smeared lipstick or something?” Self-consciously, she began
to wipe at her mouth. “That damned man swore it wouldn’t smear…I should

have known better! When I get my hands on him…”

Llewellyn took her hand and drew it away from her face.

“No. I think it best you realise in your own time exactly what you just said.”

Thoroughly confused now, Katie stared at him a moment, and then turned her
attention back to the High Priestess, who looked on like an indulgent mother at

her bickering children.

“So,” Katie began, “are we going to move somewhere more private? If we’re
going to do kinky threesome things, I really would prefer to be in private.”

The High Priestess chuckled, Katie couldn’t help but gawk. Really, the woman

was incredible. She gave off an aura of power and magic, unlike anyone she had
ever previously met, yet she chuckled as if she truly found Katie’s nervous

ramblings amusing.

Mental note: Fey have odd senses of humour.

Katie shrugged and allowed Llewellyn to lead them both down a hall she
thought led to his study quarters.

“Honestly Llewellyn,” the High Priestess scolded him as if he were a dirty three

year old who had been caught playing in the mud. “The more I see of you, the
more like Laurence you become. Even in this, most sacred tradition, you break

the rules, just as he and your lovely mother did.”

Katie blinked, understanding the words, but not the meaning behind them.
Llewellyn however, seemed to understand exactly what the High Priestess

spoke of, as he turned an interesting shade of red.

“Mum and Dad…?”

“Yes, indeed. Certainly threw me for a loop. Nearly a millennium of presiding
over the Ceremonies and never had anyone stepped out of line. Until he and

Pamela ‘couldn’t help themselves’ I believe was what they told me. And now
you and Your Queen have acted in an almost identical manner.”

Katie thought hard. What the hell kind of ceremony were they supposed to be

doing? A sneaking suspicion entered her mind. She shot a hard look at
Llewellyn and felt her anger stir.

“Were we not supposed to—” she gasped in surprise when Llewellyn didn’t

even miss his pace as he wrapped a hand around her mouth.

“Shh. Not here!” he insisted.

Katie shook his hand off and turned to look at the High Priestess.

“If this Ceremony is so sacred, and we broke tradition, why aren’t you livid?”

The High Priestess shrugged.

“These things are better discussed in private,” she intoned as they entered
Llewellyn’s study.

The High Priestess waved them to one of the sitting couches and shut the door

behind them.

Katie sat next to Llewellyn, feeling oddly like a child brought before the
principle for chewing gum in class.

“It used to be,” the High Priestess began, “in the past, the future King’s didn’t

seem to understand the significance of the opal fire and locket. They’d want to
make completely inappropriate women their Queen’s. Women who had

bewitched them, or women whom they only had a passing lust for. Not women
whom they could truly rule the Kingdom with. Of course, back in those days,

the men felt they had to rule alone, and their Queens could simply try to
procreate more.”

Katie smiled as Llewellyn merely gnashed his teeth at this description. Even

though he didn’t seem impressed with the Priestess’ words, neither did he seem

to want to refute it.

“And so the High Priestess had to give her blessing, and ensure their souls truly
merged, and they didn’t simply sate their sexual need and move on.”

Katie started to understand what had happened.

“But we’ve…”

“Already merged your souls? Exchanged your inner fires? Learned to

understand each other completely? Yes, child. You and your Llewellyn have
achieved all that, and more. You are true soul mates, not just partners of

convenience. Laurence and Pamela were exactly the same. And much like the
two of you, neither could they…uh…contain their passions until the designated

moment.”

“But why wouldn’t Mum and Dad tell me that then? Why hide it from me? They
never did tell me what the Ceremony was, exactly.”

The High Priestess smiled as if he were a particularly slow pupil.

“A part of the Ceremony, a part we will still perform today, is a spell which

means neither of you can ever tell anyone exactly what occurs. Each ceremony
is slightly different. If each future King and Queen believed they would have to

walk exactly in their predecessor’s shoes, then we would all be in a lot of
trouble. Every journey is different, and so as few rules as possible must be laid

out. Everything in each individual journey must simply take its own course.”

Llewellyn nodded. Katie nodded also, although she didn’t understand much of
the “traditions” spoken about. She did, however understand the need for her

children, and grandchildren to follow, to follow their own paths, and not the
footsteps she and Llewellyn would leave.

“Well then,” the High Priestess smiled and clapped her hands together, “this

has been a fascinating Ceremony, I must admit. Possibly the shortest
explanatory part of one to date, as well. I would love to wrap this up and head

out for some of those delicious—“

“Liar! Cheating Whore!”

The study door pounded, and then seemed to be thrown back against the wall
with an almighty crash. Katie felt herself being pushed backwards by

Llewellyn so he stood fully in front of her, defending her with his own body.

Extremely interested in what was occurring, Katie peered around her lover to

see the show. A statuesque woman, hair wildly disarrayed, seemed to be
heaving herself through the settling dust. The woman’s face and hands seemed

elongated. It took Katie’s brain a moment to catch up, but this woman looked
much like numerous renditions she had seen in books of a harpy.

Still panting and obviously seething, the woman spat as she pointed a finger at

Katie and shrieked:

“You have ruined everything! Years I have been planning this! And you, slut,
have managed to thwart me! ‘I will not have it’!”

Katie tried to smile, but felt certain only a grimace crossed her face. She looked

at Llewellyn, and thought furiously. She desperately wanted to make some wry,
witty comment. But the woman seemed rather determined and scary from

where Katie stood.

Katie blinked, stepped back, and rubbed her eyes. Llewellyn’s carefully styled
hair seemed longer, shaggier. Katie re-looked at her lover.

Yes…it now reached his shoulders. And his face, when he turned to comfort her

had altered slightly. It looked partially like that of a lion’s!

“Stay back here, Katie. I’ll deal with this.”

The hag/woman/Fey laughed and Katie winced. The sound reminded her of
nails down a chalkboard. Under slightly different circumstances, Katie would

have laughed hysterically at the movie-like scene unfolding before her very
eyes.

I’ll deal with it? She mentally made a face at him. How utterly like a man to

take control at the very end of the story and then claim to be the big, strong
leader!

Katie finds his locket, transports them both to heaven-knows-where, sees

magic conjuring like no one else would believe, and then comes to accept she’s
some Fey Queen wanna-be—and he’ll deal with the small problem of a maniac

hag who supposedly was some Fey woman at the Ball?

Becoming more enraged the more she thought about it, Katie took a step
towards Llewellyn, only to feel a cool hand grasp her shoulder. Katie turned,

surprised to see the High Priestess warily watching Llewellyn and the other
woman closing in on each other.

“You carry his child,” she said, not even looking at her.

Katie felt her stomach plummet.

“Say what?” she heard herself say stupidly, as if from a distance.

Katie saw the High Priestess look at her a moment, shake her shoulder as if she
were a particularly thick child, and repeat, “You carry his child. Do not do

something stupid.”

Katie obediently turned around, finding herself feeling almost sulky.

“But stupid is my speciality.”

Katie placed her hands over her lower stomach. Strangely, she found herself
excited. She hadn’t even considered protection, or the chance of a child.

Llewellyn hadn’t even mentioned it, let alone planted the thought in her mind.
She found herself inexplicably happy and comfortable with the thought of

becoming a mother.

She could rant at Llewellyn about not warning her about how compatible Fey
and human’s were later.

“Why does Llewellyn look a bit like a lion?” she asked the High Priestess

quietly. She didn’t want to shift his focus while harpy woman circled him,
striking out without warning and trying to gouge her lover.

“The Fey are odd creatures. Normally, they are the most docile and natural of

people. But rile them, and their inner animals surface. Glada, there, internally
is a harpy at heart. In her jealousy and passion, she has let loose of her more

humane side, and is revelling in her darker psyche. Llewellyn’s inner beast is
that of a lion. He is still in control of himself, hence only his partial

transformation.”

Just then, Glada struck Llewellyn with her claws. He hissed, scooted
backwards, and continued to circle her. Katie watched Glada, she wanted to

find an opening where she could help Llewellyn.

Instead, she heard a crash, and cried out. Llewellyn had fallen! Katie moved to
rush to his side, but again, the High Priestess grabbed her shoulder.

“Do not be foolish, child. Glada wants you to rush her. She is waiting for it.”

“But—”

“The King is but momentarily stunned. There is poison in a harpy’s claws. He

was foolish to forget that fact.”

Katie stared numbly as the High Priestess stood in front of her, her posture as
regal as the moment Katie had first seen her. Wildly, Katie looked around her

for a weapon. She didn’t want the High Priestess to fight for her. Katie had
never been in more than a pillow fight with girlfriends when she had been ten,

yet she knew she could and would fight to protect both her man and their child.

Fucked if she would run from some stupid harpy bitch!

She saw a heavy-looking stone bust acting as a paperweight on Llewellyn’s
desk. Stretching, she grabbed it and hefted it in her hand. It felt heavier than

she was used to, but beggars could not be choosers.

“Get aside, Priestess. This is between me and the slut.”

Katie rolled her eyes.

“Oh, honestly. And have you ever slept with Llewellyn?”

The harpy narrowed her eyes. Katie had the distinct feeling if looks could kill…

“No. But he would have taken me if you had waited! If you hadn’t been such a
horny little bitch—” Glada shrieked again. The High Priestess had turned into

an enormous eagle, razor sharp talons scratching at her hands and face as she
tried to protect herself.

“Priestess, move away!” Katie cried out, hoping to heaven the High Priestess

would listen to her. She hefted the bust in both hands, praying for accuracy. At
exactly the right moment the High Priestess soared to the ceiling and Katie had

her perfect shot.

She threw the bust, knocking Glada squarely in the back of the head, exactly
where she had wanted. Out cold, the harpy fell to the floor in a dead weight.

Katie came forward and felt in her neck for a pulse. She could feel the rustle

behind her as the High Priestess obviously changed back into her normal form.

“She is perfectly all right. I will deal with her. Traitors are dealt with in a
common way. She will work through her debts.”

“Work?” Katie asked only half paying attention. She felt relieved to find the

pulse she sought.

“Yes. Her memory will be altered. She will become a novice in my Temple. She
will be cared for, but never allowed free. If she choses wisely and she will

follow in the Way, it is the Goddess’ choice.”

“Oh,” Katie said softly, not really knowing what else to say. Standing up, she
brushed down the skirt of her dark green ball gown. “Well, I am certainly glad I

never dropped softball, like my mother wanted me to. I’m also glad I didn’t
choose pink for my dress.”

Looking at the unconscious woman at her feet, dressed in a bright, hot pink,

monstrously ruffled ball gown, she smirked. “Owan will be very pleased to
know I will never, ever wear the colour again when this story comes out.”

“Ah,” the High Priestess said softly, “but he won’t know about this.”

Katie made a face.

“Oh, yeah, the whole secrecy thing. Oh well. Hopefully someone else will do a

massively taboo thing in one of these disgusting dresses. Because if I must be
Queen, damned if I’m going to wear something that awful and wrong!”

From across the room, a faint groan came from Llewellyn’s lips.

“Llewellyn, darling, are you ok? Do we need some…I don’t know, anti-harpy

poison or something?”

“I can deal with it…” he muttered and started chanting a few words.

Katie sighed.

“Sure, that’s what you said last time, until one fell swoop from harpy girl here
had you down and out.”

“Do not,” he gritted out, “remind me. I’m damn glad we’re never going to speak

of this again.”

Katie wanted to continue harassing him, the goon had given her quite a scare.
However, as she marshalled her thoughts and arguments, she became fixated

on the green, vaporous gas being expelled from the three claw marks on his
cheek. Her lecture became completely lost as she watched in utter fascination.

As the last of the noxious fumes lifted, Katie turned to the High Priestess.

“These won’t leave scars will they? Can we heal him?”

The High Priestess looked to Llewellyn, who grinned.

“Cast the spell,” he said warmly, “and then I’ll tell her.”

The High Priestess waved her hand and a ring of white surrounded the two of
them. Katie held Llewellyn tightly, reminding herself she wasn’t scared, she was

protecting her lover and…husband?

“Hey, are we married?”

“As married as they come. Who else would you merge your soul with?”

“Oh,” she said softly. “Can we have a ceremony or something, just to make
sure?”

“If you stopped talking, you might hear the ceremony,” Llewellyn laughed.

Katie pinched his shoulder, just to show him she wouldn’t forget his teasing.

“Goddess of all, bless these Two. What you have brought together, let nothing

tear apart. Of their choice, and Yours, they have made themselves One. I ask
that you bless them and all that they do. What is private stays so, that none may

hear and break Your future plans.”

The white ring around them burned fire-bright. Flames licked up and ate the
white ring, until they were surrounded by a ring of fire. Katie felt her opal

locket resonate with the heat. She could feel the answering heat resonate within
Llewellyn.

He turned her face towards him with a gentle motion of one hand. She hungrily

greeted his kiss. The fire arched between them, grew and fed from each other.
She felt the locket burn between her breasts, and then she felt it becoming

contained again.

She knew within her heart of hearts the fire would truly burn between them
tonight and every other night of their lives.

When she pulled back for some air, the High Priestess and Glada were gone. So

too was the circle that had been protecting and surrounding them.

“Where’s the circle?” she asked, her mind whirling with the million and one
things that had happened tonight.

“It burnt and then was contained. Couldn’t you feel it?”

“I thought that was our fire, not the ring.”

“They are one and the same.”

Katie nodded and stared deeply into Llewellyn’s eyes. Somehow, in a little over
two days his face had become more beloved than any other.

Gently, she raised a hand to his raw wound.

“I want to heal you. What do we do?”

“The Queen always has the Healing Touch. You can fix it.”

Katie frowned. For once, she wanted to work out some of this weirdness on her

own. She might be a Queen, but she didn’t feel very different. She didn’t feel
more powerful or more intelligent. She wouldn’t have a clue what healing herb

or root to make a paste out of, let alone how to make the paste itself.

All she could do was control and contain their fires.

Katie cupped his face with her hand and closed her eyes. She focused internally,
found her own fire. It burnt just beneath the surface of her conscious thought.

Carefully, handling it as if it were a single thread in a ball of wool, she focused a
tiny piece of the fire outwards. Cooling it, wanting it to heal, not harm, she

focused it onto Llewellyn’s injury.

He sucked in a breath, and she hesitated.

“Too hot?” she asked, terrified.

“Too horny,” he replied softly.

Frowning Katie ignoring the sexy connotations Llewellyn’s remark brought to
her mind. She continued to thread her fire through the wound, trying to mend

the rending tear. She could feel herself drawing the pain, the poison, and
damaged tissue away from the healthy sections of his cheek. She would send

the flame out cool, but it would return burning hot.

When her flame began to return cool, she opened her eyes and looked at her
lover. He watched her, his deep, dark brown eyes filled with love, lust, and a

burning need for her. She withdrew all her fire, placed it back inside her where
it lived. Leaning in, she blew gently over his fully healed cheek.

“I am so damn good,” she whispered naughtily, loving that she finally

understood something and did it right without being shown.

“We’ll be even better when we get to the damn bedroom.”

“Do you have flame proof sheets?” she asked cheekily, letting him help her

stand up. Llewellyn kissed her hard. A brief, salute of a kiss.

“Oh yeah, baby. I was counting on that tonight.

Laughing, she waved him to lead the way. Happy and feeling drunk on joy, she
followed him to their rooms.

Chapter Thirteen

Katie watched Llewellyn carefully as he showed her how to manage the lock.

“You knew even back then we had completed the ritual? And didn’t bother to
tell me?” She found herself not seriously upset or annoyed, but she couldn’t

help feeling a little bit of both. They were supposed to be sharing everything
together.

“I wanted to, but I knew it would be important that no one else know. And no,”

he said as she opened her mouth, “I didn’t think you would tell. But you would
have acted differently, and you’re so easy to read, many people would have

guessed that something had happened. It just seemed easier to wait until we
met up with the High Priestess.”

Katie pouted as Llewellyn drew her into his arms.

“No more secrets. I promise,” he whispered to her and she couldn’t help but

smile.

“If I do find you are keeping secrets I will exact horrendous revenge. You’ve
been warned.”

Llewellyn laughed and drew her closer to his body. Katie discovered she loved

his laugh. It made his eyes sparkle and his whole face light up.

“You look beautiful tonight,” he murmured huskily, “easily the most beautiful
woman present.”

“You couldn’t possibly have had time to look at every single woman there!”

Katie cleared her throat, amazed to find herself husky as well. “There must have
been well over a thousand people there tonight!”

Katie found herself being turned around. She could feel Llewellyn tugging at

the material of her ball gown.

“Damned buttons. Why the conjurers can’t find something else to fasten a
damned dress with.”

Katie couldn’t help laughing. “You must sound like bridegrooms across the

universe. We spend weeks making ourselves look our best, and all you men
want is us out of the dress as soon as possible.”

“Then aren’t you glad you came here? You didn’t need to spend months making
yourself look beautiful. I doubt if you spent more than two hours with poor

Owan and the conjurers.”

Katie snorted and crossed her arms over her breasts.

“Stop talking and get rid of this damned dress,” she pouted. She heard a
rending tear, and winced. Owan would have hysterics when he found the

remains.

“I actually quite liked this dress…” she let the sentence trail away, as she could
feel Llewellyn’s mouth on her shoulder, nibbling and kissing. He found the

pressure point in the curvature between her neck and shoulder, and she felt her
knees weaken and buckle.

“Hold on just a second,” he said softly, pulling the rest of the dress from her

body and letting her step through it. Shoes, stockings and thong followed, all
being dropped carelessly on the floor.

“Wait,” she said, turning around as he led her to the enormous bed. “I want to

undress you too.”

Grinning manically, Llewellyn halted and threw his arms out wide.

“Do with me what you must, fair maiden.”

Katie giggled and began to undo his necktie. “Fair maiden?” she giggled, “It’s
been a while since I’ve been called anything resembling a maiden.”

“Better hurry, though,” he said darkly, “I have a hunger for a certain maid. And

while I’m prepared to try and be gentlemanly and let you undress me and have
your wicked way, I seriously doubt I’ll be able to hold out long.”

Knowing he would indeed simply pick her up when he had had enough waiting,

Katie hurried. Ripping a few buttons here and there, she finally managed to
remove his shoes and clothes.

She stood before her, as naked as she. His muscles were bunched, tense in his

desire.

“You’re beautiful,” she couldn’t help but say softly. “Absolutely stunning.”

Llewellyn didn’t even respond to her. He simply picked her up, swinging her
into his arms, and carried her to their turned down bed. He placed her carefully

against the pillows, as if she truly were some sort of fragile maiden, about to

lose her virginity.

He seemed to read her mind.

“It will be slightly different this time, my love. This time we have been blessed
and acknowledged as the King and Queen. I don’t know how, but my father said

it always felt different after the High Priestess blesses one.”

Katie cupped his face and brought him down to her. She didn’t care if it felt
different, all she wanted was to feel his lips against her own. She kissed him

deeply, growling low in her throat when his tongue touched her own. She could
taste him, his spicy, masculine taste.

As they kissed and gently caressed one another, Katie couldn’t help but think

she’d die a happy woman if she could just touch Llewellyn’s skin like this
forever, feel his lips pressing down over hers, and his tongue tracing patterns

over hers for the rest of her life.

Minutes or hours passed, and still they slowly and happily explored each other.
Touch for touch they lost themselves in each other. Katie found herself puffing,

completely out of breath, and they had barely even started.

Sometime later, she felt the heat always crackling between them begin to rise.
Llewellyn had been right, it did feel different. It felt binding, permanent

somehow, as if they were sealing a sacred vow or promise. Reinforcing
something that had already been laid.

The heat that rose between them felt as if it were a branding iron, hot, but with

the lasting intensity of forever.

“Llewellyn,” she panted, arching her back into his touch. For the first time in
her life she didn’t care how her hair fell in limp disarray, she didn’t care her

body felt sweaty and straining. She knew she could look like a hag, grow ancient
and grey, wrinkled and fat and he would still see her inner beauty.

She panted, and wanted to show him what she felt.

“I can feel it too, Katie,” he panted, bending down to scatter kisses across the

tops of her breasts. “I can feel the difference in the heat. What you feel, so too
do I. Don’t worry, just enjoy it.”

Moaning, she complied, relaxing back in the soft bed, letting the moment and

the power of their combined fires roar over and through her.

Astonishingly, without him even touching her pussy, she could feel the sheer

force of the fire between them begin to grow inside her, hurl her up towards
their climax. She could feel her body ready itself, growing damp. She spread her

legs, uncaring what he thought of her lewd posturing.

“Inside me,” she panted, wanting to convey her desires, “I want to come with
you inside me.”

She reached her hands down to grasp his hips, pull him towards her. She cried

out as his hard tip grazed her thigh.

He simply burned with passion, with heat. In that moment, she knew he had
wanted to make her as wild as he felt. He must have been wearing that hard-on

for most of the ball! He felt like a hot brick, or length of pipe.

“Please,” she implored, uncaring that she bared her soul to him. She wanted
him inside her more than she had ever wanted anything. This one, truly special

time she didn’t want to come alone, she wanted her King with her.

“Say it,” he pleaded, his own voice hoarse with his restraint.

“You’re my King,” she said softly, cherishing the words. “You’re my lover, my
King, and my partner. Please, let’s do this together.”

He shouted his triumph and plunged inside her. Katie grabbed his shoulders

and cried out, both in pain and incredible pleasure. He was so big she could
hardly breathe, she felt stuffed full.

“Katie,” he chided softly. She pulled him closer, pricking him with her short

nails. She would kill him if he halted now, she swore, rend him limb from limb
and utterly kill him. Thankfully, he withdrew slightly and then pressed back

into her.

“Yes!” she cried out, nearly shrieking with the pleasure he brought her.

Together, they moaned and strained together, he for restraint, her for more. He
filled her as no one ever had, as no one else ever could. And though Katie

thought she could not take him any deeper, when he shifted her legs to a
different angle, and tilted her hips, she discovered she could indeed take him

deeper into her.

They lasted only moments, but both Katie and Llewellyn felt as if it were years,
decades of abandoned bliss.

When they came, just like Fate always intended it to be, they came together,

shouting so loudly the helpers clearing out the rooms and halls had to hide

their smiles. Everyone loved a happy ending, no matter how rough the road had
been, and maybe would be in the future. Everyone, including Katie and

Llewellyn, could see and feel the love and heat surrounding them.

And really, when it all comes down to it. Who cares what life throws at you if
one has a true and solid love?