well-defined shoulders while they crossed their arms over broad chests. They seemed identical in every way.
Breath stalled in her chest as she recognized the spiraling patterns that covered their wings. Sweeping lines twisted over on themselves, bisecting the delicate veining and the scarred flesh. Clearly, they’d often seen battle.
Realization slammed into her, stealing her breath. These men were the things Seelie mothers warned their children about. They were the monsters under the bed. They were the Unseelie Fae…the Dark Sidhe.
Chapter Two
What did the Dark Sidhe want with her? Tama took one step back. Then another. Stifling a scream, she turned and sprinted for the questionable safety of the wildlife center. She felt, rather than heard, them give chase. Their wings disturbed the air around her, carrying the scents of crushed greens and thick woods.
“Stop!” one of her nightmares ordered.
Not a chance. Taking refuge in the human building would weaken her further, but she was willing to bet that they couldn’t enter it at all. Over the course of the last three years, she’d built up some immunity to humans and their surroundings. She might be weaker than she’d ever been in the faery realm, but at least she could use it to her advantage now.
Daring a glance over her shoulder, she only saw one of her pursuers. Anticipating that the other was about to appear in front of her, she darted left, only to slam headlong into a warm wall of flesh. The impact knocked her on her back, and snow slid up under her thick sweater, chilling her skin. It paled in comparison to the bone-deep terror that nearly froze her blood at the realization that she was trapped.
“Look, I don’t know what you two are doing here, but—”
“We’ve come for you, Tama, Princess of the Seelie Court.”
She swallowed hard, unable to make a sound.
Huge hands closed around her upper arms and hauled her to her feet. “She reeks of humans .”
The giant in front of her shrugged. “It’s to be expected. She’s been with them for some time.”
Heat and awareness radiated from the touch of the man behind her, spreading through her body making her feel languid…almost relaxed. It felt as if her body recognized him. What the hell was wrong with her? She needed to get away. His nearness clouded her thinking. She thrashed in his grip, thrusting back an elbow and connecting hard with his ribs.
On a grunt of pain, he jerked her closer, pinning her to his chest. His sharp inhalation echoed hers as her ass came into contact with his groin. Bending his head, his lips brushed the shell of her ear, sending shivers of unease and ill-timed desire coursing through her body. “Cease. Your. Struggling,” he rasped.
The other man gripped her chin and lifted her face so he could meet her gaze. “The time for hiding is past. You will leave this place.” Skin against skin, his touch tightened her body with something that felt suspiciously like need. It was as if her body was already familiar with his, as well. Her fear increased a hundredfold.
“Look, I don’t know who you are or how you got mixed up with Dahire, but there is no way on this earth that I’m going back to the Seelie Court.”
“On that, we agree,” he murmured.
If they didn’t mean to take her back to Dahire, what were their intentions?
“Look,” she said, forcing a bravado she was far from feeling. “Maybe we can make some kind of deal.” She had no idea what she could offer them, but she’d settle for buying herself enough time to get out of this mess.
The warmth of the touch, of the man holding her, seeped into her skin. It was followed by a fresh rush of need. His eyes widened as if he noticed her reaction. Was she that transparent? Did he feel it, too? More importantly, why did she even care?
A flurry of wings disturbed the air around them. Their gazes lifted to the sky in time to see a contingent of Seelie soldiers descending. A wash of cold air swirled
Breath stalled in her chest as she recognized the spiraling patterns that covered their wings. Sweeping lines twisted over on themselves, bisecting the delicate veining and the scarred flesh. Clearly, they’d often seen battle.
Realization slammed into her, stealing her breath. These men were the things Seelie mothers warned their children about. They were the monsters under the bed. They were the Unseelie Fae…the Dark Sidhe.
Chapter Two
What did the Dark Sidhe want with her? Tama took one step back. Then another. Stifling a scream, she turned and sprinted for the questionable safety of the wildlife center. She felt, rather than heard, them give chase. Their wings disturbed the air around her, carrying the scents of crushed greens and thick woods.
“Stop!” one of her nightmares ordered.
Not a chance. Taking refuge in the human building would weaken her further, but she was willing to bet that they couldn’t enter it at all. Over the course of the last three years, she’d built up some immunity to humans and their surroundings. She might be weaker than she’d ever been in the faery realm, but at least she could use it to her advantage now.
Daring a glance over her shoulder, she only saw one of her pursuers. Anticipating that the other was about to appear in front of her, she darted left, only to slam headlong into a warm wall of flesh. The impact knocked her on her back, and snow slid up under her thick sweater, chilling her skin. It paled in comparison to the bone-deep terror that nearly froze her blood at the realization that she was trapped.
“Look, I don’t know what you two are doing here, but—”
“We’ve come for you, Tama, Princess of the Seelie Court.”
She swallowed hard, unable to make a sound.
Huge hands closed around her upper arms and hauled her to her feet. “She reeks of humans .”
The giant in front of her shrugged. “It’s to be expected. She’s been with them for some time.”
Heat and awareness radiated from the touch of the man behind her, spreading through her body making her feel languid…almost relaxed. It felt as if her body recognized him. What the hell was wrong with her? She needed to get away. His nearness clouded her thinking. She thrashed in his grip, thrusting back an elbow and connecting hard with his ribs.
On a grunt of pain, he jerked her closer, pinning her to his chest. His sharp inhalation echoed hers as her ass came into contact with his groin. Bending his head, his lips brushed the shell of her ear, sending shivers of unease and ill-timed desire coursing through her body. “Cease. Your. Struggling,” he rasped.
The other man gripped her chin and lifted her face so he could meet her gaze. “The time for hiding is past. You will leave this place.” Skin against skin, his touch tightened her body with something that felt suspiciously like need. It was as if her body was already familiar with his, as well. Her fear increased a hundredfold.
“Look, I don’t know who you are or how you got mixed up with Dahire, but there is no way on this earth that I’m going back to the Seelie Court.”
“On that, we agree,” he murmured.
If they didn’t mean to take her back to Dahire, what were their intentions?
“Look,” she said, forcing a bravado she was far from feeling. “Maybe we can make some kind of deal.” She had no idea what she could offer them, but she’d settle for buying herself enough time to get out of this mess.
The warmth of the touch, of the man holding her, seeped into her skin. It was followed by a fresh rush of need. His eyes widened as if he noticed her reaction. Was she that transparent? Did he feel it, too? More importantly, why did she even care?
A flurry of wings disturbed the air around them. Their gazes lifted to the sky in time to see a contingent of Seelie soldiers descending. A wash of cold air swirled
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