“We both got off,” I say with a shrug. “Although you apparently can’t control yourself,” I taunt with a pointed look at her red-feathered wings.
Eliana’s head turns left, then right, taking in the gloriousness of each spread-out length, the feathers glossy and soft as silk. A small smile comes to her lips—pride in their beauty—and I know my taunt missed its mark.
She twists, gaze returning to mine, and she slowly lifts her hips. The slide of her wet flesh along mine causes me to groan, and then she’s pushing back down.
She folds her wings in until they’ve fully disappeared. Her expression is hard. “I can feel it starting again. Can you keep going?”
Since that was the best sex in forever, despite the fact she’s my enemy, I give her a curt nod. “As many times as you need.”
And that’s a fact. Whatever drug is causing her to need this continual release, it’s no match against my stamina. As a Light Fae, I can fuck for weeks at a time and never slow down.
Her hands come back to my chest where they rest lightly before she says, “Thank you.”
I nod.
“I still hate you, Bluff Dweller,” she adds.
“Hate you too, Meadowlander,” I reply before roughly flipping her over on her stomach and driving in hard from behind. She cries out in pleasure, and I nearly pass out from how good it feels. I plunge a hand into her long hair, wrap it up tight, and jerk her head to the side so she can see me through lust-bleared eyes. And for the first time ever, I lean forward, put my mouth against my sworn enemy’s, and kiss her.
CHAPTER 4
Eliana
Brevala
It feels good to be back home in Brevala, especially since the Meadowlands are warm with spring air that smells of the wildflowers growing in the valley. When Brevala was created as an alternate universe for Light Fae to dwell in, it was done with exquisite care to make this the most beautiful place in the cosmos. I’ve traveled the world many times over, and I can say with absolute certainty there is no prettier place.
I’m here for a short visit. The Festival of Creation starts tomorrow and is being held in the land of Faere, where our queen, Nimeyah, lives. Most of the Light Fae live there, too, leading quite boring lives filled with endless parties and social engagements.
Eons ago, some Light Fae started choosing to move to other realms—like Brevala—seeing how an untold number of alternatives are available.
And then there are Light Fae like me, who have chosen to make the Earth realm home, which is a never-ending source of disdain from some of my family.
Regardless, missing the Festival of Creation is not an option. Not only does Nimeyah expect all her subjects to be there, but my clan—the Meadowlanders—also expect it as well, which is fine because it only occurs once every hundred years.
It’s Nimeyah’s mandate that we gather to celebrate her creation of Faere, which was done with great magic. Faere is much bigger than Brevala, but in my opinion, it looks too garishly fake to be comfortable as a home. The colors are too bright, and the fae too disingenuous. The royals, nobles, and gentry of Faere rely strictly on magic to provide for their every need. Essentially, they don’t have to work at anything. Although, there is a lower class who suffers and has extraordinarily little in their lives except to work for slave wages for the upper class.
By contrast, Brevala inhabitants chose to live life and gain personal fulfillment by mastering challenges. It was created in the Earth realm’s likeness. Brevala brought over the Earth realm’s food sources—like seeds for crops—to grow. Animals—like cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens—are used for domestic food, too. There are also plenty of wild animals to hunt.
Life is more primitive, although we do use our magic to make a few necessities—such as electricity and running water—easier. I absolutely love it.
Just as I love my plush condo in Seattle.
I’m a layered type of woman who is just as happy spending a day at the spa with my girlfriends as I am fighting in the Roman Coliseum against gladiators—which I spent a lot of time doing in the first century A.D.
When I come home to the Meadowlands to visit, I fall right back into the lifestyle. Our homes aren’t modern, but they are clean and serviceable, while our clothes are not meant to win any fashion contests, even though we’re creative. The Brevala inhabitants are Light Fae warriors, and we dress to be battle-ready at any time.
Of course, our battles with the Bluff Dwellers have decreased over the years to nothing more than some minor raiding skirmishes, but still—we are prepared to fight if necessary because we hate the Bluff Dwellers with our entire souls.
Which is why I inherently hate Ronan, and I have through the centuries.
You didn’t hate every moment of that night you spent together two weeks ago though, did you?
Stupid conscience pricking at me.
I tell it to shut the hell up, trying to distract myself by moving over to a bonfire where several clan families have gathered to eat, drink, and be merry before we head to Faere tomorrow. In a simple white tunic, cut closely in a Grecian style that falls below my waist and is cinched with a simple leather belt I’ve paired with taupe-colored cotton leggings I actually brought with me from the Earth realm—as the suede ones worn and made here in Brevala aren’t as comfortable—and camel-colored Steve Madden boots, I’m a perfect cross between a Brevalian and an Earth-realm dweller.
My father, Arnus, sits on a log bench facing the fire, with my mother, Eschella, on one side, and my older sister, Rishka, on the other. Arnus is fully engaged in conversation with Rishka, who is his pride and joy, both outfitted in battle armor, which, in my opinion, is a little silly. My mother is often ignored by them both, but she has never minded. Love isn’t a part of any familial formula here in Brevala—or among the fae in its entirety, for that matter. Arnus doesn’t love her, and she doesn’t love him. She holds great affection for Rishka and me, but, otherwise, she’s happy and content with her life just the way it is.
I’m certainly not the apple of my father’s eye. He has no pride in me over my choice to live in the Earth realm, which is far too modern for him. Arnus lives for war and establishing might, which is actually quite sad. Brevala has settled into a tentative peace between the Meadowlanders and the Bluff Dwellers over the last millennia, and I suspect it makes his life rather boring. I think it’s the reason he truly hates my leaving—because my life is far more exciting and fulfilling than his.
But Rishka stayed behind, which makes Arnus happy, so I’m happy for them.
I was born in the year 746 B.C., while Rishka was four hundred years before that. Light Fae do not procreate easily and having two children is a blessing in any family.
While we were born in Brevala, our parents were not. In fact, they had lived thousands upon thousands upon thousands of years in the Earth realm.
The Light Fae who had come before them?
Well, they are known as fallen angels. There’s an entire legend that will be retold countless times at the Festival of Creation, but essentially a group of angels attempted to start a rebellion in Heaven. When God tossed them out, the worst ones—which are now known as Dark Fae—were sent to the Underworld to remain trapped for all eternity while those who weren’t actively involved, merely sympathizers, were banished to earth. Those became Light Fae.