“I gave him life, Kaliq. Could I not take that life away?”

“At the cost of your own soul, my love? And it would change nothing, for with Kolgrim’s death both Kol and Kolbein would be freed. Their joint reign would be a far more violent and cruel one than Kolgrim’s will be,” Kaliq told her. “Despite his strength of will, Kolgrim has inherited some of your good, Lara. He shuns it, to be sure, but it still exists deep within him. It is why he showed you Marzina’s fragile prison, and gave you the opportunity to be reasonable with him rather than just simply releasing his sister into the bottomless ravine, and then demanding Nyura’s return. Kolgrim is the child you created from the one Kol gave you. Kolbein is his father’s son. He inherited nothing of you, Lara. He is pure evil. Far worse than any Twilight Lord ever created, even Kol,” Kaliq explained. “When you split the unborn child within you, most of the evil remained with the first infant, Kolbein. Only some of it burgeoned with the second baby who was Kolgrim. That is why he has always felt an affinity for you where his twin did not. And that is also why you have felt an affection for him that you could not, would not admit even to yourself, Lara.”

“He is Kol’s son, Kaliq,” she quickly replied.

“He is your son, also, my love. For all his wickedness, Kolgrim is your child, too,” Kaliq told her. “I think you clever to attend his wedding and give him what he wants. Your love and your respect.”

Her eyes filled with tears again. “I have tried so hard not to care for him,” she admitted to Kaliq. “He should not have my love! He should not!”

“But he does, Lara,” Kaliq replied. “And you are, as always, an amazing faerie woman that you can admit to it honestly.”

“Do not dare to tell Ilona!” Lara said. “She would destroy me where I stood if she knew I harbored any affection for Kolgrim. And I do not understand why I do, Kaliq.”

“It is that tiny bit of mortal within you, my love,” he answered her. “Mortals may be foolish, but they are good creatures at heart.” He kissed the top of her golden head. “Now, if we are going to that wedding and we must stop in Terah to convince the annoying Cadarn that he must go, too, then we had best hurry. But first we must eat. I am ravenous. And then we must rest. We may be magic, but we are not indestructible.”

She stroked his handsome face. “Aye, food, rest, a few pleasures, a bath. And then I will be ready to face The City, and my descendants.” She smiled seductively up at him. “But which shall we have first, my lord?”

10

“IF YOU CANNOT MAKE UP YOUR MIND, MY LOVE, then perhaps I shall do it for us,” Kaliq said teasingly. “Remember that I am ravenous?”

“But for food or pleasures?” she teased back, laughing softly.

“Ahh, faerie witch, I know what you would have me say, but I tell you, both!” Kaliq answered her with a chuckle. With a wave of his hand he transported them to her bedchamber and onto the bed, where a tray of tempting foods awaited. They were both now quite naked. “Pity the poor mortals who cannot indulge their twin appetites at the same time, Lara, my love.” He caught up her hand, kissing it tenderly, then kissing the inside of her wrist, as well.

Lara caused a strawberry to appear in her upturned palm. He smiled at her as their eyes met, his white teeth carefully picking up the strawberry and eating it. When he had swallowed she pulled his head toward her, kissing him, her tongue finding his, murmuring with delight as she tasted the strawberry, breathing the fragrance of it into her own mouth. “Delicious!” she said softly, magicking the tray to the sideboard as she lay back, and three more berries appeared in the shallow chasm between her breasts.

His dark head bent, and one by one he plucked the strawberries with his teeth, crushing them so that juice ran from between her breasts, down her belly and into the cleft between her nether lips. His tongue followed slowly, thoroughly, licking up the juice, pushing between those tempting folds of flesh to touch her hidden jewel. His fingers spread her open so he might have greater access to the prize, which he taunted and teased with delicate licks, then stronger strokes of his tongue until she was writhing and moaning softly with his attentions. When her juices began to come forth for him, Kaliq raised up his head, pushing two fingers slowly into her sheath, moving them rhythmically back and forth until Lara sighed with her small release. Leaning forward, he kissed her lips passionately.

Her arms wound about his neck as Lara drew him close. “You have but whetted my appetite, my lord,” she said to him. “Now you must satisfy that appetite.” Then she swiftly rolled him onto his back. Bind my love so he must yield! And let him not raise his shield! But let him a strong weapon wield! Lara silently invoked her spell before Kaliq might check her.

Surprised, he found himself spread upon her bed, arms and legs bound with silk. The Shadow Prince burst out laughing. “In all our years together, my love, you have never been so bold,” he told her.

“You delight in teasing me, my lord, and so I thought perhaps you should be teased instead,” Lara told him.

“I am faint from hunger for food,” he said to her pleadingly.

She pinched his muscled arm. “You do not seem too slender to me,” Lara said.

“I shall be unable to wield a strong weapon,” he said, quoting a piece of her spell.

“I can make you strong, my lord,” Lara told him as she slithered between his shapely legs. Reaching up she undid her long gilt-colored hair from its plait. Then, moving her head, she trailed her long, soft tresses across his torso several times, watching as his manhood, already interested in play, twitched. “Ohh,” Lara purred, “I think your weapon considers battle, my lord.”

“You will have to do more than just tickle me with your hair, faerie witch,” he taunted her.

Lara complied, positioning herself so she might play with his cock. She caressed it. She held it between two fingers and slowly licked its length several times, making him groan for the heat from her tongue was delicious. Lara took him into her mouth and suckled upon him until he was so swollen she could no longer contain him between her lips. Releasing him, she burrowed beneath the standing pillar of hard flesh, finding his sac, again licking, finally taking it into her mouth, her tongue rolling the twin seedpods about their container of cool flesh. Then Lara sucked hard thrice, and Kaliq actually cried out, a sound of both pleasure and pain.

Releasing him, she pulled herself up and, positioning him between her thighs, lowered herself onto his cock until he was fully sheathed, and her buttocks rested upon his muscled thighs. Lara began to ride him slowly. “You will not release your lust, my lord, until I give you permission,” she warned him.

“And if I do?” he demanded to know.

“Then I shall see you chained to my bedroom wall and forced to watch while I take my pleasures with Lothair,” Lara said wickedly. “You know how he lusts after me.”

“Faerie witch!” he growled at her. “Without my permission you are no longer free to indulge your passions with anyone but me!”

“Oh, beware, my lord! I am faerie, and you know our natures are hot,” she replied mischievously. She began to ride him harder and harder.

Kaliq struggled to contain his lust for her. He was perfectly capable of releasing himself from her spell, but he could see the delight she was taking in having the upper hand in their passion. “I could go deeper,” he said softly, “if our positions were reversed, my love. You have made your point. Do not deny us perfection.”

Lara said nothing, but his bonds were released as suddenly as they had been set upon him. As he rolled her onto her back she raised her legs, putting them over his broad shoulders, and hooking her ankles behind his neck. Kaliq plunged deeper and deeper into her sweet softness with his hard cock. Bending his dark head, he captured a nipple and sucked upon it.

A fierce thrill raced through her entire body, and Lara screamed softly. Her head was spinning with the beginnings of pleasure. Her breath came in quick little bursts and she tingled all over as her whole being centered itself on the long thick peg of flesh plunging in and out, in and out in perfect rhythm. Kaliq! Kaliq! Ohh, how I love you! she told him in their silent language. We will take pleasures together, my dear lord! Now! Oh, now, I beg you! Her scream was one of pure delight as he roared with equal satisfaction, their love juices mingling within her body. And then Lara swooned, which she had not done in many a decade. What they had just shared had gone beyond perfection.

Kaliq could not believe the pleasure they had just attained together. He had known from the moment he met Lara that he would never tire of this female, but she constantly amazed him. He held her tightly in his arms, his lips softly kissing the top of her golden head. I love you, but then you have known that for decades, my darling. Never were life mates more suited than you and I. Whatever happens, I know that we will never be parted, Lara, my love. We are one. He stroked her hair as she nestled against him in a state of complete contentment.

Finally Lara sighed and said, “I am ravenous! Where is that tray?”

His chuckle was deep and rich. “Are we eating in bed?” he asked her.

“Remember we just have time for a bath, and either food or a nap before we must go and fetch the Dominus and his wife.”

“I think food will serve me better. Cadarn can irritate me even well rested,” Lara said. “I need the strength that taking pleasures with you, and a good meal can give me.”

He magicked the tray back, and they ate. Then he left her to bathe, and Lara went to her own bath. Her women were waiting, and thoroughly pampered, she called to Cadi to bring her a gown. The faerie serving woman came smiling, holding out a beautiful gown made from a mixture of silk and fine cotton, bright green in color and embroidered with gold and silver threads.