13. Dark Lord Balen

The Aellein court was in session, beauty abundant in the pale-haired, striking nobles of the shadowed race. Amidst a flowered clearing surrounded by massive green- and blue-leafed trees, whose canopies interlocked to provide shelter from the warm sun, the slender, devious nobles of the Aellei gathered.

A horseshoe of rilk-wood tables sat around a small stage in the middle of the grassy clearing, where everyone had centered their attention.

Queen Lidra occupied the throne on the large dais. Next to her, several tomes had been placed on a grand table. The volumes were dedicated to preserving the Aellein way of life with rules, laws, and — being Aellein — the varied loopholes designed to avoid such legalities.

An outsider, I stood in an obscured section of trees as I watched the treacherous creatures debate with a zeal that made their work appear as play. They cursed one another, danced merrily with jibes and prettied insults, and continued to skirt the one issue I'd been called to witness.

Had I not been pressed to resolve the matter, I might have enjoyed their banter instead of viewing it with annoyance.

At least two dozen men and women from the ancient houses of Aelle occupied the court, a dazzling spectacle of blinding magnificence, outshone only by Queen Lidra, the most glorious Aellei of them all.

I eyed her hungrily, knowing that soon I would have her again. Such a vain creature, like most of her kind. Yet she truly deserved the banquets and statues made in her image. Or at least the image she preferred to show her subjects.

The Aellei were master illusionists, and the queen the greatest of all.

Long, white hair fell to her hips that swayed with a latent sensuality when she moved. Lidra was slimmer than those I normally bedded. But she was so very talented with those hands, that mouth. Her eyes glittered like blue gems, similar to the cold fire my kind were known to harness.

The blue flame of a Dark Lord burned through flesh and blood into the soul.

Her magic pulsed, alluring the more I looked at her. A trap of Shadow magic she never turned off. Clever girl. When she subtly glanced over her shoulder and winked at me, I responded with a twisted grin.

I appreciated a woman who knew her worth and that of those around her. Lidra might appear to be a young beauty without a care, but I knew better. She had over a thousand years of worries accumulating at her door. Tonight, she'd seen Captain Zartic before the man had had a chance to drink from the healing well.

Though he'd obviously tried to mask his many bruises, the Der warrior was in no shape to fool his queen. Or her Dark Lord.

Once again, efforts to regain what I needed had failed.

I shot a telepathic message of my heady disappointment to Lidra that had her shifting in her seat. I imagine the pain from my mental displeasure hurt. A lot.

"That is enough for today," she said and rubbed her head. "It's obvious none of you understand the harm her disappearance may cause. Alandra must be handled, and it must be done immediately."

She glanced at Zartic, who stood straight, a shadow of guilt in his gaze. She added, "We'll reconvene when the moon rises. If you haven't collectively decided on a course of action by then, I'll decide for you."

A tall, older-looking nobleman stood with a scowl. Surprising for one of his kind, Lord Sava didn't seem to mind looking his age. His lined face and thinning hair only added to his air of wisdom and uniqueness among the Aellei, who prized beauty and youth, usually above all else.

At a glare from Lidra, Lord Sava shut his mouth. He surprised me by glancing knowingly at my hiding place. He didn't mention it. Instead, he turned and regarded the gathering with a huff of irritation.

"Well, Aellei, let us adjourn to my tower to discuss our best chance of getting Alandra back." He shot Lidra an angry look. "Shadow knows what will happen to the young criminal if we don't come up with a means to return her home."

Small popping noises sounded as, one by one, the council teleported to Sava's tower. Finally having the queen alone except for her guard, I exited my hiding place. "I must say, I don't think Sava likes you, sweet."

She tossed her head, her hair waving behind her in a stream of white gold. "Sava's a thorn in my side. Has been for centuries. For some reason, he's taken a liking to Alandra, refusing to believe she's turned traitor to Aelle."

"Perhaps Zartic can show him the harm she can cause." I waved my hand, and Zartic's healed face reverted to the bruised flesh from before.

The Der warrior winced, his throbbing cheeks and split lip bleeding as if he'd just encountered Arim. What a cluster that had been.

"Your Majesty," Zartic said, his voice cold. "Though I agree Alandra's place is here, I cannot see how she could be at fault for what the Light Bringer did. Arim is a known scourge."

"Balen, your thoughts?" Lidra stroked her lip, eyeing me through her lashes.

"She's in league with them, you fool," I snarled, aggravated the queen would have me explain myself to a mere soldier. "Why do you think she left Aelle? Because she attempts to rally your kind to aid the Light. The Light, Captain."

Zartic frowned, staring from me to the queen. "If that's so, why was the sorcerer not stained with her energy?" His eyes narrowed. "And why does my queen appear so Dark of late?"

I thrust my will through Lidra's mind and took control, infuriated she'd let the upstart warrior speak to me thus.

"Zartic," she snapped. "Watch your tongue. Because of you, we've lost another opportunity to return Alandra to her rightful place. What she has done could cause harm to all our people. Trust me, her punishment at my hands will be a kindness."

"Is not living in that hideous world torture enough?" Zartic snorted.

"Zartic." Lidra stood and glared down at him with fiery blue eyes that took on the brilliance of Netharat flame. "Show Lord Sava what our Light Bringer empathizer has done to you." She glanced at me, as if waiting for my input, which I was happy enough to oblige.

I crushed my fist and mentally threw that pressure against Zartic's already bruised face. I added a broken nose and cracked left cheekbone to his injuries.

The warrior groaned and staggered, unable to brace himself against the overload of pain.

"Failure is not to be tolerated," I said in a low voice, pleased when the warrior finally showed a lick of sense by kneeling in deference.

"Once Sava and the others take note, hie yourself and two dozen of our men back to the xiantope plane," Lidra ordered. "Do not return until you find Alandra. If you step one foot on my soil again without her, I'll give you to the Dark Lord to do as he pleases."

Zartic, wisely, said nothing. He slowly rose and kept his head bowed.

"And Zartic," she added with a cruel twist to her mouth. "Balen doesn't like you. So pray you return with the girl quickly."

Zartic reached for the Mir charm at his throat and vanished.

Alone with the queen at last, I sealed the small clearing with a privacy spell and waited for her to come to me.

I saw the resistance she tried to hide behind a wide, sensual smile and laughed. I did so love the games the Aellei played. And none were as skilled as their queen.

Each time I took hold of her mind, I enabled her to see what I did, showing her my immense power while she struggled to be free. Obviously, she was no match for my sorcery, but unlike my brother, I would not underestimate my allies.

Aellein magic ran deep. Though Lidra gave me plenty of energy to further my plot against the Storm Lords, only with Alandra would I have a real chance at ending this farcical battle for Tanselm. She had a connection to the Storm Lords her aunt did not.

My brother had made mistakes. Sin Garu hadn't listened as he should have, convinced of his right to rule. He thought he could overtake both me and the Storm Lords at the same time. Unfortunately for him, our sister had chosen the right side—mine.

Lidra distracted me by coming closer. She played with her gown, toying with the fastenings holding her dress closed. As the silken fabric slithered to the ground at her feet, shadows played over her skin, like dark hands inviting me to join them.

Instead of going to the queen, I sat on her throne. The flare of outrage in her eyes amused me, especially when she tried to hide it. She cupped her breasts and raised a brow, as if taunting me with what I'd already had.

Ah, brother, I sent the mental taunt to Sin Garu, who, according to my last report, lay near the Aellein healing pool, trying desperately to steal some of its healing properties. You could have been with me, brother, experiencing this lusty queen side by side. But greed made you clumsy.

Lidra slid her hands down her stomach and between her legs, her breath catching as she toyed with her body, staring into my eyes with invitation.

I shed my clothes with a thought, my needs growing as the Shadow royal stirred my desire.

I stroked myself, holding my cock for her. "Come, sweet. Sit here."

She grinned, no doubt thinking she'd won our little game because I asked for her first. As if she could hold sway over a Dark Lord as powerful as me. I smiled, my lids heavy as my hunger increased. Blessed Dark, she was lovely.

The pulse in her neck beckoned, and I licked my lips, aware she desired me more than she should. More than she wanted to.

Sauntering to her throne, she allowed a flash of glittering annoyance at my blatant disrespect. "This is my land, Balen, though I have given you leave to play here." She glanced meaningfully at her throne. "Kindly remember who I am."

To prove her point, she straddled my lap and sank over me, engulfing me in her magic and desire. I couldn't help the groan that escaped and merged my will with hers.

I gripped her hips while she rode me, both of us fighting for dominance. Her eyes locked on me as we fucked, the pleasure of our game making her skin flush, her nipples tight, her body wet and weeping for me.

"Oh, Lidra, I know who you are." I yanked her down as I used my magic to stroke her to orgasm.

She cried out and clenched around me. And as she gasped her pleasure, I twisted my hand in her hair and yanked her head to the side, exposing a smooth, white neck.

Baring my teeth that had lengthened on my own rise to climax, I grinned. "I know who you are. But do you know who I am?"

I bit her, and she shrieked as the pain warred with her pleasure. My desires chased each other as hunger and sex intertwined. I drank the liquid life from her veins, her aged magic as fine as any Aellein wine.

It didn't take long before I swelled inside her and jetted, releasing the magic of my Dark pleasure. She shivered as I withdrew my teeth, the taste of her tender flesh making me wonder what other delights I might partake of the exotic queen.

She lifted her head, her eyes wounded as she stared fearfully at me for the first time. "Why — what — y-you took my blood."

"I did." I smiled, looking like the monster she thought me to be.

Her blood stained my teeth and ran down my chin to my chest. I remained firmly embedded within her, my cock not realizing it should have been flaccid by now.

Pleased at the discovery, I shared with the queen my plans for her young niece. Excited about our future, Lidra needed no encouragement as her desire returned. She rode me hard, pushing my desire to new heights.

Lidra wanted Alandra dead. More so, she wanted the young princess to suffer. Odd, as most Aellei loved trickery as much as they clung to each other, loyal to themselves and no one else. I couldn't tell if I'd made her that way or if she'd always been so cold and uncaring.

Pleased either way, we spent the next few hours fucking, until the poor thing could barely function. The beauty of her pain and pleasure was too tempting to ignore.

As I watched her magic dim under my Dark presence, I wondered, not for the first time, how Alandra would taste when I finally brought her to heel.