16. Aerolus

Alandra's eyes widened, and I fought not to smirk. Bonding with her had brought us together, not only physically, but mentally and spiritually as well.

I'd been in her dreams earlier, an observer watching the fascinating world of the Aellei and the Dark Lord insidiously worming his way toward their queen.

Whoever the Dark Lord was, he brought another dimension into Tanselm's battle with the Netharat, a precarious playing field growing more crowded with unknown foes flushed from other worlds.

I gazed at Alandra, sidetracked by her loveliness. The Light only enhanced her soul, pure at its core yet hardened by adversity and firmed into a devious strength.

As Trudy Warner, she'd tricked me and Arim. But she could never pass for a mortal in Seattle without a glamor, too beautiful not to command attention. Was she mischievous? Oh, yes. She enjoyed her fun but had no inclination to harm anyone who didn't deserve it.

She frowned at me. "What's going on in that mazelike mind of yours?"

I was still unsure what I'd felt when she'd accused me of being an underhanded Light Bringer. How could she so easily read me? Even my brothers, with whom I'd lived all my life, couldn't predict my actions, at least not without using the gift of clairvoyance.

But Alandra knew me.

Just as I knew her.

The key to handling her would be to always have the upper hand, or at least, be perceived as having it.

I didn't like that she panicked after our bonding. Her worry tore at me, and I wanted nothing more than to soothe and reassure my affai. Pretending it was all a game made her feel safe. Games and competition were familiar to Alandra, and by playing by her rules, it was as if she still controlled our relationship.

Light forbid I actually confess what I was starting to feel about her.

Though the woman had seemed impressed I might be behaving underhanded in some way. There had been a gleam of affection in her eyes. I thought. Maybe? Trust Alandra to make life complicated.

Just the thought that she might care deeply for me blew life into my tired mind and body. I couldn't help my stiff cock, but I could try to ignore it. If only she would.

I bit back a smirk as she kept staring down at my tented towel.

"I want to know about you, Alandra. Tell me more about the Aellei, and about the queen and her new lover."

Alandra blinked up at me. "I only know what I dreamed, and I'm not sure how that happened. I'm not exactly clairvoyant."

I cleared my throat but spoke softly, knowing the truth might upset her. "Actually, I believe you tapped into my abilities."

"Excuse me?"

"I can sometimes view another's dreams. This perception is rather new, and until now, it's only extended to my brothers and Arim." My uncle didn't know that, and I didn't intend to tell him. "But I don't think you had a dream, more like a vision."

She cocked her head to the side, in thought. "It did feel real, didn't it? That was my aunt, Queen Lidra. Though she doesn't really look like that. She deliberately projects an air of…"

"Sexuality?"

She scowled, a show of jealousy more than welcome. "Yeah, sexuality. Lidra's actually a thousand years old. A stately matron." Her glee told me Lidra would rather die than be referred to as such.

I thought about what I'd dreamed. "The Dark Lord with her reminded me of Sin Garu. There was something about him. I don't know. But now I understand we have more than one Dark Lord involved in this mess."

She frowned. "I don't like the idea of Lidra encouraging a blood drinker. They're way too dark and unpredictable."

"Unpredictable?" Curiosity stirred. The familiar anticipation of learning something new sharpened my mind. I'd been interested in discovering information about blood drinkers for some time, but Light Bringers didn't know as much about the Dark as we should.

Alandra explained, "Most creatures of the Dark are into pain and anger, deep emotions that can debilitate the one feeling them. The magic resulting from absorbing negative emotions is powerful. I mean, I got a kick out of Arim being annoyed. He was only a little bit angry. Real rage burns. It's too hard to handle. And the Dark Lords play too freely with rage and pain for my tastes."

I pondered that. "So is it just you that avoids negative energies, or do all the Aellei subscribe to that philosophy?"

She looked uncomfortable, and after several moments passed, I wondered if she would answer.

Then she met my gaze with a troubled one of her own. "You have to understand, every race has its good and bad elements. Even you Light Bringers have your fair share of fanatics."

I wanted to object then thought of the Church of Illumination. Or what my brothers and I called the Congregation of Idiots. She had a point.

"Most of the Aellei are content to play among themselves, occasionally toying with the humans on this plane and the occasional Light Bringer. But Queen Lidra is the only Aellei I know of who openly encourages blood drinkers." She shivered. "Something's not right there. Aunt Lidra's selfish, vain…"

She blushed at my knowing expression. "Okay, we're all a little vain. But she takes it to the extreme. My aunt's a bitch, yes. But she's always put Aelle before her needs. At least, she used to."

I nodded. "Something's changed if she's consorting with a Dark Lord. His kind will only bring Aelle to war, if not with Tanselm, then with Kreer or Gralt. Dark Lords are a destructive, chaotic race. You know their rule over Tanselm almost tore the land apart."

She rolled her eyes. "I know. Believe it or not, Aerolus, I was a scholar before I left Aelle."

I stared in surprise. Alandra, a scholar? She rose from the bed and stood, arms akimbo, the robe gaping at the collar to reveal the upper slope of her breasts. Her full lips parted in wait.

Between one breath and the next, my erection, which had eased, returned full force.

"You are obviously a temptress, a spy, a mischief-maker." Far from insulting her, the truth made her blush with pleasure. And she was so pretty. We needed to speed this discussion so I could have another round with my affai. "But a scholar? You have the brains, but the discipline I've yet to see."

Teasing her only made her look hotter, especially when she clenched her fists and leaned forward, the robe parting more to reveal a tantalizing view.

"I've been studying Aellein history since before you were conceived." Alandra sneered at me, and her conceit enticed me. "That's right, Aerolus. You're a babe in the woods to a veteran of magic like me."

I grinned, unable to help myself. I thought I might just be in love with her. "A veteran of magic, hmm? So you're telling me you're an older, more mature, woman?" With the most amazing breasts, now teasing me with each breath she took.

She scowled and opened her mouth to speak when she finally noticed my towel slide off my lap.

"I think you're the one with the discipline issues," she murmured, her voice husky.

I wouldn't get a better chance to hear the truth from her and unashamedly used her lust to my advantage. I grasped the root of my cock and stroked myself.

"Look what I have for you, Alandra. Tell me why you're here helping me and it's all for you." I was trying to seduce her, but touching her while she watched had the effect of seducing me.

"You can't think I'll fall for such blatant tactics?" She sounded incredulous, indignant, and definitely turned on.

I rasped, "I want to fuck you so badly I ache. But I need the answers you've been avoiding. You want me too. I can see the hunger in your aura."

"I — what?" She looked down at herself.

"There's no point in hiding how you feel. Just tell me what I need to know, and we can be together again." If she thought about it, she'd realize she could have me right now just by asking.

But she bit her lip and frowned. The robe parted completely as she took a step closer, and I was lost. Her breasts swayed as she moved, her hips begging to be held down as I took what was mine by right. By fate.

"I'll tell you everything, Aerolus."

I didn't believe my trap had worked.

She held up a hand. "But not because of the sex."

Of course she hadn't acquiesced because of my cock. Still, a prince could hope. I remained hard, enticed by her nudity, her scent, her gorgeous lavender gaze.

"But because it's time you knew what you were up against."

"I'd much rather be up against you." I smiled at her exasperated sigh.

"You're making this hard. No! Don't tell me you're hard. That's a terrible pun."

"Terrible." I wanted to cup her breasts in my hands, then kiss her nipples until she sank down over me. Gripping me with her sexy body.

"Aerolus, you're the one vibrating with lust." She stared, and I knew she was looking at my aura. "Just let me explain as quickly as possible. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm so hot for you right now I feel like I'm going to combust." Though she sounded disgruntled, her gaze caressed me like winds of Light.

"Talk fast, purie." I groaned and deliberately pulled my hand from my cock before I spilled. "I'm so close to coming. It won't take long before I'm filling you up."

She swallowed and daintily put the towel back over my lap, then forced her gaze to my face. "Sadly, we'll have to get back to that. Now, listen well. This goes back a year, when I overheard Lidra and her Der captain in a private conversation…"