A Forest of Stars (Court of Starlight and Darkness #1)(4)

His full lips were the only softness about his face, but they were pulled tight with disapproval.

Yeah, this guy wasn’t into me.

He might be looking at me. Might be walking toward me. But he was definitely coming over to boot me out. From the way his cold gaze ran up and down my body, that was clear enough.

I didn’t fit into his pristine world of ethereal beauty, and he was here to take out the trash.

He stopped a few feet away, towering over me. A warm shiver ran over my body as the scent of a winter forest filled the air around me.

Was that him?

Of course he smelled divine.

The chatter of people around me faded until all I could hear was the roar of ocean waves. It had to be the sound of the blood rushing through my head, but it seemed like the romantic noise was coming from him. Like he walked around with his own magical speaker system that cleared the air of any distractions and made you feel like you were entirely alone with him.

I drew in a shuddery breath, straightening my shoulders. I might feel like a bug about to be crushed beneath the toe of his perfect leather boots, but I wasn’t going to let him know that.

My gaze moved to his ears, and I realized that they were also pointed.

I blinked.

Everyone in this damned bar had the same ears, including this god.

“Sia?” His low voice rolled over me like thunder, and it was all I could do not to gasp from the feeling.

How the hell did he do that?

“Um.” I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. “Yeah.”

He nodded. “Come with me.”

I frowned. “Seriously?”

“You heard me. Come with me.”

“Um, no.” I wasn’t about to let him kick me out.

“No?” The confusion in his voice was strange. “You dare defy me?”

Defy? What a weirdo. “Yeah. And the answer is still no.”

“She said no.” The shock in the blond woman’s voice couldn’t compete with that of her friend.

“Lunatic. No one says no.”

I frowned and looked at them. “I say no. And if a guy ever talks to you like this, you should say no, too.”

They gaped at me.

Oh man. Some people just couldn’t be helped.

I turned back to the man. The slightest flicker of surprise had briefly replaced the cold in his eyes, but it was gone as soon as I noticed it.

“Are you Frank?” I asked.

His brows rose. “Do I look like a Frank?”

“No.” I looked around the bar. “No one in this place looks like they could be a Frank, actually.”

Had my contact been screwing with me? I’d paid him for the information, so maybe he’d just told me a random place to get the money.

Not that it mattered at this point.

I had this giant god of a man to deal with. “If you’re not Frank, then I’m not here to talk to you.”

Before he could respond, I turned back to the bar and picked up my whiskey glass. As I was raising it to my lips, I felt his massive hands grip me around the waist. A short screech escaped me, and a moment later, I was being thrown over his shoulder.





2





Lore



* * *



The woman struggled on my shoulder, one of her full hips pressed against my cheek as she pounded her fists on my back. The heat of her burned through my leather gloves, a reminder that I hadn’t touched another’s skin in centuries.

Annoyance simmered inside me as I strode from the bar. The eyes of my people were on me, but they’d understand. Kidnapping wasn’t common amongst the fae—and this Sia woman definitely didn’t want to go with me—but I was king. I’d dedicated enough to the throne over the centuries that no one would dare stop me.

“Calm down,” I growled. “Your game is not appealing.”

“Game?” She shrieked louder. “Put me down, you bastard.”

I gave her a shake, but it didn’t quiet her. A heavy sigh escaped me.

My seer, Vusario, had been clear that I needed to personally come collect this final competitor for the contest that would determine my queen, but I'd assumed the woman would be more willing.

Everyone else was.

I didn’t know why, considering the fact that I was such a cold bastard. But the lure of power was heady, and the queen would have much power. Once a woman was crowned, I didn’t give a damn what she did. I was only going through with the competition and marriage because the queen was part of a prophecy that would ensure the survival of my people.

Finally, I reached the quiet entry hall. It was also a portal to my realm, and I’d counted myself lucky when the location spell had revealed that the woman was in a fae bar. I disliked going into the mortal world, and this was much quicker.

I stopped in the middle of the dimly lit room. She struggled harder, and I caught sight of a knife hilt in her boot. I yanked it out and threw it across the room, then lowered her so that she stood in front of me. My gloved palms moved up the sides of her body, and for the briefest moment, I thought that I might have felt the faintest stirring of heat.

No, that couldn’t be right.

I hadn’t felt anything like that in centuries. The curse ensured it.

And yet, there was something about this woman. Her wild red curls formed a magnificent halo around her beautiful face. A smattering of freckles danced across the bridge of her nose, and her wide green eyes were flaming with rage.