Unexpected Mates ~ Book One
Chapter 5

A cramp in Sylvie’s gut roused her from sleep, but the bed she lay in urged her to ignore it. Instead, she groaned, pushing her face into the plush pillows before another gurgle attacked.

“Ow.” Kneading her fist into her abdomen, she rolled on her back and gasped, seeing Kian standing a few feet away by the window, a faraway look in his eyes. Sylvie was just glad he didn’t hear her complaining belly.

She shuffled into a sitting position and gazed around the room; much like the throne room, plants and flowers coiled around the bedframes, up the walls and across the ceiling in intricate designs. Small pollen particles danced in the sunlight and settled on the bedspread.

Sylvie was relieved she didn’t have allergies because the room was a hay fever sufferer’s worst nightmare. Dropping her gaze upon herself, she noticed her outfit changed into a sheer slip, and heat rose to her cheeks.

Looking back at Kian, she lightly tugged the blanket over her breasts when a sudden choking memory of her attempted murder made her heart race, and she thrust the fabric across the bed onto the floor.

“If you didn’t like the blankets, you could have just told me,” Kian remarked with a warm smile, his white teeth on display. Sylvie blushed, embarrassed, pulling her hair over her front, covering the soft flesh.

His eyes dropped to watch her hands comb through her wavy brown strands, and she laughed softly. “Sorry, um, I’m just a bit traumatised, I think.”

He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, observing her. “Because of the demon?”

“I guess,” she said, wincing. “I’m still a bit lost about everything.”

He nodded, shuffling closer, placing his palm near her knee, not quite touching. “I know, it wasn’t supposed to happen this way, but when Elias and I realised who you were to us, we got too caught up in it all.”

“Not your assistant then....” She blushed as he laughed at her comment.

“I think Elias only hired you because he recognised your bond without even realising it.” He laughed again. “I read your application, you had no prior experience, and for Elias, that’s usually an automatic reject.”

“Our bond? Mr Fletcher hated me. Until a few days ago, he treated me like garbage.”

Kian winced, a shadow of anger crossing his eyes before letting it drift away again. “I won’t speak for him; he can explain himself when we meet with him soon.”

“How soon?” She caught herself straightening with unexpected excitement and quickly simmered down, seeing Kian’s throat bob as he swallowed.

“As soon as you’re strong enough to portal. It takes a lot out of humans to realm cross, especially into Fae territory.” He grumbled, rolling his eyes. “Kerensa shouldn’t have brought you here. Elias will probably skin me for having time with you first.”

She blushed, walking her fingers across the bed to meet his, her fingertips kissing against his. “Well, thank you for being so kind to me,” she whispered, pulling back and folding her hands in her lap. Her growling stomach startled them both, and she winced.

“I am kind of starving. Is there anything here I can eat?”

Fear flashed across Kian’s face, and he scratched at his cheek. “Uh, it’s not safe to eat Fae food for humans,” he carefully explained, turning his body away. “You could get trapped here or lose your ability to eat human food until you starve to death.”

“So the fictional stories humans write about your kind are true, then?” Sylvie read plenty about Faeries in a few particularly sexy books, but she wasn’t ready to divulge that with a ‘real’ Prince of the Fae.

Her heart sped up again as waves of realisation hit, her eyes flooding with tears which she quickly hid behind her tremoring hands.

“What’s wrong?” Kian asked, tucking a hair behind her ears as she sobbed softly.

“I’m losing my mind, aren’t I? This is all real, and I’m not even questioning anything. There has to be something wrong with me. Why aren’t I freaking out,” she lifted her head and searched Kian’s eyes wildly.

He scoffed gently and hooked a finger under her chin. “Take a deep breath.”

She inhaled long and shakily before audibly exhaling through pursed lips.

“That’s it,” he complimented, his eyes crinkling down at her. He really was so beautiful.

“The reason this isn’t turning you mad, although now I’m not so convinced that is true,” he paused as laughter burst from her lips, and she swiped her wet cheeks.

He continued, smiling, “is that I have been priming your brain the second I recognised you as mine.”

The last word came out as a whisper, but the effect on Sylvie was burning. Her core throbbed as her brain replayed his words again and again.

Shaking her head, she scampered across the bed and wrapped her arms around herself, willing the swirling desire to ebb. “It’s okay, love. It’s natural to feel this way,” Kian said, walking around the bed to her side.

She blew out a breath and stared up at him. “Can I get changed now?”

His eyes flickered over her sheer sleepwear and spun, walking to a dark oak cupboard and pulling the doors open wide. Sylvie couldn’t see inside, but Kian reached in and pulled an item off a hanger before draping it across her lap. A soft fawn dress with delicate white lace made her gasp. “This is-”

“Yours,” he finished for her, turning and heading for the door. “Call me when you are dressed, and I will take you for a walk through the gardens.”

She nodded, pulling the dress to her chest, her cheeks reddening.

“Oh, and don’t give anyone your name while you’re here, Princess.” He smiled softly and left the room, closing the door behind him.

She threw her head back and flopped onto the bed, still hugging the dress tightly. “This is insane. This is nuts. This is crazy. These people are insane.” Her new mantra continued in her head as she gulped huge lungfuls of air and sat back up. She looked for a zipper of some kind but found nothing. She frowned, staring at the tiny neck hole, unsure how to get the dress on.

“Uh. Kian? How does this thing open?”

Warm laughter sounded behind the door, and she blushed and rolled her eyes.

“Just put it over your head, and it will slip on. It’s enchanted to fit your body perfectly.”

She scoffed softly before tentatively lifting it above her head, stabbing her hands through the arm holes and hovering it above her. In a blink, the fabric slid down her body and hugged her comfortably around her torso, arms and collar. She laughed, half shocked, half delighted, as she stared at herself.

“Why don’t we have this kind of thing back home,” she muttered to herself, but Kian’s soft chuckle echoed again.

“Are you decent?”

“Yes, but do you have any shoes I can wear?”

The door cracked open, and his smiling face greeted her. “It’s better to be barefoot in the fae realm,” he said. “The earth heals, and we need you back to your full strength before we portal back to the earth plane.”

She grumbled, looking at her feet and wiggling her polished toes lightly. They weren’t going to stay pretty for much longer.

“Why are you wearing shoes then,” she argued, walking to the door, the swish of her dress like music to her ears.

He turned away and walked along the hall towards a pair of double doors without answering. She frowned, worried she somehow upset him. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, princess. Stay close to me.” He reached out his hand, and she took it, noting the small smile from his side profile. She hoped her palm wouldn’t grow sweaty as she interlaced her fingers with his.

They fit so perfectly, and she matched his pace quickly, or perhaps he slowed his pace to match hers.

“So,” she started. “Why can’t I tell anyone my name again?” She vaguely remembered the reasoning from her old racey fairy books—something about power and control.

“A name is a source of energy. Magic for humans,” he said, pushing the door open and waiting for her to come through. “Giving another being the knowledge of one of your energy sources gives them ways to control you. It’s as simple as that.”

It didn’t sound that simple.

“So I shouldn’t give you my name then?”

Kian looked down at her with a slight smirk. “I already know your name, little one,” he jested before turning serious, “but no, you shouldn’t give it to me until I gain your trust.”

She scoffed before letting her gaze wander around them. The stone halls were windowless, but the roof had consistent holes where sunlight poured in. Probably rain, too, as Sylvie couldn’t make out any covering between them and the sky above.

“So we’re really in a Faery realm right now?”

“Yes.”

The doors to the outside were held ajar by a small statue in the shape of a pixie. When her gaze lifted from the shimmering stone, she gasped.

Rows of manicured roses bordered the stone path before them, with dozens of bumbling flying creatures pollinating and eating from them. The sea of colours faded in ombre blends, and she could have fainted from its elegance and perfect design.

Tall swaying trees with dangling vines stole her attention from the end of the path, a giant swing suspended from one of its limbs.

She looked at Kian with eyes full of wonder. Growing up in the city her entire life, she had never seen so much greenery, and her body buzzed. “Can I?”

He nodded, releasing her hand so she could dart ahead of him. She let her fingers gently brush along the flowers and giggled, realising her bare feet rather enjoyed the soft rolling friction of the stones underfoot.

When Sylvie reached the tree, she wrapped her arms around it and breathed in the earthy wooded scent. Her head rested against it, and the smallest zap of electricity tickled her forehead. Pulling back, she stared at the tree accusingly.

“What was that for?” She huffed and turned to see Kian staring at her with a quizzical frown.

“What happened?”

She shrugged with a growing frown of her own. “It zapped me.”

Kian blinked, staring from Sylvie to the tree and sighed. “You’re quite the mystery, aren’t you, Princess?”