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2021-01-06 05:28:19Wiley’s eyes narrowed. It was just the two of them, and she felt less and less inclined to be civil. Her patience with her mother had been wearing ever thinner, but this was the first time she’d openly suggested Jasmine’s disappearance was a good thing. “I fail to see how.”
Rhapsody delicately sipped her tea as she considered. “As loyal as you were to her, you must consider how out of place she must have felt. Sometimes, nature has a way of correcting the balance. Both you and Keilor can now proceed with the natural course of your life. Surely Jasmine, if she’d loved you, would have wanted that for you.”
Rage like she’d never known boiled through Wiley, consumed her. She stood up slowly, and it was all she could do
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Dark Lands Homecoming 1
Dark Lands: HomecomingAuthors Note: This story is a side note to The Charmer, meant for those of you who wanted to know Wiley’s story. It’s not meant to stand alone, so if you don’t already know how her story ends, you’ll have to read TC. She hated parties.Parties were fu
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2020-12-16Dark Lands Homecoming 2
These were not bears, though, and she’d never thought to fear a wolf attack. Game was plentiful here, and wolves were shy; if it had been mid-winter and a lean year things might have been different.They didn’t smell like wolves. Cold sweat gathered on her back, and Wiley cast a nervous glance at the fire. Maybe it would be enough to scare the animals off, but if not, a few bullets couldn’t hurt.“Git!” she yelled, feeling like a fool. Contrary to the tree hugger’s expectations, these were not fat, mellow zoo buddies. Alaskan wolves could take down a lone human if they were hungry enough. The fact that these animals didn’t smell like wolves was still a problem, but there could be a good reason. Maybe they’d rolled in some
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2020-12-16Dark Lands Homecoming 3
She screamed, or tried to. She had no voice to shout in that form. She spun and ran, ignoring the threat of the animals, desperate to escape the nightmare. She was so scared that she shifted back to human as she ran, somehow thinking the dream would end if she changed, if she woke up.Strong arms grabbed her from behind, lifted her off her feet. Those arms were human. She cried out.“Easy,” Jayems said, subduing her effortlessly. “Easy, Rihlia.”“L-let me go!” she shouted, freaking out. That name triggered something, and she knew she was dead. The monsters that had haunted her dreams for so long had finally caught her.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2020-12-16Dark Lands Homecoming 4
Her expression of horror said it all. “Your…?” She couldn’t get the words out.Afraid she would hyperventilate, he snapped, “Breathe! You’re going to make yourself sick, woman.” Concern for her made it difficult to keep his distance. He wanted to touch her, to soothe, and knew she wouldn’t receive it well. He was a stranger to her, and dangerous. He couldn’t go to her.Anger seemed to serve her better than coddling. “You’re not marrying me!” she ground out. She stopped shrinking into the couch.He looked to the side, searching for patience, hoping to steady his nerves. Her distress was affecting him. “We were betrothe
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2020-12-16Dark Lands Homecoming 5
“I believe you’re familiar with apples,” he said, pointing to the poached fruit. “They’re cooked in wine and honey. The juice next to you is a native berry; you used to love it.” It was hard to be patient. She’d once treated him like a beloved brother, and now she thought he was trying to poison her.She shot him a look and went back to staring at her plate. “What’s this sausage made of?” She looked hideously suspicious and a little green. “You don’t eat people, do you?”His eyes widened. “You can’t be serious!” When she just looked at him, he snapped, “It’s an animal. A grazing beast called a deerhare.” When she still wouldn’t eat, he demanded, &ldqu
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2020-12-16Dark Lands Homecoming 6
She flushed and avoided his eyes. She muttered a curse.He raised a brow. “If that was meant to remain private, it didn’t. My ears are as sharp as yours.” Ignoring her evil look, he said, “This is what I’m offering: a new home, a new world and a family who loves you. All I want in return is your willing cooperation. Be pleasant. Try not to view us as the enemy.”“And you’ll let me talk to Jasmine?”“I will.”“And you won’t hurt her?”“I won’t, though it’s not a promising
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2020-12-16Dark Lands Homecoming 7
The kitchens were huge and immaculate. Entire rooms were devoted to baking, butchering and processing vegetables. There were sinks and stoves in each room, as well as various kinds of pantries and cold storage. The staff was polite, though they only stopped when directly addressed. It was hard to believe the amount of food they processed in a day.“The Citadel is vast. The kitchens supply all the food for our garrison, my personal household as well as their own families,” Jayems explained. “There are many young apprentices here, learning how to provide for their own families. It’s not just a kitchen, it’s also a classroom.”“Wow.” Wiley thanked a young man who handed her a tiny tart, then took a bite. Warm citrus curd and
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2020-12-16Dark Lands Homecoming 8
Jayems stood before Lady Nilla’s door. He bowed his head and placed one hand on the stout wood, wishing there was some way he could soften this blow.Nilla was his lover of two month’s standing, but their relationship had started long before. They’d been friends of a sort before the attraction had unexpectedly boiled over into something more. He’d begun to look at her in a considering light for some weeks now, and she had not missed the cues. Even so, she hadn’t clung, just loved him sweetly, silently offering her heart.He’d been close to speaking to her father. Her mother had worn a look of expectation for the last little while. And why not? His betrothed had been accepted as dead for nearly twenty years. He’d felt it was foo
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2020-12-16
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Dark Lands Homecoming 32
Wiley’s eyes narrowed. It was just the two of them, and she felt less and less inclined to be civil. Her patience with her mother had been wearing ever thinner, but this was the first time she’d openly suggested Jasmine’s disappearance was a good thing. “I fail to see how.”Rhapsody delicately sipped her tea as she considered. “As loyal as you were to her, you must consider how out of place she must have felt. Sometimes, nature has a way of correcting the balance. Both you and Keilor can now proceed with the natural course of your life. Surely Jasmine, if she’d loved you, would have wanted that for you.”Rage like she’d never known boiled through Wiley, consumed her. She stood up slowly, and it was all she could do
Dark Lands Homecoming 31
“I’m tired of my friends getting hurt,” Wiley grumped to Jayems that night.“With luck, you’ve met your quota,” Jayems soothed her. “That sort of thing doesn’t happen every day.”“Thank God.” She sighed. “So, are you ready for this wedding thing?”He laughed and snuggled her close. “I’ve already had my ‘wedding thing.’ The celebration is just in honor of it.”He smelled so good. She snuggled her nose into his chest. “I’ll be glad when it’s over. I don’t like being the center of attention.”
Dark Lands Homecoming 30
The next few weeks passed in a happy blur. Jasmine and Keilor’s romance progressed, Wiley became better at fending off her mother and Jayems found endless ways to make love to her. Wiley was even starting to make some friends among her peers, though she gravitated to the ladies her mother found less than suitable.Oh, they were ladies all right, but they were into sports and highly physical, or else had a wicked sense of humor. Worse, they had little rank. Two of her favorites were Shanra, daughter of a preeminent musician, and Kayless, whose mother designed many of the dresses for women of status.In their middle twenties, the women still lived with their parents as was the custom. When they weren’t hanging out at Wiley’s suite, they visited at each
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“Didn’t think you’d go there, Wi.” She was sitting in an armchair when she made the comment, propped up more by force of will than anything else.Wiley could see she was getting tired. “Well, I’m glad you’re amused. Shouldn’t you go back to bed?”Jasmine glowered tiredly and moved her chess piece. “All I do is lie in bed. I can rest after I finish this game, and stop trying to lose on purpose so I’ll go there quicker. At least Keilor doesn’t do that.”Wiley smiled and deliberately moved her queen into jeopardy.Jasmine ignored the queen to take a pawn instead. &ldq
Dark Lands Homecoming 28
The climax hit her like a sledgehammer. She went crazy, bucking against the couch, screaming until she thought she would black out. He joined her, driving into her like he’d been shot up with molten lightning.As she trembled with aftershocks, he slipped a hand under her and pressed. She splintered into another climax, jerking uncontrollably.She didn’t know where he found the energy, but he carried her into the bedroom and shed the rest of their clothes.The first time must have been a warm up, because he slid into her again, pinning her arms above her head, lacing his fingers with hers. His kiss was wild and tender, restrained yet ardent. He drove her crazy with his kisses, yet mad
Dark Lands Homecoming 27
She could not lie still. She gasped in pleasure, the sounds coming from her mouth getting louder and louder until she was shouting, a prisoner pinned between his hot, slick mouth and the couch.Finally he slid up and ripped open his fly. He fell over her and looked her in the eye. “I told you I wouldn’t ask again.” He slid inside.She arched up and dug her nails into his back. It was so tight, and he was huge. It hurt, and a lot at that, but he worked his way in, kissing her neck, running his tongue over her ears, massaging her thighs and breasts. The look on his face was mindless, but it was obvious he knew what he was doing. Desire built inside her, though he barely moved. Just the thought of him there, of what he was about to do…she threw ba
Dark Lands Homecoming 26
Jasmine was poisoned that night.They’d been at dinner with Wiley’s family. Jasmine had taken one drink of Wiley’s wine and stiffened. The delicate glass had shattered as her hand convulsed, and moments later she’d been screaming, doubled up on the floor.Keilor and Fallon had worked frantically to help her, and somebody had called the medics. Jayems had dragged Wiley back from the scene, calming her frantic struggles with gentle force. Even now, after they knew it had been Jasmine’s dessert that was poisoned and not the wine, Wiley couldn’t shake the feeling that she was responsible. Jasmine wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for her.Wiley sat i
Dark Lands Homecoming 25
The manic shopping was wearing her down. To escape, she said, “I’m starving. Is it lunch time yet?”They had lunch in a classy, energetic café that catered to an upscale crowd. The walls were white and decorated with flowering plants, mirrors and stained glass lamps. Green wrought iron chairs graced each table, and the seats were upholstered in red-and-white striped canvas.Wiley had to admit the food was good, though her mother was doing her best to give her a bellyache. It wasn’t anything she said, it was the way she watched Wiley’s posture, scrutinized the way she ate. Wiley had never been accused of being Miss Manners, but she’d never seen the point of having no elbows on the table or chewing her food one hundred times. Co
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Wiley exited the salon with her hair in a French braid, a mild concession to her mother’s quest for a new look. Of all the good luck, a merchant was selling guitars across the street. Brightly enameled and oddly shaped, they drew her like cotton candy to a child. Picking up a hot pink and red model, she tuned it by ear.“Oh, you play?” Portae said curiously, seeming relieved. Maybe she thought she was about to hear some ladylike ditties she could show off to her friends at teatime.Wiley grinned wickedly, played a few warm up chords, surged into a couple of hard rock riffs, and opened with Van Halen.Rhapsody’s eyes got big. She looked left, then right, paling as she real
