The Twilight King Read online

  The Twilight King

  Fall of The Fae - I

  VS Winters

  Edited by

  Hot Tree Editing

  Copyright © 2020 by VS Winters

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is intended for readers 18+

  Blurb

  The human world was the last place I wanted to hide, but after my mother, the Queen of the Light Court, wed me off to our mortal enemy, I just wanted out.

  My husband, The Twilight King, may be tall, handsome, and everything that would make most females bite their lips—but he’s also holding far too many secrets behind his golden eyes. On top of that, he’s controlling, possessive, and makes me feel things I shouldn’t. Especially not for a man who’s rumored to be more brutal than any other Fae king in existence.

  So after our wedding was complete—I vanished—and I’ve been hiding out in the human world ever since.

  I thought the Twilight King would forget me and move on, but that’s not his style. Now, the turbulent changes in my powers, and a growing pandemic in Avalon, have brought my husband and I face to face again.

  My Kingdom needs me.

  My King needs me.

  And, whether I like it or not, I can’t ignore what’s happening to my people, because without our combined efforts, there is a good chance that nobody will make it out alive.

  The Twilight King is Book One in the ‘Fall of The Fae’ Series, a brand new Dark Fantasy Romance perfect for fans of VS Winter’s ‘Battle for the Dark King’ Series.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

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  About the Author

  Chapter One

  “Oh, don’t fret with that, young lady. I can do it myself.” Beth’s rasping voice cut through my thoughts, drawing my mind back from home and instead to the task at hand.

  Her wrinkled, spotty fingers tugged at the tattered quilt until it was tight against her sagging neck. She’d made it herself, the patchwork blanket, and had told me so every day for the past week that I’d been working in the nursing home.

  “If you can cook, sew, and have an appetite for lust, you can please any man,” she would say, as if it was just that simple. I thought it best not to inform her that I already had a husband, one I’d been running from for the past year. Shaking my head, I didn’t allow myself to drift back to that subject. Tugging the pull switch for her bedside lamp, I shut it off so that the only thing illuminating the room was the soft red glow belonging to her nurse-call button.

  “Sleep well, Miss Beth. If you need anything, Christina is on duty for the night shift. She should be by to check on you in a few.”

  “I don’t much care for that one,” Beth grumbled, her dark, knotted hands wringing the life out of the poor orange and blue squares wrapped around her. “She acts like something foul was stuck up her rear end." She let out a lengthy sigh, then shook her head slightly.

  "You’re the sweetest thing to come out of this place so far. And so pretty, too! Come back and visit me again tomorrow, Ashley.”

  “It’s Ashlynn," I gently reminded her, fluffing her pillow one last time. The compliment about my appearance was one I’d received a lot in the human realm, though it didn’t mean much to me. "And I’ll be here at six tomorrow morning, Miss Beth. Don’t you worry.”

  She muttered something unintelligible as I plucked a tissue from her bedside table and tossed it into the trash with my gloves. Being sure to supply her with fresh water before leaving, I placed it at her bedside and headed out of the strongly perfumed room. After ensuring that her door was shut tight, I made my way down to the nurses’ desk to inform Christina of Beth’s progress that day. She prodded me for information that had nothing to do with the residents I’d be caring for, being nosey as ever about my personal life. Perhaps it was because I’d been careful to keep it a secret.

  “Looks like you got some highlights,” she said with a fake smile. “Going on a date or what?”

  “No, I’m not seeing anyone currently.” I smiled politely but quickly changed the subject. “Beth and Ed are doing better today, only sniffles and slight headaches—”

  “You didn’t pay full price for it, did you?” Christi was still eyeballing my hair, the smile drooping. “Because it’s, like, super splotchy in some places.”

  “I really need to get on the road, so if we could just talk about the residents real quick…?”

  “Sure. I was just trying to help you out, girl. Go ahead.”

  When the topic finally returned to our patients, I relayed everything to Christi, and she released me for the day. Nurses liked to treat assistants like we didn't know what we were doing. Unbeknownst to her, I had far more practice in this field than just tending to the elderly. And certainly more practice than she would ever have in her lifetime.

  “Make sure you clock out this time. Lizzy doesn’t like having to fix that crap on the computer. Plus, it makes the rest of us look incompetent.” She turned back to her computer screen, a game of solitaire reflecting from the broad-rimmed glasses sliding halfway down her nose. It made me worry for those in her care, the fact that she was more happy playing games to pass the time, but I kept my tongue under control.

  “Sorry.” I flinched at her tone and gripped my identification badge so that my anxiety couldn’t stop me from remembering the basics. Again. “I’ll be sure to do it tonight.”

  “Yeah.” Christi looked me up and down with tightly drawn lips that were lacquered with far too much red paste. “See that you do, Ash.”

  Ignoring the fact that she had said my name as if it tasted of something offensive, I started toward the little time-capturing machine and shoved the badge inside before punching in a four-digit code. It chirped, then chimed, alerting me that I was thirty minutes late. Christi would make sure that I knew it tomorrow, despite being the reason for it regularly. Humans were strange in that way. Back in Avalon, we fairies didn’t often find reasons to dislike each other. Well, not the light fae anyway. My husband’s kind was another story….

  Damn it. And now I’m back to thinking about him.

  It was hard not to think about, with his hounds at my heels and a fierce determination to find me at every turn. It left me feeling jumpy. Jerking the badge out of the machine’s slot, I turned on the heels of my worn, white sneakers and raced down the hall through the employee doors.

  Brisk spring air crept across my face and up into my “splotchy” blonde hair which I had wrapped tightly into a bun. My nails found the brown elastic and pulled it free of the newly cut strands. The hair tumbled across my shoulders as I fluffed it, allowing the silky wisps to provide a little insulation to my neck and face. At least winter was leaving, taking with it the awful Chicago snowstorms and biting winds.

  Sadly, the days were still short enough to ensure the parking lot was already dark by the time I got off each night. I could stand by the building like a frightened
fawn, or I could force my legs to start moving forward. I chose the latter, though the adrenaline was already building inside by the time I’d taken three steps. Running it is then, I thought to myself and began sprinting in the direction I had left my car—not my car, I reminded myself, my friend’s car.

  Reaching into the front pocket of my scrub top, I pulled the lanyard of keys out and readied them for a quick unlock and jump inside strategy.

  As soon as the gleaming silver hood was visible under the yellow hue of streetlamps, I hauled ass and did exactly that, pressing down on the little button until I heard a click. Yanking at the long handle, I jumped into the driver seat and slammed the door shut, pushing the little lock switch down with my index finger in record time. Next came the part where I hesitantly looked over my shoulder into the back seat to make sure it was clear.

  Half of me expected to find his burning amber eyes looking back at me, and the mere thought made my stomach do flips. Much to my satisfaction, there was nothing save for an empty Starbucks cup that I’d swallowed down that morning. Sighing, I fastened the seat belt around my trim waist and started the ignition. Though my knowledge of cars was slim, I always enjoyed the way automobiles sounded when the engines hummed to life. Like beasts being awoken from a long slumber.

  Flipping the headlights on, I took a moment to adjust the radio volume. It was mostly to catch my breath before throwing the car into reverse, backing out of the parking spot, and beginning my drive home. Twelve-hour shifts left me exhausted, in turn causing a small amount of paranoia to rear its ugly head every morning. At least I didn’t have to walk five miles home anymore. Not since Cole had finally agreed to take me to the DMV for a license. Putting his precious car in the hands of a fairy was the last thing he wanted to do, but knew it was safer this way.

  Especially since my beloved spouse was locating me so frequently as of late. Him and his drooly, growling hellhounds. Filthy mutts, my thoughts grumbled as I imagined the beasts. Twisting the volume knob to drown out the intrusive imagery of gnashing canine teeth, I managed to finish the rest of the drive without letting it distract me more. The fast-paced tunes sent happy feelings all through my body. If nothing else, the humans had satisfying music, which I enjoyed singing loudly to when nobody else was around. Certainly never in front of Cole did I bellow lyrics I didn't understand the meaning to.

  But it helped to soothe my nerves until I had parked the car in our driveway. Looking at the phone nestled into the seat to my right, I tugged at my bottom lip for a minute. Cole didn’t like it when I left my cell in the car overnight, but I knew I would forget it inside if I brought it with me. Then I’d be lectured for leaving it at home. I just couldn’t win.

  My heavy eyes moved from the cell phone sitting on the passenger seat to the small house sitting in front of me. It wasn’t anything special, but unquestionably better than the last dump Cole had dragged me to. Being sure to lock the car as Cole had painstakingly instructed a hundred times, I went up the porch stairs and had unlocked the front door in seconds. He might be pissy about the phone, but I’d deal with that later. The tingle of fear at the back of my skull didn’t stop until I was safely inside and under the protection ward’s soothing pulses.

  A sigh shook my narrow shoulders and expelled any remaining anxiety as I dropped the keys into a tiny ceramic bowl. While there, I decided to look in the hallway mirror.

  Might as well get this part over with.

  Glamour wasn’t the most comfortable thing, but it kept at least part of my identity hidden from the outside world. Waving a slim hand over my face, I watched the illusion dissolve, changing hazelnut eyes to their true gunmetal silver and allowing the bone structure in my face to become perfectly symmetrical once more. The hair that Christi had criticized returned to its natural pale blonde.

  “That’s better. But I need to work on getting this damn hair right.” For some reason, it was the hardest part to maintain. Breathing in deeply, I looked away from my reflection and toward the kitchen, from where a wonderful smell was emanating. Cole must have cooked dinner, though he was nowhere to be found currently. Thanks to the wards, I’d know if any living creatures were inside of the house. Still, must have been recently that he left, and it probably wouldn’t be for much longer. My lengthy legs made walking to the small kitchen short work.

  I kicked my shoes and socks off as I went, my feet slapping against the cool tiles as I made my way to the microwave and opened it. Alfredo with steamed veggies. One of my favorites since arriving here. I jammed my thumb against the timer to reheat the dish, then jumped onto the cheap countertop while I waited for it to be ready. My eyes wandered over what I could see of the house while I waited. We didn’t have any decorations except for my protection crystals. No family portraits lined the eggshell-colored walls. No colorful rugs to hide the ugly floorboards in the living area.

  A smile curled my lips. It wasn’t like Cole hadn’t been trying, with the new beds, a couch that was only somewhat falling apart, even a dining room table completed by mismatched chairs. Moving as much as we did hadn’t always allowed us time to take what we owned. So we kept the list as small as possible.

  The blaring beeps from the microwave scared the life out of me, forcing me from the counter and back to my feet. With one swift movement, I jerked the door open and grabbed for the paper plate.

  "Shit-Ow-That's hot!" I seethed, moving my fingers to the outer edges of the plate and glancing around, trying to remember where the cutlery was. Second drawer on the right.

  Steam lazily curled up and away from the broccoli stems in every direction as I shut the microwave, grabbed a fork, and made my way to the table. The wooden chair groaned as I took my seat. Avalon was known for its rich feasts, filled with the highest quality fruits, vegetables, and game. This was nothing like that. Not at all similar to what the castle’s cooks could throw together on a whim. If there was one thing I missed about home, it was the cuisine.

  Nibbling my lower lip, I shoved the food away, deciding the hunger growling in my belly wasn’t enough to force the stuff down my throat. I could use a shower anyway, I concluded, moving through the living room and readjusting my crystals along the way. The wards felt as strong as ever. As strong as I could safely keep them, anyway, with dark fae running two steps behind me. Anything more powerful would be like a shining beacon leading them to my front door. And the last thing I wanted was to alert the world of my presence here. If I did, I’d have a lot more problems than this one. My bare feet grew chilled against the hardwood as I grabbed a fresh pair of pajamas and made my way to the small bathroom that Cole and I shared.

  Switching the light on, I listened to the fan overhead growl and buzz in its old age. The pipes moaned from somewhere in the mint-colored walls when I turned the hot water on, tested it with two fingers, then pushed the cold up a little. Peeling my top and pants off, I tossed them into the clothes hamper that Cole must have emptied sometime after I left for work. Next, I removed my midnight-blue bra and panty set, making sure to place them underneath the dirty scrubs.

  Cole and I may have been lovers in the past, but since becoming married, no part of me wanted him eyeballing my underwear. Sure, I’d run away from the bastard my mother had wed me off too, but I wasn’t about to go around sleeping with other men. Maybe my moral compass was telling me that it was better to abstain than to give Kian more reasons to be pissed off. Or maybe he had wormed his way into me again. Shivering, I hoped that wasn’t the case. With another finger test, I decided with it no longer being like ice, that I could step into the small shower.

  A hiss escaped my lips as the chilled water hit my back and streamed down my legs. Pulling the shower curtain shut, I worked soap through my hair, noticing again how short it was. Most of my life the length had touched my hips, but not anymore. It wasn't just me that didn't like it, either. Something within me told of my husband's dismay. I remembered feeling it the moment the hairdresser had clipped the first section.

  He was working his
way into my mind; I could feel it even if I didn’t want to face it yet. As I scrubbed myself clean, images of our wedding flashed behind my eyelids. Silken drapery of gold and ivory hung from the tall trees, creating a lovely canopy as I walked toward him. Seeing him for the first time was breathtaking, no matter how hard my mind had fought against the thought.

  Those eyes... amber in color and as deep as any ocean. They were wild, almost. Haunting. The raven black hair atop his head was cut in a popular human fashion. Short on the sides, long and perfectly coiffed on top. I remember the slick black line of it that hung across one of those beautiful eyes.... It had stirred feelings in me that I still haven't recovered from. Desire.

  The images shifted to later that night. We were in his bedroom. Despite how small I felt next to his gigantic frame, he had been gentle, kind almost. My body had ached for him, though I knew he was using his powers.

  What I was feeling belonged to him, not me. Even still, he hadn’t forced anything.

  The rumors about dark fae had been in my mind but I hadn’t done anything to myself at his will, nor had he ever touched me or even made it known that he wanted to. My time was spent crying and he eventually left me alone to mourn the loss of life as I knew it. That’s when I escaped, not willing or ready to hang around and become a puppet to the Twilight King, if that’s what he decided to do.

  Too many stories had been shared in my mother’s kingdom. Too many tales of the dark fae and their ability to turn your own mind against you to get whatever they wanted.