Prologue

The only sound heard was the click of boots against the dirt and rock as a killer faced his target.

He stood in the shadows, watching the silver and black haired Faery dressed in all black. Six inches of midnight blue hair with a silver stripe in the center stood on end. His skin was smooth. Beneath his trench coat was the body of a very strong, chiseled faery. Muscled arms held a gun at their leaders’ head. An angry scowl marked an otherwise beautiful face.

It appeared as though murderous rage danced like flames in the assassin’s cold black and silver eyes.

Marshal heard the click and felt the shock of the bullet impact his leader from afar.

Wincing, Marshal gritted his teeth, clenched his fists. He had to keep quiet or else he’d be discovered and murdered as well.

Blood spilled out of the new wound and splattered on the ground.

Then, it was over.

There was no horrified expression on Brandyne’s face. He looked peaceful even as blood ran down and stained his white shirt. Silly fool.

Humans were by nature warring creatures, and the human in him made him sympathize with those who would fight and murder others for selfish benefit. Marshal didn’t mind that part, it was inherent to his very nature. His core was human, his soul belonged to the human realm.

Brandyne was a full faery. He could never understand violence.

So why did the High Court send their personal assassin after his brother?

To prove a point?

“Ha!” He laughed. Brandyne was a giver. He’d tried to act as a sort of Robin Hood to the others around his cause, trying to clothe and feed them when the courts shunned them. Stupid Fae.

From around the corner of a building, he’d watched the High Court’s assassin corner Brandyne. He couldn’t make out the words on his brother’s lips, but for a brief moment, fear registered on his brother’s face.

What purpose did it serve to kill those responsible for preaching peace? It shouldn’t have mattered if he’d had alliances with others whom Faery did not consider to be friendly. Brandyne’s aims were purely good natured.

It didn’t matter.

The scene would replay in his head a thousand times over eternity.

The click would resonance loud, louder in his dreams. Knowing he was powerless to stop
Echo made his blood boil.

Heat rose over his skin. He had to get revenge.

Even if it took him eternity, Marshal would get revenge on Echo.

***

A few months later, Marshal had shadowed Echo again. Watching him smile while holding the hand of another full blooded Fae disgusted him. Those sick pacifistic bastards knew only love and magick, peace and harmony.

What pure bullshit.

Incompetent twits needed to learn a lesson about life and how hard it was.

He would be the one to show them. His plan was slowly coming to fruition. He just needed a few more things to fall into place.

Weeks after watching his brother murdered, Marshal made the decision to have surgery in order to erase most of his Fae features. In order to gain power, he would leave his homeland and deny his heritage.

Settling in the Eastern Bloc of Europe where bad things were known to happen because people were fed up with society’s rules, he found someone to perform the surgery for a price. Marshal set up his home base there and gathered a few followers who were tired of the status quo.

There, he would find a homeland of comrades to help him gain power..

He’d read Mein Kompf and books by Nietzsche. The Prince was a favorite of his. The way the words flew from those novels were like music to his ears. He held race accountable for everything. It didn’t matter if one was black, white, Jewish or from the Other World. They were all disgusting, war faring humans.

At least they were honest. It was easy to slaughter those who bothered you if you were a human.

Not like the Fey, which had a light side and dark side. The dark side was never acknowledge, of course. Given no credit, not taught in schools, passed over. Just like he’d always been.

He didn’t know that reading the terrible words from those books would damage his soul as a Fae, possibly forever.

Marshal threw his head back in laughter. Soon, he would realize his destiny as a ruler. Then the world, Human and Faery both, would acknowledge him and begin making amends for the death of his brother.

Chapter 1

The air around him was eerily still. Something had happened in his homeland but he wasn’t sure what.

Leaves didn’t rustle. Birds and creatures weren’t to be found anywhere around.

Damn shame he didn’t care.

Starting off towards the dirt path, Echo moved cautiously, walking so soft as to not make a sound despite wearing heavy boots beneath his black trench coat.

“Echo! Echo, wait!”

A feminine voice caught his attention. Lifting his head, Echo turned to see Alexandrya floating his way. He waited for her to catch up. Wind blew his trench coat back, exposing the hilt of a sword. “What do you want?” Even to him, his voice sounded too harsh.

Alexandrya reached his side and grabbed his shoulder.

Warmth filled him instantly before he shrugged off her hand.

“My stomach is upset. Something’s wrong.” She settled just a few feet in front of him, landing on lush green and purple grass.

“Then cure yourself. Don’t bother me.” Echo shoved his hands in his pockets. Turning, he began down the dirt path through the forest.

Alexandrya caught up to him and glared. Spinning him around, she looked him straight in the eye.

He hated that look on her face, but ignored it anyway.

Cocking her hand back, she slapped him across the face.

Pain exploded in his cheek. Reeling back, he looked at his best friend. Her blonde hair fell over her face, hiding an angry scowl along with all the emotions her tri color eyes bore.

Echo’s jaw dropped. “What the hell did you do that for?”

“Your lover misses you, you fucking moron.” She snapped at him in anger, her tone reaching straight to his heart.

Echo brought a hand to the heated part of his cheek and rubbed his face. “I don’t have a lover.”

Alexandrya gasped. “You can’t live this way forever, Echo. It’s not fitting.”

He kicked a rock and sent it flying into a tree that snapped it up and spit it back at him.

Ducking, Echo stared away from Alexandrya.

“Neither is me being a faery assassin but it’s what I am. Leave me be, Alex.”

She ran a hand through her blond locks, exposing the delicate features of her face. Tri color eyes, blue, red and purple with swirls of silver in them held so much more emotion than he cared to deal with.

Alexandrya’s nostrils flared. “No. I swore loyalty to you when we met and I never knew why until the war. And I never back down from what my heart tells me to do. So get over yourself, Echo.”

He huffed. Shoving his hands into his pocket, he continued walking, the sting of her slap still burned. Alexandrya always hit hard. Her disappointing scowl hurt more than her hand across his face though.

She was right. It wasn’t befitting a faery to behave in such a fouwl manner. They were creatures of love and sexual enjoyment, perversion and peace. Not brutal, cold blooded killers who fought wars that had been started by the ideals of man.

Echo looked up at the lush sky before him. A canopy of branches and leaves stretched out over the expanse of the sky. “This is the path I have chosen to atone for my sins..” His voice was a faint whisper.

Louder still were Alex’s sniffles.

***

The past two days had been long. The heat in Faery continued to get worse and nobody seemed to know why. Colors were less vivid. Flowers and grass didn’t stand up nearly as straight. The weeping willows seemed weepier, shedding more leaves and tears each day. Gone were the sparkles common amongst the sprites who danced through the forest. The skies were a muted color of gray now, rather than their iridescent violet.

Alexandrya’s stomach grumbled. She put her hand to her belly and kept walking beside Echo.

He was thankful for her silence. She was angry with him still but he needed to think. It’d been ten years since he’d returned home. Ten years was a long time to be away from one’s lover without a word or a phone call. Ten years for a faery was even longer since time was an oddity of its own here..

A noise behind them set Echo’s nerves on alert. Without thought, he and Alexandrya disappeared from the road and were high atop the branches of a dying oak tree looking down.

He looked at her, then back at the ground.

So far, nothing.

The sound of leaves crunching below came from behind. Echo turned his head, peering just over the purple branch. He spotted a lone traveler. Dressed in Elvin finery, the man’s long brown robes hung to the ground. His jewels were polished though they did not sparkle any brighter than anything else in Faery.

“I know you’re both up there. Might as well come down and visit for a moment with an old man.” His gravelly voice irritated Echo along with the fact that he’d bothered to issue a command.

Echo remained silent.

Alexandrya leapt out of the tree and landed in front of the old man on bended knee.

Echo’s jaw dropped, but he kept his position.

“I knew you were up there.” He smiled, exposing clean sharp incisors.

Echo leapt into the air, landing swiftly behind Alexandrya. Clutching his sword, he took a step towards the stranger. The grass changed color and became a shade of blue where Echo had landed. Echo looked back at the grass, then at the old man and frowned.

“I am not here to harm you.” The old man coughed, doubling over into a fit before falling to his knees. His breath came in short gasps and his eyes widened..

Echo flicked the hilt of his sword, loosening it from its sheath.

Alexandrya glared at him. “You asshole.” She looked back at the old man and reached for his shoulder. “Here,” her voice had softened.

Echo watched energy flow from her to the old man.

His coughing slowed, stopped. His gasps became deep breaths and his eyes returned to normal size.

The man smiled at Alexandrya and stood up.

“What was that, old man?” Echo kept a close watch on the old man.

“I do not know. I am unwell to say the least. Things around here are not as they were when I grew up. The climate is changing in Faery.”

“We know. Are you okay now?” Alexandrya stood beside Echo, her hands clasped together.

The man nodded. “Indeed I am. Thank you.” He smiled wider, showing off missing teeth.

She curtsied. “You’re welcome. What brings you this way?”

“You haven’t heard? Many of the people are traveling to this … America to see Princess Serenissa wed.”

Echo’s jaw twitched. He managed to reign in other emotions that threatened to surface, including pummeling the old man for saying stupid shit.

Alexandrya glanced over her shoulder at Echo, mouthing something.

He nodded slightly.

“Excuse me?” Alexandrya faced the old man, eyebrows cocked upwards.

“Oh yes. The Princess is finally going to be married. A man from a foreign land has asked for her hand and intends on bringing our two lands together as one. It will be a glorious ceremony.” He spread his hands over his head and looked around. “Faery will be restored to its former beauty.”

Echo stepped forward, hand still on the hilt of his sword. “When and where is this supposed to happen?”

“In less than a month, they plan to be wed in a place called San Francisco. Have you been?” He cocked his head to the side, curiously staring at Alexandrya.

Heat simmered just beneath Echo’s skin. “Where is this San Francisco?”

“I do not know yet, but when I leave Faery, I will ask around. Shall you journey with me?” The man turned his head sideways.

“Umm, that’s okay.” Alexandrya took Echo’s hand in hers and started tugging him off in the opposite direction, “Thanks but we’ve really got to be going. You’ve been a great help.”

“All righty then.” He waved them off and continued wandering down the path until he disappeared out of sight.

Echo followed close behind Alexandrya. “Tell me where we are going.”

“Away from that man. And to America.” She tugged his hand hard.

Echo groaned. He didn’t really want to see Serenissa, did he?

“Why?”

She stopped and looked askance at Echo. “So we can stop Serenissa’s wedding.”

Leave it to Alex to always know what his heart needed.

Still, he scowled. “What if I want nothing to do with this entire ordeal?”

“You’d be lying to me, Echo. We don’t lie. Ever.” She glanced back at him, glowering.

His heart felt the need to see her again after all these years but…

“My senses are stronger than yours, dear. My emotional and sexual attachment is to you, and through that, I feel your world. Ergo, I know we need to get to her. Otherwise, your grief and intense emotion will make me sick.”

He sighed heavily. “I’m sorry.” He muttered the words, aware that his actions always had some effect on his best friend. Through a bond they’d created but been unaware of for months, he’d learned that she could read him just like an open book. So far, she was the only one, other than Serenissa.

Alexandrya smiled. “Don’t be. I love you Echo. I just want what’s best for you.”

The sun had set hours later, changing the sky from a hot pink to a shade of deep ocean blue. After stopping for water from a nearby spring, the two of them headed towards the Great Mound in search of the entrance to Faery.

“You know, we really should fuel ourselves before we head into this new plane.” Her voice broke the silence Echo hadn’t been concentrating in anyway.

He arched an eyebrow. “You mean you want to fuck?”

She slapped his ass. “Yeah. It’ll do us good. Besides, you’ll have that glow when you see Serenissa again. It’ll call to her, if she isn’t truly in love with this stupid creature that is said to restore Faery to her former glory.”

His cock stiffened. Echo sighed, reaching back to rub the sting out of his ass. Alexandrya did like her sex a little rougher than Serenissa and it would put him in a slightly better mood. Less people would probably die if Echo was in a better mood.

Alexandrya took Echo by the hand, her skin was still so warm against his. She turned him to face her.

Peering into her sparkling tri color eyes brought that same warmth over his skin, starting from his head down to his toes.

Echo extended his other arm to Alexandrya, pulling her against him.

Her breasts crushed against his chest before her mouth fell on his.

Heated kisses so hot they could only come from another faery sent tingles racing down Echo’s spine.

He parted his lips for her, letting her tongue inside his mouth. Their tongues wrestled for control, but Alexnadrya won out, using a leveraged knee between her thighs to help her ride atop Echo.

Her hands tangled in his hair, brushing it back. It stood straight up when she released her grip on him and began trailing kisses down the line of his jaw.

Echo opened himself to the magick that was Alexandrya’s lust, the powerful embodiment of what a Faery should be. Heat pooled low in his belly, hardening his cock.

A hand slid between his coat and into his pants, cupping him. Nimble fingers massaged his cock while another hand undid the snaps on his pants and freed him.

Echo leaned into Alexandrya’s body, his own skin prickling with desire and beads of sweat. His mouth fell on her neck, kisses trailing down her collarbone until he’d freed her breasts from her top and managed to pop one of them in his mouth.

She cried, gasping against the swirl of his tongue around her nipple.

Echo bit the nipple slightly, squeezing her other breast in his hand.

She began pumping him, arching her body against his.

Alexandrya’s full figure and alabaster skin always aroused Echo, now was no exception. Between her and Serenissa, he had his hands and mouth full.

“Concentrate,” Alexandrya bit his lower lip.

Echo hissed out a breath, hot liquid flames trickling up his spine from the sheer intensity of her passion.

A moment later, Echo had backed Alexandrya up against a rough barked tree, her legs wrapped around his waist. His cock nuzzled her heat.

She reached between them and gripped him. “In me, Echo.” Her mouth was half open while desire flared in her tri color eyes. Her breasts juggled up and down with each adjustment Echo made until he’d settled himself inside her hot core.

“Oh Lord and Lady,” she threw her head against the tree.

Echo pumped into her, enjoying the sight of her breasts bobbing up and down with each thrust.

Her cries and his mingled and a wind blew through the forest.

His orgasm built up, the tightness in his body drawing his balls closer to him.

He felt hers well up also, the swell of energy moving around her, them before settling low in her belly.

Set to release at the same time as his, the energy tugging at his cock along with the slickened channel of her pussy.

Echo buried his head in her mass of platinum curls, slamming his eyes shut as he pounded into Alexandrya.

She shuddered, her hips rocking to accommodate him and drink him in at the same time as her orgasm exploded within her, sending quivers to wrack her body.

Echo felt it, felt the pull of love and power calling to him as his cock shuddered and exploded, sending jets of hot come deep inside his lover.

With several grunts, he’d pumped her full of his seed.

Her nails dug into his skin beneath the trench coat and pale shirt he wore, leaving cuts and marks that’d heal later thanks to Faery magick.

With a final quiver, Alexandrya’s hips tightened around Echo’s waist, squeezing the last bit of his seed inside her.

“I love you,” she whispered against his ear, hot breath sending tingles racing through him and bowing his spine.

“My … Alexandrya.” His voice was a low hiss, barely audible unless one was an otherworldly creature.

Sweat dripped down his brow and hers. With a grin, she slid off him and rubbed her ass, picking up her pants and slipping them on.

Echo continued to watch her, the buxom vixen who had been his best friend and biggest supporter over the last several hundred years.

He truly cherished her as he did Serenissa.

Adjusting his clothing, he offered her a hand and pulled her to him, his body now glowing with a radiance that outlined the black spike of his hair.

Alex ran a hand through it and giggled as his hair slid down against his head and then jutted back up.

“It’s like your cock.” She giggled again.

“Humph.”

An hour later, the sky changed color again and became a black so dark that Alexandrya had to conjure a light to keep them on the dirt path. They’d moved from the inner part of the forest to the large cavernous mountains where the entrance could be. Large rocks jutted up in jagged spikes while trees multicolored trees stood as though they were sentinels watching over the lands.

Things looked dull, definitely. Faery had gone through some odd changes over the last several hundred years, with the Princess being unmarried and not producing an heir to carry down the line.

Royal blood ruled the land. If the ruler was good natured and true to themselves, the land would reflect that view. Echo knew that without a current queen and king, the land was going barren.

He didn’t want to be king, but he knew two things. He loved Serenissa and that she should definitely be queen. Her heart was pure like Alexandrya’s.

Finally, they came upon a large dirt wall-the last place anyone had seen the entrance to Faery. “Are you here?” Alexandrya felt along the walls. She turned to Echo. “You could help.”

Echo huffed. Reaching for the wall, he ran his hand over the smooth, earthy wall and pressed inward. The walls turned black wherever Echo had touched.

Alexandrya looked at him. “You’re sick.”

“I am not!”

“Sweetie, don’t be difficult. You’ve attempted to lie to me. You leave black marks on the walls. Something inside you needs me.”

Echo closed his eyes. “We just had sex. Don’t be silly.”

Alexandrya turned towards him. Setting her hands on her full hips, she looked intently at him, her blonde curls falling in her face. She lifted her head towards the sky, the light reflecting off jade green eyes. He always did like the way the light danced in her tri colored eyes.

Setting her sights on him, she stepped forward.

His ears twitched. “What are you doing, Alex?”

“Just come here.” She reached for him, clapping him hard on the shoulder.

Echo raised his shoulders, stiffening beneath her touch.

“Let me,” her eyes said everything he wouldn’t hear if she’d spoken the words.

His jaw ticked. “You are still a healer?”

“Yes, Echo. I always have been. Once our primary talents are discovered and mastered, we do not forget them, no matter how badly our minds may be scarred..”

“But I am not wounded.”

A wicked grin crossed her mouth. “No, everything physically works.

The power of my gift is not limited to the physical body. Don’t you remember when we bonded? You felt so empty inside. The pain still haunts me at night sometimes. But I healed a part of you until Serenissa came and filled the gap.”

Echo turned away.

Alexandrya’s hand cupped his face, her skin was so warm. She glowed. He noticed her for the first time in months. She had a beautiful smile, fair skin and a full figure. Her eyes sparkled brighter than they had in a long while..

So why couldn’t he let himself be healed today?

He started twitching. That familiar warmth of hers filled him instantly, sending the chill in his heart out through his fingers in an invisible string of energy.

“You’re fighting me, dear. I did not contribute to your negative behaviors. I have always been on your side.”

He closed his eyes and nodded.

Memories flew into his head of the time he told Alex about Serenissa.

Alex was so ecstatic that day. Her power radiated from her so much thatshe sparkled and made everything she touched incredibly bright and happy.

His next memory was of Alex following him through the Academy, spurring him on and becoming a dog of the Military like he was, just to see him succeed. She’d been the one to remind him that love did not grow at the speed of light, but took its time. So he’d started writing

Serenissa, promising her things he wasn’t certain he could give her such as a steady family and a stable life outside the military.

Echo’s breathing slowed so much that to the naked eye, it was barely noticeable.

The thought that Alexandrya never let him back down when it came to Serenissa hovered in his mind. He never understood why. All he’d done was abuse Serenissa’s love by leaving her, disappointing her. And his military career surely would be an abomination to her.

Serenissa wasn’t the type to go for assassins. She was more delicate in soul and didn’t understand the nature of beast, man or fae.

Slowly, soothing waves of energy flowed into his body, white light seeking out the virus that was depression. The white heat brought light to the darkness, chased away and eradicated the dead weight from

Echo’s body that would slow him down in all things, including battle.

“She is your light, I can be your darkness, Echo.” The calming words soothed him somewhat though he heard them in the distance.

Alexandrya’s voice carried the words to his heart like the fastest wind sprites with the urgency of love guiding them.

Opening his eyes, he regained his sense of who he was in the moment. His breathing had returned to normal. His body cooled, his heart slowed. Calmness set in. He was at peace now, having gained unsteady control over the violent turmoil in his head..

“Thank you.”

Alexandrya wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close.

“We need each other, never forget that, Echo.”

He nodded. Clarity set in. It was time to find answers.

Alexandrya stood behind him. “Ready?”

He nodded.

Reaching for the wall, Echo pressed gently inward again. His hand sank in the cool, damp soil of the wall. Behind them, a bright light shone that illuminated Alexandrya’s lush figure.

“Through there.” Pointing, she spoke loudly.

Echo stood, dumbfounded. He’d seen the portal but hadn’t been through it in so many years that the experience seemed foreign to a part of him. Even in the wars, he had mostly remained on this side to assassinate the enemy when they’d infiltrated the courts.

Alexandrya reached for his hand and yanked him towards the light.

“Goddamnit.” He hated this part.

Light spilled through him, heating his every cell. Energy shone so bright it blinded him.
The tunnel swirled around them in multicolor hues so brilliant that Echo thought he’d dropped acid. Blues, purples and faded greens mixed in with resplendent yellows, spinning faster and faster around him in a dizzying tornado that made his stomach lurch.

Alexandrya’s grip tightened, their fingers interlocking.

They raced through the portal, running faster and faster. Time seemed to slow around them.

Several clocks flew by Echo’s head, arms winding forwards at an amazingly quick pace.
Each clock that passed read a different time until they all began to blend together in a giant swirling image of a clock that spun while the arms appeared to stand still. Finally all the clocks were one giant clock with gears that spun and clicked and hummed along steadily, reading the same time. Minutes became hours, became days.

The wind in this vortex was loud enough to block out all other things. If it weren’t for Alexandrya’s fingers smoothing his palms, he’d have forgotten she was with him.

Then all consciousness seemed lost in the swirl of magnificent colors.

The vortex enveloped them, pulling random images from them until it slid off the two and centered on a point in front of them until it disappeared.

Darkness covered them.

hen, the world came into view. Green forests, stone and metal buildings, plots of land, highways, all were visible. Cars on a distant freeway sped down the roads, spouting pollutants into the already unclean air. Echo’s vision blurred. He closed his eyes.

Steadying himself, Echo remembered how uncommon it was for faeries to fly in this dimension.

Alexandrya floated beside him, her hand still in his.

Setting one foot down on the ground, Echo leaned forward, catching himself. Reaching for his sword, he stilled himself.

Alexandrya landed in front of him, dusting herself off. “That was fun.”

His lip curled up in a snarl. “I still hate doing that.”

“I know. Come on. It looks like we’re somewhere in the Midwest.
Let’s go find a plane and get the fuck to San Francisco.”