Read Online Lure of Forever by Doris O'Connor - Free Book Online Page A

ethereally beautiful face, framed by
long, straight, white hair that trailed down his back. An intricate tattoo
spread itself along his bulging biceps, up his left shoulder and halfway across
his naked chest.
    Coralie swallowed nervously when the giant smiled, showing several rows of razor-sharp
teeth. He stood back, gesturing for her to step past him.
    "This way, and move it, human.
Carmen is an impatient woman."
    Clearly, so was he. The hurried
flick of his head revealed pointy ears and Coralie swallowed a hysterical bubble of laughter. So much for
fairies being cute, little things at the bottom of the garden. She
winced when his large hand grabbed her arm to guide her along. Long, perfectly
manicured fingernails dug into her flesh and Coralie shook his arm off with a terse, "Do you quite mind? That hurts ."
    "Oh I know that, little human.
I'm rather fond of some pain myself." Those purple eyes changed to a
yellowish red and the evil smile accompanying the next words sent a flood of
ice-cold dread down Coralie's spine. "I'm rather
hoping Carmen will let me play with you a little, once she's had her fill. Now
move it."
    Coralie had no choice but to follow the far-from-graceful fairy as he marched her along
the multitude of corridors at dizzying speed. The fact that
every other occupant of the place hurried to get out of their way – in fact,
one of the maids double backed so fast that she tripped up – did not fill Coralie with confidence that she would like this encounter,
or survive it.
    When they finally stopped in front
of huge, double doors she had no idea where they were and could hardly breathe.
Three rapid knocks on the door were followed by a bid to enter.
    The tall blonde facing them looked
horribly familiar, and Coralie bit back the curse she
was about to utter. This was Carmen? The snooty ice queen who'd referred to Coralie as a snack on Lucas's boat? Snack indeed. This was
one snack that would stick in her throat, even if it was literally the last
thing Coralie would do.
    "Ah,
about time. What took you so long, Bughar ?
I hope she didn't give you any trouble?"
    Bughar gave Coralie a shove that sent her flying face-down
to the floor in front of Carmen. Coralie immediately
tried to get up, but the fairy's big, booted foot in her shoulder blades pushed
her back on the stone tiled floor. Her chin smashed into the floor and she
tasted blood.
    "You'll give Carmen the respect
she commands, human."
    To hell she would. Bughar could just bugger off.   She spat the blood pooling in her mouth on
the floor.
    "You can both just fuck off.
I'll do no such thing."
    Tears sprang into her eyes when Bughar yanked her to her feet by her hair. "Oh, I
won't fuck off." One of his hands settled on her breast and Coralie had to fight the urge to bring up her lunch.
"But I will fuck you."
    "You assume too much, Bughar ."
    Carmen's cool voice held a hint of
amusement and Bughar's hand slid under Coralie's blouse, his heavy breath in her ear turning her
stomach.
    "Forgive me, Carmen, but you're
welcome to watch."
    Oh God, no fucking way, she'd rather
die right now. Coralie leant in as far as the brutal
grip on her hair would allow and bit the fairy's cheek. The minty taste of
fairy blood filled her mouth, and Bughar pulled away
with a roar, leaving bits of his cheek in Coralie's teeth. His retaliating punch snapped her head around and sent her body flying
halfway across the room. Fueled with the flood of adrenaline, Coralie landed on her feet and when Bughar advanced on her again she ran at him. Using all her bodyweight, she managed to
unbalance the giant temporarily, and with her momentary advantage, she rammed
both fists into his groin, bringing him to his knees with another roar.
    He grabbed her arm and pulled her on
top of him, his razor-sharp teeth missing her shoulder by inches. Coralie screeched in terror as he rolled them both over.
His now blood-red eyes bored into hers and he ripped her blouse clean off her
with one hand.