Read Guardian's Flame [Guardian City 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) for Free Online Page B

somewhere in the distance, and D had an ominous feeling in his gut.
    Time passed quickly as his mates slept, and D fought against the pain in his muscles. Finally, the edge of The Swamp came into view, and D started circling carefully. His landing was rough, as his legs gave out beneath him, jarring his mates awake.
    Are you ok? they both asked at the same time.
     
    * * * *
     
    Just tired, it’ll wear off after I eat something , D said as he shifted to his Elvin form.
    They sat in silence as D ate every ounce of food he possibly could, amazed at the difference he felt in his strength. They all looked at The Swamp pretending it was something other than what it was. Unlike the land flying in, The Swamp was full of life. Mutated trees grew miles up, giving the area layers for predators to hide in. Vines hung like thick ropes from the trees, and D knew they had minds of their own. They could move and lock onto a person pretty quickly. The worst thing a person could do was take their time in The Swamp. “Keep moving” was the best advice he had ever gotten, and now that he was mated, sex wasn’t an option if they happened upon an Incubus.
    “Ok, how bad is this going to be?” Jason asked, severing the silence.
    “Bad. There are rules in The Swamp. 1. Keep moving. Always keep moving, as The Swamp plays tricks of the mind. 2. Don’t believe anything you see. It’s a lie. They will use things from your thoughts against you, so don’t believe your mother is in there being strung up by the vines. 3. Keep your mind clear. If they know you fear snakes, it’s all you’ll see. The idea is to kill you so it can eat you. 4. Don’t look any person in the eye, and if you hear someone talking, plug your ears. This is Incubus land, and they use sex as a way to feed The Swamp. Once they seduce a victim, they leave him or her here for The Swamp to finish. They use their good looks, and seductive voices to lure a person to them. And lastly, keep moving, no matter what. It’s a maze in there, and we are constantly going to be backtracking,” D said seriously.
    “Shouldn’t the Incubi fear this place?” Nathan asked curiously.
    “They do, but this is their land. It’s the only portal in the world that leads to the Incubus realm. They don’t have a choice, if they are full Incubus or Succubus,” D reasoned.
    “Isn’t your father an Incubus?” Nathan asked.
    D just nodded his head. His father had to make this trip once a year to touch his birth realm or he would die. D had gone with him on occasion, but now that he was mated he never wanted to come back. His father had some immunity from The Swamp, but not enough. D stood up and brushed himself off. He waited for his mates to join him as they collected their things. D walked toward the entrance, stopping before he crossed The Swamp boundaries. With a deep breath, he took a step forward into the realm of Wonderland.
     
    * * * *
     
    Zoey massaged her jaw, trying to ease the swelling. She had known the guard would hurt her, but it hadn’t stopped her from stabbing him in the eye. They had taken her concrete shank, and she was heartbroken about the loss. The opportunity had been worth it. Hours had gone into using a small rock to chip it away from the wall. They wouldn’t be so careless around her now.
    It didn’t matter. Last night’s “therapy” session hadn’t gone well. She hadn’t given them what they wanted, nor did they understand she would never give the location of her people. It was one of the reasons the Dark Elves had survived so long. Secrecy was the key to success, and unlike their sunlight-dwelling cousins, they had flourished. She would take the secret to the grave. The “Boss,” as the guards called him, was truly sick of the sight of her. When his normal torture methods failed, he had run into a wall. His Glamour magic didn’t work on her, and beyond that it was only physical pain. She had dealt with worse training during her young years.
    A whisper