Once Upon a Steamy Night
Chapter Twenty-two

Claire opened her eyes to stare into two purple eyes. A strangled cry left her lips as she scrambled to her feet and gasped.

She was standing under the most beautiful tree she had ever seen with beautiful pink leaves and an amazing shed.

She noticed the atmosphere around her had changed. It was crackling with raw energy and pure peace. This place reminded her of the place Liam had taken her to. She tried recalling what had happened and all she remembered was a portal and how Adam yanked her into it.

She had chanted a spell that had come to her mind when she was in the portal and she had passed out.

So where was Adam?

"Princess?"

She whirled around to see a young girl around her age with fiery redhead and purple eyes, the same eyes she had seen when she woke up kneel before her. "I'm not a princ... whoa!" she exclaimed when she stared at her feet.

She was dressed in a long beautiful pink gown. Her hair was adorned with a golden crown, and her feet were encased in beautiful comfy glass heels. "You've returned and I am honored to be the first to welcome you," the girl continued.

"Claire?"

Claire's eyes narrowed as she glared at Adam. "Don't ever speak to me again!"

"Princess Claire. Glad you're here."

Claire rolled her eyes as Morgana strutted towards her.

"Where is this place?" She asked.

"The entrance to the faerie world, your home," Morgana replied.

"Uh...I'm seeing only beautiful trees and vast green lands," Claire pointed out.

"It's an illusion spell, cast by our best guardians," Morgana replied, "You've met Aiobel, she's one of the best guardians and will be among your trainers."

Claire regarded the girl as she gave a curt bow. "My pleasure, princess."

"Stop with the formalities and what's with the gown?" Claire asked.

"Yeah, the kingdom recognized you, and your elements clothed you."

Claire observed herself closely and realized she was dressed in intricate silky texture more like cotton. She regarded the tree and smiled, no wonder the gown was pink. Don't blame us.

Claire froze. "I heard a voice."

"It's the trees. They'll communicate with you as long as you're not in the mortal world again," Aiobel chuckled.

"What else talks around here?" Claire asked dryly.

"You'll figure that out but first let's introduce you and get you settled in. You have three full moons left before your eighteenth birthday and then off you go to the rift," Morgana explained.

There was a slight earthquake as a portal appeared before them. Morgana stared at the portal with a burst of magic in her hands, Aiobel took a fighting stance armed with a magical arrow and Adam just rolled his eyes glaring at her? "What did I do?" She cried.

"Shh!" Morgana whispered.

"It's alright, mother. Claire opened a portal for her friends," Adam said, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"I didn't..." she trailed off.

"I heard you chanting the spell, Claire," he sighed.

She stared at the portal just as Scot stepped out of it and collapsed on the floor followed by Liam who remained standing with a smile.

"Hello, guys," he smiled.

An ear-splitting bell echoed in the forest the moment Liam's foot touched the floor.

"You invited a freaking hunter to our world?!" Morgana exclaimed angrily.

***

Claire lay exhausted on the bed as she admired the room once more. It was one of the largest rooms she's been in. Well decorated with soft silky pillows and bedsheets.

Her room was overlooking a magical garden and her training yard. She hadn't gone on a tour yet because she was scared of leaving Liam alone.

The moment the alarm bell had gone off in the entrance of the realm, five armed and handsome men had appeared. But she hadn't the time to stare at them as she had to protect her boyfriend from the spells and arrows. Adam had stepped aside and allowed the guardians to attack till her defense wall crumbled and that's when they realized that Liam was immune to magic and magical weapons.

That was the first in the history of the hunters and it scared the faeries more. She had convinced them that Liam had come to help.

She had then used a teleportation spell to appear in her bedroom with Morgana and Adam. She had been instructed to remain in her room with Liam while they gathered what they needed for a cloaking spell, so the other faeries won't know about him.

It was only after the cloaking spell that she could go on a tour but for now, she could enjoy a magical bubble bath with Liam.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Liam asked with a small frown, "Why would they think I will hurt them?"

Claire sighed. "Don't think about it. They'll all love you once they get to know you."

Liam nodded. "I hope I'm not dead by then."

Claire chuckled. "While we're waiting for them let's take a shower."

Liam's eyes shined mischievously. "What do you have in mind?"

"Only one way to find out. Invienne," she whispered.

Liam gasped when his clothes disappeared leaving him in his briefs.

"Whoa! I thought magic doesn't work on me?" He asked.

"Offense magic doesn't work on you but simple spells like this work," she smirked.

Liam chuckled. "Let's go shower then."

Claire led him into her large bathroom and entered the bathtub with him. The sprinkles started showering them lightly.

"I thought the portal wouldn't open. I was so worried you wouldn't come," she mumbled resting her head on his chest as they sank into the bubble bathtub.

"And leave you alone with these hot faerie guys? No way," he chuckled.

Claire smiled and wondered how her life had become like this. She had a huge responsibility but with Liam, she felt at peace, she felt like she could take on the whole world.

"I love you, Liam."

"I love you, Claire."

When he kissed her, it was a kiss sealing a promise. Their lips moved in sync as their tongues wrestled for dominion. His hands moved down her lower back and she ran her hands through his wet hair. When he kissed her neck and bit her, she moaned, scratching her fingers across his back.

His hands caressed her bodies, and his lips covered her nipples biting, teasing, sucking, and romancing.

His hot lips covered every inch of her skin igniting a burning desire in her and building up her desire in her core.

He gave his attention to every part of her body except the one place she needed it.

"Let's do it, Liam," she murmured in his ears.

He shook his head. "We'll wait till you're eighteen, princess."

"With everything going on around us, I don't think there's any point in waiting. I want you, Liam," she stressed.

"We still have time here before leaving to close the rift but we're not having sex right now. You're special so I want our first time to be special," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her temples.

She nodded and smiled at him as they finished their showering before she stepped out and dressed up in black leather pants, singlet, and jacket with black boots.

She enjoyed how comfortable the clothes were and watched Liam dress up in snug jeans and a plain T-shirt with combat boots. His wet hair gave him a sexy look.

"You are so handsome," she whispered dreamily.

"You are so beautiful," he said, kissing her softly.

"Hands off!" Adam growled.

Claire rolled her eyes. "Let's talk on boundaries, dad and grandma. You guys can't keep magically entering my room."

"Once we've performed the cloaking spell then there's no need," Morgana replied.

There was a flash and Aiobel appeared, her hands filled with different things.

"What are these?" She asked.

"Woodwart, red sand, salt, and Scot's hair," Aiobel replied.

Claire drew the triangle symbol on the floor of her room and sprinkled the sand and salt on it. Liam stood in the middle of the triangle with Scot's hair in the circle and the woodwart. She held Aiobel's hands and began chanting the words with her.

"Covré revelîe staltè un bris!"

The candles around the circle caught fire and went off immediately.

"It worked!" Morgana exclaimed hugging Claire.

"Aiobel is a good teacher," Claire smiled.

"So, can I see Scot now and see the rest of the faeries?"

Adam nodded reluctantly. "Scot Is awake so you'll need to go back to the entrance with him and Liam."

Without a warning, she felt the cold breeze and when she looked around, she realized she wasn't inside her room again but under the willow tree.

Yes, the tree had told her its name, suck it up!

"A warning next time," she glared at Adam.

"You're alive, Claire."

Claire rolled her eyes as she hugged Scot and smiled. "I'm glad you guys are here."

Morgana whispered a few words and the vast green land disappeared and was replaced with a beautiful Golden Gate.

They walked up to the gate where two soldiers kept watch and they bowed. This time she wasn't clothed in a gown but her normal outfit and her crown. "All hail Princess Claire"

Claire gasped when the gates opened, and she saw the crowd of other faeries. They were a blur of colors with their different hair and eye colors.

They all bowed and knelt as she strutted towards the main entrance with Morgana, Adam, Scot, Aiobel, and Liam.

When she entered the glass double doors and saw the inside of the castle, she gasped. The floor was tiled and the walls. Everything was sparkling and shining.

Everything was beautiful and crackling with energy. There were seven men and women on the left hand of the throne. Though they looked so young, their hair was white, and their eyes looked so old. "They are the ancient ones," Aiobel whispered, "They are older than the Queen herself."

Claire smiled at the little kids running around the castle.

"This is just the palace. The rest of the realm extends further," Aiobel explained.

"Who lives in this castle?" Claire asked.

"After your father left it was just the Queen and her guards," Aiobel replied.

Claire shuddered. She couldn't imagine living alone.

"The seat on the left hand is yours," Aiobel whispered.

Claire took her seat on the beautiful encrusted golden chair just as Morgana and Adam sat down.

The chanting stopped and the faeries sat down.

"After waiting for centuries, a savior has finally arrived. Princess Claire Balthazar is the girl spoken of in the prophecy and she's the one to close the rift!" Morgana announced as the cheering continued. "Say a few words," Adam whispered.

She panicked. Why didn't anyone tell her to prepare a speech?

She stood up and cleared her throat awkwardly.

"I was just a regular girl till I accepted my destiny and I promise to keep all of you safe."

There was silence and then the crowd roared with joy.

Suddenly, something with a scaly body and smelling like death looking very ugly appeared in the castle.

"How did that get in?" The crowd screamed.

"The protective spells are getting weaker, and the veil is getting wider!" Morgana cried.

"What is that thing?" Claire asked shocked.

"Consider this your first lesson," Aiobel replied and pushed her towards the monster.