Can't Stop-Wanting (Book 2)

By Claudy Conn

Can’t Stop – Wanting
(book 2)

SMOKE & GRAIL HAVE A PROBLEM!
Yes, they defeated Vidal and his vampire horde, but the Hallow is still out there waiting to be returned to the Fae Realm.
Smoke’s father is being held a prisoner in the Deatach Realm and as they work to rescue him, she learns who and what she really is, as though being a vampire and a witch wasn’t enough!
In book two we will uncover many secrets as Smoke and her team work to unravel the evil that has taken over Deatach and could spread.
Come on in and find adventure, romance and a heroine who just won't give up.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Claudy Conn
• Release date: Mar 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463980279

Claudy Conn

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Claudy Conn is a multi published author who got her start with her bestselling historical/regency romances.She tells us that she fell in love with the fantasy/paranormal genre and created a world of paranormal.She hopes you will read and enjoy and join her on her facebook where she loves to interact with her readers.page.http://www.facebook.com/pages/Claudy-Conn-Paranormal-Romance-Author/135826686471445

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CONTENTS

Copyright

Prelude

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Sneak Peek

About Claudy

Copyright Page

Can’t Stop—Wanting

By Claudy Conn

http://www.claudyconn.com

Copyright © 2020 by Claudy Conn at Smashwords

Edited by: Alicia Carmical

Cover Artist: Dawn Sullivan

All rights reserved

Published in the United States of America

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Names, characters, and events depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

When we left Smoke and Grail, Smoke had come to many truths…

~ Prelude ~

LIFE TEACHES US EVERY SINGLE day that there is no happily ever after, but, oh, you can come close.

That was how I felt whenever I was with Grail, in and out of his arms. A week has passed since our war with Vidal in Ireland.

Never got to see a thing but a dungeon, but Grail has promised to take me back as soon as we get our hands on the Fae Hallow.

My vision told me it was in the river in the French Quarter, but although we have searched, and Shags has even used scuba gear, we haven’t yet found it. I haven’t yet heard its song.

Grail has been busy trying to get information on Vidal. We need to know if he is alive, and thus far, no luck. No one we know has any information one way or another.

Grail thinks he is alive and recovering somewhere.

I love Grail, more than life, but I haven’t told him. I think he might love me. He hasn’t told me. It is probably too soon for either of us to use the word—it means so much.

I needed a day to myself, so I went home to my lovely little house. I dusted and tidied up, then curled up to read a book. Life had become intense and the quiet was good for me.

His scent, then the black cloud, and then him, gorgeous and larger than life stepping toward me.

Without a word, he took me up from my sofa and crushed me in his arms. His kiss, as always, curled my toes. I wouldn’t admit that to him, but, damn, it is the truth.

When his lips moved away from mine, it was to murmur, I can’t seem to be without you, Smoke, for more than a few hours. I missed you.

Did you? I asked, hoping to hear more of what he might feel about me.

You know, don’t you, but you want to hear it? he said.

Do I?

Smoke, you aren’t just joined with me. I don’t know where I end and you begin. I find myself thinking when I see chocolate, ‘ah, my baby would like that’, and I buy it. When I say something to a supernatural that you might think unkind, it makes my conscience cringe. When…you aren’t near, I ache. I love you more than I do myself.

I threw my arms around his neck and said, Forever is a long, long time. Have you thought this out?

Thank the fates that I have forever with you, he whispered, and kissed me hard.

All at once, my living room, which is not large, filled with a gold and silver dust, and out of that dust walked one of the most incredibly beautiful females I have ever seen.

Her skin glistened. Her long platinum hair hung to her knees and over a gown that clung to her figure and was nearly transparent.

Grail took my hand and pushed me to incline my head as he did his. I bent low, so very low, because I knew who had just appeared.

He said, Queen Aaibhe…we are honored.

Her smile was soft and her voice musical. "I am here against my better judgment, but my trusted Prince Breslyn tells me there is a danger to humans and supernaturals that must be addressed. It is my understanding that you, Prince of Cumhacht, son of King Haevin, are attempting to retrieve our treasured Cumhachdach Hallow and return it to me."

Yes, Queen Aaibhe, that is the truth, Grail said.

I think my mouth was open. I couldn’t stop staring. The queen eyed me up and down and said, You have a familiar look… She waved this off and twirled her fingers in the air, and a huge crystal ball appeared at her feet.

She twirled her fingers again, and it floated between us.

Open your hands, Dark Lord.

My Holy Grail did just that and the crystal ball was transferred to both of his open hands.

She inclined her head and said, You and this little one may use my personal orb to locate the approximate location of the Hallow. We, as Seelie Fae, are unable to see and locate our own Hallows. My orb cannot show it to me, but my orb will show it to you. She turned to me. You, my Princess, because you have the blood of an earthly witch…a seer, you will hear its song when you are close to it. The orb can only direct you to its approximate location, and then you will need to listen for its call.

I still found I was tongue-tied and couldn’t say a word.

Both of you…and those you hold dear, will be in grave danger. My visions have shown me that danger is hovering all around you and yours. If you accept to aid us, you must protect yourselves as best you can.

Finally, I found my voice. Why is this Hallow so important?

"The Cumhachdach Hallow was created by the Dark King. It, like all our Hallows, has a life of its own, and because of that, our Hallows evolve over time. This one must have developed into something new over the years. Because the Dark King meant it to be many things—a gift for his special beloved, he created it with many abilities. I don’t know everything about this Hallow, but I can tell you that when it was made, it was to protect the Dark King’s mate, and so it was named. It should never fall into the wrong hands. It could do just that because the ancient vampire, Vidal, still lives and will come for it. She put up a finger as though to stall either one of us from speaking and added, Be resilient."

With that, she was gone.

The Queen of the Seelie Fae! I spluttered. "The Queen of the Seelie Fae!"

Grail laughed. Yes. He, too, seemed taken aback and startled by her visit.

Why doesn’t she just zap Vidal dead?

They have a law of non-interference with humans. It is part of the treaty drawn up thousands of years ago between Fae and Man. Her coming here…giving us this orb, is very…extraordinary. She must be concerned.

Right, and now we know for sure Vidal is alive.

Yes, he said thoughtfully.

So, let’s set the orb down and see what it can do, I said excitedly.

Grail laid it on the coffee table and said, "We are looking for the location of the Cumhachdach Hallow. Show us the location."

"Ah, Prince of Cumhacht, son of King Haevin, you are recognized and I shall comply," the orb spoke in a melodious voice, soft but clear.

We both stared into the orb as the mist inside of it dissipated.

I saw dark, still water part and a light from the orb shining directly on the Hallow. I couldn’t make out the shape, and yet I knew and sensed tremendous power emanating directly from the Hallow. Somehow, it knew we were searching, and it was attempting to call to us.

Where was it? I looked at Grail and whispered, It is in a river, and relatively close.

In New Orleans, he said more than asked.

Humming filled the room, sweet and doleful humming.

Do you hear that? It is humming a tune…trying to direct us, and, Grail, it is beautiful, yes…but so sad, I exclaimed.

I don’t hear anything, baby, but I recognize the dock the orb is showing us. It is a familiar pier. Damn, but it has been here all these years.

No, Prince Cumhacht, the Hallow hasn’t always been in its present location, Queen Aaibhe’s orb said. The Dark King has moved it many times, but it has been there for over a century.

Grail took less than a moment to pull out his cellphone. Shags answered immediately and Grail told him, Yes, yes, we’ll meet you at the dock…you know the one. I know…yes, yes, bring Sharon as well. Apparently Vidal is still alive and searching for the Hallow. We’ll need to be careful.

We can’t recover it if Vidal is spying on us, and if he is alive, that is what he is doing…watching us for sure, I said. That was when it hit me. I doubled over as the vision filled my head. I saw Vidal struggling with Grail…and then something huge with claws ripped out at me and the vision vanished.

I gasped and held onto Grail’s substantial bicep as he put his arm around my waist and pulled me close. What, baby, a vision?

Yes. Vidal has help, monstrous help, I said.

Doesn’t he always? Grail’s eyebrows arched. He has nothing on us.

I released a nervous laugh because every instinct told me we were about to face a serious threat. Still and all… I started.

I mean to shield us with a spell I perfected a long time ago. He shouldn’t be able to see through it as we transport to the pier, Grail said, and dropped a kiss on my lips. "Smoke, baby, don’t go hot-dogging this time. Stay close to me. I won’t have you in any more danger than you already are. Understood?"

I smiled. So protective, my Dark Lord.

"You have wrapped yourself around me, baby, and now…I’m not letting go."

He spun his black traveling cloud around us and we traveled in his magic, holding on to one another. When I am close like that to my Holy Grail, I always feel safe and so very secure.

Grail stepped out of the cloud with me still tightly up against him. He pulled out his cellphone immediately and called Shags.

While we waited for Shags and Sharon to arrive, he kissed me, long and sweet.

Smoke, do you know how deeply I am in love with you—how strong our bond is? he whispered in my ear.

Yes. I gasped as his hands traveled to my ass and pulled me sharply into his hard-on. Right this moment, it isn’t easy to miss.

"I’m serious, baby. All I want to do from the moment I open my eyes in the morning is make love to you, be with you…see the world through your eyes—please you. You have changed me in ways that make me need you more every minute of every hour."

Right now, what I want is the freedom of being apart from all of this. What I want right now is to sit you down…on that bench there, take out your cock and ride it hard, and…

Careful, Smokey-girl, he cut me off, or that is just what we will be doing, he breathed into my ear.

"Grail, I don’t know why we have become these supposed super-heroes who have to save the world. It isn’t what I want. I want…you, and