A Dark Collection: The French Fae Legend

By Emma V Leech

Three short stories from the Les Fées that prequel the Dark Series.
A Dark Design, A Dark Desire, A Dark Tale and including bonus material, Interview With a Dark Prince.

A Dark Design.
An oath of honour is not to be taken lightly.

An oath never to lay hands on your best friend's sister should certainly be upheld, no matter how much you want to break it.

But what if the sister is a beautiful, single minded young woman who is not afraid to use blackmail to get what she wants?

The Prince Laen's sister, Aleish is such a woman and Prince Corin ... The man who is caught between his own honour and her desire.

A Dark Desire.
She saw him once.

Just a glimpse of those golden eyes... and now she will do anything, risk anything,

to see him again.

A Dark Tale.
Beautiful, beguiling and deadly, the Nixe and their river King the Kelpie are best left alone as the Prince Corin knows to his cost. But when his best friend Laen falls prey to their watery embrace he has no choice but to follow.

Come and swim ... the water is fine.

Bonus Material. Interview With a Dark Prince.

So everyone assumed that Laen was The Dark Prince of the title, after all...why wouldn't you? Here you can read a rare interview with Prince Corin Albrecht of Alfheim shortly before he met Claudette and everything changed.
Here he speaks frankly about who is really The Dark Prince, about love, life and a lot of interesting questions posed by you, the Dark Addicts. However our intrepid reporter Evie Leigh appears to have bitten off more than she can chew ...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Emma V Leech
• Release date: Sep 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9798215787786

Book preview

A Dark Collection

By Emma V. Leech

Copyright © 2016 Emma V Leech

Cover Design by Victoria Cooper

Published by Emma V Leech

All rights reserved.

ASIN:  B01CEKI66I

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

This is a work of fiction. Names, character, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living, or dead is coincidental.

Table of Contents

A Dark Design

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

A Dark Desire

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

A Dark Tale

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Bonus Material

Interview With A Dark Prince by Evie Leigh

The Dark Prince

Want more Emma?

About Me!

Other Works by Emma V. Leech

The Key to Erebus

Dying for a Duke

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1

Asharp cry pierced Corin’s tender brain and he winced before glaring up at the large flock of beautiful red birds that flew overhead. Their scarlet feathers flashed in the sunlight, glistening like wounds against the azure blue sky, then just as suddenly they were gone. He sighed and stretched, lying back with his eyes closed and his hands behind his head. I'm bored.

You're always bored, Laen grumbled from his position beside him on the grass.

Corin frowned with indignation. That is simply not true.

Laen snorted and rolled onto his side to face him. No, true enough, you aren't bored when you are leading us into trouble of some sort. He poked Corin’s shoulder accusingly and laughed as Corin gaped at him.

Oh yes, Corin said, narrowing his eyes. Like I'm the only one guilty of that recently.

Laen sat up and shrugged his big shoulders and then stretched, stifling a yawn. Well I didn't hear you complaining about being bored.

No, Corin agreed. I was too busy trying to avoid a diplomatic incident.

Laen lay back down and put his arm over his eyes to shield them from the sun. The man was an arse.

I am in complete agreement, Laen, having said that, I do think he was perhaps within his rights to be a trifle miffed that you had your hand up his wife's skirts.

There was a snort of laughter. "I was invited, and it's not as if your

evening was spent any differently." He peered out from under his arm to see Corin sit up and massage his temples with a pained expression.

It was entirely different, he said.

Laen frowned. How so?

I didn't get caught, Corin said pointedly and got to his feet. He regarded his friend lying on the grass beside the lake where they had come to swim and cool off after sleeping most of the day. It had been a heavy night, and was very similar to most every other night of the past ... He’d forgotten how many months. He really should take a break. He slipped off his clothes and dived into the cool depths, hardly stirring the surface and appearing in the middle of the deep, dark water.

Smug bastard, Laen muttered and followed him into the water.

They swam for a while until Laen made his way to where Corin was sitting on a rock, eyes closed, half in, half out of the water. We're being watched, he hissed.

I know, Corin replied, not opening his eyes. Don't worry about it.

"What do you mean, don't worry about it?"

One eye cracked open and regarded Laen with amusement. It's the girls from the dairy; I don't think we are in any immediate danger. He sat up a little, watching the bushes. Though I admit from what I heard them saying earlier we are lucky there aren't more of them and there is no rope in the vicinity.

Gods! Laen muttered.

Their eyes scanned the lush greenery edging the lake where faint giggles could be heard drifting over the water.

Well, dive in or something then, Corin said, nodding at him. At least make their efforts worthwhile.

Laen flushed and shook his head. Certainly not.

Corin chuckled. Laen’s modesty was an endless source of amusement to him. Oh, don't be such a damned spoil sport, they only want a peek.

No.

Corin slipped back into the water beside him and grinned. We're going to have to get out sooner or later, he pointed out

No. Laen turned away from him and swam around for a bit before coming back to him. Well they can’t stay there all day! Don’t they have work to do?

I don’t expect they will leave until they see what they came for. Corin looked at him and sighed. Oh, fine. I suppose I had better defend your modesty. He climbed out of the lake onto the rocks and stood up as the water slid over his naked body. His hair dripped in rivulets over his broad shoulders, sliding down his sculpted chest and abs as he shone in the sunlight like a Greek god cast in burnished bronze. Laen rolled his eyes as gasps and squealing came from behind the bushes. You are such an exhibitionist, he grumbled.

Corin grinned at him, totally unabashed, and then executed a perfect dive into the water, resurfacing a few moments later beside his friend. Your turn.

No.

Corin huffed in exasperation. Gods, Laen, how can you have spent so much time in my company and still be so shy? It’s not as if there’s any need to be. Go and give them a glimpse of that magnificent body of yours and they'll be dreaming of you for weeks.

I’m not shy and stop that, Laen muttered, looking uncomfortable.

Oh look, now he's blushing, how sweet, Corin mocked. He swam over, hooking an arm around Laen's neck. Poor baby is frightened of the little girls, don't worry I'll protect you.

I am not! Oh gods, fine!

Corin laughed silently, loving how easily he could play Laen. He would really never learn. He watched as Laen climbed the rocks, and applauded him as he stood up. Laen rolled his eyes and then gave him a devilish look. He reached his arms up, stretching and showing off an impressive array of rippling muscles before diving in.

He broke the surface, water sluicing over his massive shoulders, to find Corin roaring with laughter.

What? he demanded, blinking water from his eyes.

I think you may have over egged the pudding, Laen, Corin spluttered.

Huh?

Well, if I’m not very much mistaken ... one of them fainted. He dissolved once again as Laen grinned and looked smug. They listened as rustling could be heard from the bushes.

I think they’ve gone. Corin grinned and swam to the edge of the lake before getting out and flopping down in the sunshine to dry off. Laen swam a while longer before following him out. He shook his head like a dog, splattering Corin with drops of icy water.

Ugh! Stop that! Corin yelped. Dammit, Laen, I’d just dried off, you’re such a child sometimes.

Takes one to know one.

Corin sighed. Are you trying to illustrate my point?  He rolled his eyes as Laen shrugged at him. Grumbling, he rubbed his forehead with his fingertips and then groaned as the frogs began to sing, their chorus ringing through his head as he blinked against the bright sunlight.

Still hung over? Laen asked, grinning unsympathetically.

Yes, Corin muttered. Thank you for asking.

Well you did put it away last night.

As did you.

Laen sighed and stretched luxuriously. I feel wonderful.

As well you might, Corin said, glowering at him. I healed you!

Laen propped himself up on one elbow, grinning unrepentantly. I know. Such a pity it doesn’t work on you.

Isn’t it though, he huffed. Reaching out with his magic, Corin touched a tree growing some distance away and a branch snaked out towards them, heavy with plump, black apples. He reached up and broke one off, tossing it to Laen before taking another for himself and restoring the tree to normal. Biting into the crisp flesh, he savoured the honeyed taste on his tongue, licking his fingers as the red juice dripped over them.

Laen stretched out beside him, crunching contentedly and enjoying the sunshine. So what are we doing tonight? he asked between mouthfuls.

Corin hesitated, glancing at Laen with unease. I’m not doing anything except sleeping.

Laen rolled on his side and narrowed his eyes. She’ll be furious if you don’t go.

I’m not stopping you from going.

Laen gave a short bark of laughter. She doesn’t give a damn if I go or not, I’m only her brother! Corin could feel Laen’s eyes on him and knew that wasn’t the end of it. He was unsurprised when Laen spoke again. You know she’ll be angry with you.

Oh, Aleish is always angry with me, Corin muttered. It really makes no odds.

She says she’s given up on you so you don’t need to worry. She’s not expecting a proposal or anything, Laen said as Corin avoided his eyes. No Aleish wasn’t expecting to marry him anymore. Her new proposal had been far more alarming and if Laen discovered it he would be incandescent. I think I finally got it through her thick head that you would make an appalling husband, Laen added with a grin.

Corin pursed his lips. Why, thank you, Laen, he said, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

Well you would, so there is no point denying it. Gods, you as my brother in law! It doesn’t bear thinking about.

Well, Corin snapped with some asperity. Maybe you would like to consider Alfgriel Bretailk who is her next target. Do you know what Alfgriel means? he demanded. Elf spear! Well he may well look like one, but I’ve never seen a man less likely to wield one! Corin shook his head and tossed his apple core into the bushes with a swift, angry movement. A strong breeze would probably snap him in two, he muttered.

Laen grimaced. I admit, next to Alf you look like a most agreeable prospect.

Do shut up before I am forced to hit you, Corin said mildly.

Corin? Laen said looking pensive. You and Aleish, you never did ...

No! Corin said hurriedly. Of course not, I swore I wouldn’t and I never have. Though if Aleish had her way he would not be able to say that for much longer. She was a practical woman and wanted to get out of her brother’s draughty castle and have a home of her own, and the only way was to get suitably married. She had once hoped that Corin would step up and, indeed, they had even spoken of it. Corin would have to marry, sooner or later, and Aleish knew him for what he was. It seemed a sensible solution to him. Aleish knew he would be kind and generous, but she also knew he would never be faithful and she couldn’t accept that.

The man who she had now set her sights on was gentle, dependable and interminably dull. She had decided the likelihood was he would be just as dull in the bedroom and had determined that Corin should educate her so that she could remedy this over time. Aleish was a very single-minded and beautiful young lady and very hard to refuse and yet he had given Laen his word of honour that he would never touch her.

He was caught on the horns of a dilemma and either way he was in deep trouble.

Laen slapped his shoulder. No, of course not. Forgive me, I should never have asked. I know I can trust you.

Corin smiled half-heartedly.

"Seriously though, you are going to come? If people know you are attending tonight the