"Jareth, why won't you marry me?" Breiah whimpered between gasps.

"Shut up, or I'll send you back," Jareth growled from between her breasts. He nipped at her flesh, making her throw her head back, her dark hair spilling across the pillow. Her hands moved to tangle in his wild hair.

Jareth spent a few more happy moments there before Breiah just couldn't seem to help herself. With a frustrated huff, she said, "But don't you want to be married? I would give you an heir and be your queen." Precisely, Jareth thought bitterly. Jareth's mouth stilled against her skin and he rolled off of her with a groan. The last thing he wanted was a queen, and especially not some silly, mewling cow like Breiah. As far as Jareth was concerned, the only thing Breiah was suited for was currently throbbing between his legs.

He lay on his back and looked up at the canopy of his bed. He saw Breiah sit up out of the corner of his eye and said, "We've talked about this, Bre. I won't take a queen."

"But, Jareth—" Before she could continue, Jareth sat up with a heavy sigh and faced her, his expression stern.

"Breiah, I fear I'm not getting through to you, so let me be direct. I don't want you to be my queen. Now, you can either put that pretty mouth of yours to better use, or I can send you back to the Fae Kingdom."

Breiah gasped in indignation before gathering her pride and jumping out of the bed, folding her arms to shield her breasts. Jareth watched her with a bored expression as she paused at the door. He waited for her to turn back to him before saying, "Need assistance?" Without waiting for a reply, he rolled his wrist and flicked the crystal in her direction. He fell back onto the bed as she disappeared from the room. This sort of episode was happening more and more often. It was getting to the point where Jareth couldn't even look at a woman without her planning their wedding. The 200th anniversary of his rule and come and gone one year ago and it was nothing short of scandalous. The Fae Kingdom was buzzing with gossip of the bachelor Goblin King and whom he would choose as his bride. Because of course he would have to choose a queen soon; he needed an heir. It was no secret that the High King had given his son an ultimatum: marry soon or forfeit the crown. For a king to disown his heir was unheard of in the history of the Fae Kingdom and shocked whispers ran constantly through the court. No fae had ever borne more than one child, so an heir was a precious thing. Tiernus's hatred for humans, an inferior race by his thinking, had driven him to ban intermarriage between the races. The fae are a notoriously infertile race and since Tiernus took the throne, the blood has become more and more polluted through inbreeding so that the fae can no longer conceive without magical intervention.

For centuries, the Goblin Kingdom had stood as a gateway between the worlds, ushering the chosen human brides and grooms into the Underground. The Running of the Labyrinth was a celebrated ritual to choose the strongest and most worthy humans to become part of the Fae world by marrying the Goblin monarch. And once the Goblin King and Queen were ready, they would ascend to the Fae throne. However, since Tiernus's hatred had turned intermarrying into a disgusting taboo, the Goblin Kingdom was more of a relic, a testament to Tiernus's regime. The Labyrinth's walls were now worn and no humans ever ran through the maze again. Not until Sarah Williams, anyway. Jareth grimaced and quickly turned his thoughts elsewhere, something he'd done for two years, ever since the girl rejected him. He'd never allowed himself more than a fleeting thought of Sarah since that day.

Suddenly, Jareth felt surrounded by ghosts and got out of bed to stand on his balcony. He leaned against the railing and stared out over the Labyrinth. He knew he should choose a bride from among the fae. One who was only distantly related to him and had dark hair. His hands gripped the metal railing so hard that his knuckles turned white. He didn't want to marry a fae. For two years, he hadn't been able to find a woman he could stand to spend more than a night with. All of them were looking to snare the bachelor king by any means necessary and while Jareth had certainly let them try, none had come close. They were all the same in the morning.

""""

Breiah shivered as her feet touched the cold white marble of the Fae Castle. She kept her arms tight around her body to keep a chill away; she left her gown in her haste to escape Jareth. Her pride was damaged severely from her encounter with the Goblin King, but her determination was as strong as ever. She straightened her back and, without a stich of clothing on her, strode directly for the High King's quarters. Luckily, she encountered no one at such a late hour. It would mean trouble for her if word of her presence in the king's chamber got back to the queen. Without bothering to knock, Breiah eased the ornate wooden door open and slipped silently inside.

Tiernus had wards placed on his chambers that would awaken him every time someone entered his room, so he knew the instant the handle on his door turned. He suspiciously peered through the darkness and gathered his magic to attack, but relaxed once he saw the tiny form of a woman slip into his room. The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile. With a snap of his fingers, the candles in his room lit and he rose to sit on the edge of his bed. Breiah jumped at the sudden light, but recovered quickly and marched across the room to stand in front of the High King. She bowed low and said, "Your Majesty, you told me to come to you the moment I arrived."

"You didn't even stop to dress. I appreciate the loyalty to my command, but I'd like to know why you are not still in Jareth's bed." Tiernus reached for her, grabbing her by the hips and pulling her close. Breiah let her hands caress his naked shoulders. His eyes were the same shade of bright blue as Jareth's, but that's where the similarities ended. His hair was shoulder-length and a dark gold that matched the one gold earring in his right earlobe. Where Jareth was lean, Tiernus was bulky. His physique was rare for a fae, but rather than make him unattractive, it made him unique. Even married to an imposing woman like the queen, he was never without admiring women. "Tell me, did he change his mind?"

Breiah's jaw clenched and she looked away from her king's gaze. "He refused me. He said he didn't want me to be his queen—" Tiernus roughly shoved Breiah away from him.

"Then you're no longer of any use to me, are you?" He spat coldly.

Indignant, Breiah said, "He said he won't take a queen! I did all I could, but he threw me out before I could convince him." Breiah scurried back to the bed and put her hand on Tiernus's thigh. "Please, my love, it wasn't my fault."

As her hand started to stroke up and down his leg, Tiernus sighed. "I do know how stubborn my son can be…. I suppose we'll just have to try harder," he said, pulling Breiah into the bed and waving his hand to extinguish the candles.

""""

Sarah stared intently at her reflection as she tried to clasp the necklace together at the front of her throat. It was shaped like a snowflake with diamonds lining the edges and an emerald set in the middle, a gift for her eighteenth birthday from her mother. She'd sent it through the mail as she and Jeremy were currently vacationing in France. Sarah finally got the necklace to close and rotated it so that it sat just above the neckline of her dress. She smiled at her reflection in triumph for a moment before the smile slipped away. Glancing behind her to make sure the door to her bedroom was closed, Sarah leaned toward the vanity mirror and whispered, "Hoggle?" She waited for a few seconds, her eyes searching all corners of the mirror for hints of the dwarf's presence, but none appeared. She sighed and leaned back against her chair. Almost every day for the past two years, Sarah had called her friends' names into the mirror, hoping that somehow Jareth would take mercy on her and let them visit. For two years the mirror remained unresponsive. A few times, she'd even gathered her nerve and called Jareth's name, thinking maybe she could talk him into forgiving her friends. If they're still alive, she thought. She shook her head against the thought. Jareth may have a bad temper, but he wasn't evil.

Sarah's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. A smile broke out across her face before she was even aware of it, and she ran to her door, turning back once to recheck her makeup before bounding down the stairs. Her father was already opening the door by the time that Sarah got to the bottom of the stairs, the smile still plastered on her face. She stood next to Robert as the door swung open to reveal Sarah's boyfriend, Kyle. His brown hair was a mess like it always was, but his clothes were neat and pressed, likely his mother's doing. Kyle's family had moved into a house down the street about a year ago, and ever since Sarah's family brought cookies over to welcome them to the neighborhood, Kyle and Sarah had been inseparable. To Sarah, Kyle was nothing short of a miracle. She'd never felt like she quite fit in anywhere, not even in her own family, and it had only gotten worse after her adventure Underground. She now knew that magic and goblins were real and more than ever she felt like an alien among normal, ignorant humans. It was jarring for her to have such a grand, magical adventure and then return to a world completely cut off from anything fantastic. Other than becoming fiercely protective of Toby, Sarah had started to feel sort of detached, like she'd already experienced the most exciting part of her life. Until Kyle, that is.

Kyle's hazel eyes lit up at the sight of Sarah. She looked beautiful in her pale green dress, a sleeveless V-neck that flowed from her hips to stop just above her knees. Perfect for the dinner date tonight. Before her father could even offer a word of greeting, Sarah stood on her tiptoes and kissed her father on the cheek, giving him a swift, "Bye, Dad," before heading out the door, grabbing Kyle's hand and hurrying down the walkway to his sleek, black car. Kyle threw a wave at Sarah's father and then chuckled at her.

"You know, your dad already knows me. I don't know what you're trying to accomplish," he smirked as he opened the door for her.

She waited until he'd gotten in the other side and started the car before saying, "Yeah, but I just didn't feel like getting the safety talk tonight. I thought I'd save you the lecture on driving safe and keeping your hands to yourself and not letting me out of your sight…"

"I do have it pretty much memorized," he laughed.

Kyle took her to a new local Italian restaurant and they had as much fun as always. Kyle made Sarah laugh so hard at one of their teachers that she nearly choked on her pasta. She watched him laugh at her and idly wondered when she fell in love with him. He was the only thing that made her feel anything at all lately, besides Toby.

After dinner, Kyle suggested they take a walk in the park by her house. Sarah hesitated at the thought of what her father would say about her walking around in the park at night, but she was an adult now and Kyle was with her. She said yes with a smile. Though it was summer, the night air was chilly and Kyle wrapped an arm around Sarah's shoulders as they walked through the trees. With a sigh, Sarah leaned into him and put her arm around his waist. After a while, Kyle steered her toward a bench and they sat looking up at the stars.

"I kinda like you, you know," Sarah said.

Kyle chuckled before cupping her face in his hand. "I kinda like you, too." He kissed her gently and Sarah felt herself melt under his lips. She felt so comfortable with Kyle, like she could be completely herself. But she still never told him about her time Underground. She just couldn't take it if he looked at her like she was crazy and then told her he never wanted to see her again, which she was certain would happen should she tell him. The kiss deepened and Sarah pushed down her anxiety to focus on the way his kiss made her feel.

""""

Jareth had just turned back into his room when a knock sounded on his door, too soft to be a goblin. He rolled his eyes and strode back to the door. He wasn't sure how Breiah had gotten back into the Goblin Kingdom, but he saw he would have to be less gentle with her this time. When he flung open the door, he was surprised to see, not Breiah, but his mother standing in front of him. While his mouth hung open, Niamh walked into his room like it wasn't odd for her to barge into the Goblin King's quarters, even if he was her son. After she passed him, Jareth stuck his head out of the door to shout down the hall, "Why do I even have guards, you idiots?!" A few goblins in earshot gasped and one whined, "Oh no." Jareth would deal with them in the morning.

"Oh calm down, Jareth, I just wanted to stop in and say hello. Put a robe on and meet me outside," Niamh said cheerfully before walking out on the balcony.

Jareth glanced down and noticed that he was still nude. He sighed and grabbed the pair of pants Breiah had peeled off him earlier. Once he pulled them on, he joined his mother. "You wanted to say hello now? Is it customary for a High Queen to never sleep?"

She gave him a wry smile. "If she wants to stay alive." Jareth just continued to look at her. She said, "No, I wanted to let you know that the chit you just sent back to my castle is in your father's bed as we speak."

Jareth shrugged. "I already knew that."

Niamh blinked but otherwise hid her surprise. "And you still took her here?"

"Of course. A man needs company every now and again."

"But you knew that she was Tiernus's puppet?"

Jareth laughed and said, "They all are."

Jareth could see that he'd shocked his mother and relished the thought of catching her off-guard. Niamh recovered quickly and said, "Then you're a fool. Once Tiernus tires of this he'll send one to your bed with a knife."

Jareth snorted. "If a mere knife could finish me, I don't deserve the throne. You've journeyed here for nothing, Majesty, if you thought to warn me about my conquests."

"Then one of them will trick you into a pregnancy."

"Even if one of them did take the elixir, it would be useless unless I took it, also. I never eat or drink in their presence." Jareth rolled his eyes again at his mother and said, "If that's all, you can go…"

"Actually there is something more," Niamh said, her voice once again cheerful. Jareth raised an eyebrow at her sudden mood change. "Have you bothered to check in on your human lately?"

Jareth's entire body went still with shock and fury started to build in him. He glared at his mother before forcing himself to calm down. "I told you the girl is nothing to me," he said levelly.

"Well then you won't mind that I kept a distant watch on her, correct?" Niamh studied her son with a small, triumphant smile playing across her lips. She could see the anger roiling inside him, but he kept a tight grip on himself.

Jareth didn't trust himself to speak, so he waited for his mother to continue. She took pity on him and said, "I found her interesting. Since you no longer care for her, I assumed you wouldn't mind my observing the girl who stole my son's heart." Niamh held her hand up to take back her intentional slip. "Forgive me, who once stole your heart."

Jareth closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He wasn't fooling his mother anyway, so to hell with keeping control. "You will stay away from her," he growled. "I've told you that she refused me and I don't want her any longer. You're meddling for nothing!"

Niamh raised the corner of her mouth in a knowing smile. "I merely assumed you would be interested in knowing how she's grown up. Quite the little beauty, you know."

"Wonderful," he spat. "Now leave before I do something unfavorable." He turned his back on her and marched toward his bathroom door.

"Quite the beauty," she said again, following. "The other humans have certainly taken notice, even if you haven't. Her mate thinks her breathtaking."

Jareth stopped dead in his tracks and froze, his back still to Niamh. "Get out," he said, his voice dangerously low. Niamh smirked at his back before she pulled her magic around her and travelled back to the Fae Kingdom.

Jareth paced back and forth in front of the fireplace in his room, trying desperately to control himself. For years he hadn't had more than a fleeting thought of Sarah, but his mother's words seemed to open the floodgates he'd worked so hard to keep shut. He knew that his mother was trying to goad him into taking Sarah back and he knew she was manipulating him. Still, the thing that made his mother's manipulations so damn irresistible was that they were true. Sarah was beautiful two years ago, he had no doubt maturing into womanhood had made her even more so. There was also no doubt that the men in her world would find her attractive, a fact that Jareth had worked hard to keep out of his mind. For two years he'd yet to find any real satisfaction in the women Underground, and now he was finally acknowledging why. He wanted Sarah. After all this time, it still killed him that she refused him. He only bedded dark-haired fae because it was easier to pretend it was Sarah beneath him, sighing his name. He stared out at the Labyrinth when he felt weary or lonely because he associated it with her. He finally admitted it to himself- he missed her. "It changes nothing," he growled. He swore that he would never contact her again, declared he cared nothing for her; he even went so far as to magically seal her home from his magic. He grimaced when he thought of how stupid it had been to assume his mother wouldn't try to interfere again. If she had watched Sarah these years, there's no telling what else she'd done. He knew his mother could be ruthless when cornered.

His heart latched onto this excuse. He needed to check on her, just to make sure that he hadn't broken his promise. He had to make sure she and her brother were safe and cut off from his world. Before he could remind himself of the pain and rage that made him leave her in the first place, Jareth conjured a crystal and focused on Sarah's home Aboveground. It took a few more seconds to work through the wards he'd placed to keep his magic from wandering near her, but he finally broke through. However, he didn't find her in her house. The scene that unfolded in the sphere took place in a park at night. Sarah was seated on a bench, moonlight washing over her and the man she was wrapped around. Sarah's hand was tangled in the man's brown hair and her other arm was wrapped around his neck. The man's hands were everywhere, roaming over her body as if he owned it as their lips worked energetically together. Jealousy burned through Jareth, hot and strong. His hand tightened on the sphere to the point that little cracks began to appear on its surface. He'd stopped breathing and the edges of his vision blurred with rage. Jareth's grip finally crushed the crystal, relieving him of the image of Sarah kissing another man. The breath he'd been holding rushed out of him with a growl and Jareth immediately shifted into owl form and prepared to cross worlds, the only thought in his mind being to reclaim Sarah.

Suddenly a thought stopped him cold, causing him to shift forms again. Sarah was never his to begin with. She refused. He knew when he left her Above that she would move past her time here, that she would live a human life there. He realized with a start that he expected her to pine for him. Maybe he cut himself off from her so that he could entertain the fantasy that she grew to regret her rejection and began to recognize her feelings for him. The thing that enraged him more than anything was knowing that she never wanted him. She wanted another. With a bitter scowl, Jareth thought, he can have her.

Guys, I love seeing the favs and follows, but the reviews are what I'm after. It's a bit discouraging to only get four or five reviews per chapter. I'll never withhold chapters until I get more reviews, but still… I like them.