Touched by a Sprite

by E. A. Reynolds

  “I knew it,” Baylee muttered. “They’ve got her hidden.” He crept into the trees not far from the cabin.

  “Kirkyn,” Baylee heard Astarte say. “I’m sorry. I know you’re trying to work, but you need to get down here. You should bring your kit and Payten.”

  Baylee’s heart stopped. Fear sliced through him, making his hands shake. He picked up his pace and burst into the clearing close to the pond and found Astarte standing there several steps away from two lifeless bodies. One was face down, and the other stared up into the trees through unseeing eyes.

  Baylee gasped and looked away briefly. “Evergreen.”

  “Stay back there, Trinity,” she said. “It’s more Darth poison.”

  Baylee wrapped his arms around himself as he stared at the sight. The stink of blood tainted the sweet smell of fall flowers and fresh green of the trees that still had yet to change for the season.

  “One of those your guy?” Trinity asked.

  “Snevil,” Astarte said. “He was on the sprite. We were relying on the sprites doing some of the work, but obviously that wasn’t the case.”

  “That guy down there next to him could have been working with him,” Trinity commented.

  “Why didn’t they report seeing anything?” Astarte demanded. “We can’t have them inside the lines. Ghosts are dangerous.”

  “Ghosts?” Baylee demanded. “Are you losing your mind?”

  She gave him a derisive snort. “You run from a killer demon after singing to him, you tell me who’s losing their mind,” she retorted. “That was like setting a building to blow and then being surprised it did.”

  “You bound him to you?” Trinity asked carefully.

  “I—didn’t,” Baylee snapped. “I had no idea he was a demon—at first.”

  She shook her head. “You should have let him go after you dumped him. He was going to move on.”

  “Oh, fuck,” Trinity said in a whispery tone of awe. “I hope you’ve got the motherload of all tranqs.”

  “I have what I need, but I’m tempted to just let him kill you and get it over with,” Astarte muttered. “You’d get exactly what you deserved.” She walked away from them.

  Baylee looked up into the trees, shame making his cheeks red. He hadn’t been able to not go back after that day. He’d been incensed when he’d seen that bimbo flirting with Kirkyn. And he’d known Kirkyn was going to leave with him.

  “I freaked out,” he said quietly. “I saw Kirkyn the night after we broke up. He was in a dive club we met in playing pool with some bimbo siren all over him. I just freaked.” Baylee rubbed his arms against an imaginary chill.

  “How many times did you sing to him?” Trinity asked.

  Baylee looked at him finding a mix of sympathy and humor on the man’s face.

  “Twice,” he said softly.

  “Did you know he wasn’t human the second time?”

  Baylee nodded. “I did. He was like a drug, an addiction I couldn’t shake.”

  “They can be like that,” Trinity said. “The shadows tended to be good men, kind. They’re up for whatever makes a lover hot.”

  “Why didn’t he tell me?” he asked. “He should have told me.”

  “Did you tell him you weren’t all human?” Trinity asked.

  “No. I mean, I was still learning and understanding what it meant to be a sprite.” He’d still been getting comfortable with what he was.

  “Once you realized he wasn’t human did you bring it up?”

  “I didn’t know how,” he admitted. “Sometimes I just didn’t care, but I saw him in his demonic form one night. There was an intruder at my apartment.”

  “A human?”

  He shook his head. “It wasn’t a demon, but he wasn’t human,” Baylee said. “He and Kirkyn fought. I saw him throw electricity, and I knew I had to get away from him.”

  “You didn’t ask him about it?”

  “I didn’t have to. He saw me watching, and I broke up with him after. I was too scared to do anything else. Things just went downhill from there.”

  “It’s a mental defect,” Trinity told him. “He’s going crazy without you.”

  Baylee gave him an exasperated look. “Right.”

  “It’s a mental break. The gray spade demons are all prone to it. Even half-human ones like me. The only difference is I can be reasoned with, but Kirkyn can’t. He’s all demon and emotion isn’t natural to pure demons.”

  “Wonderful,” Baylee grumbled staring in the direction Astarte had gone.

  Through the foliage, he could hear the murmur of conversation.

  “Kirkyn, I’m not going to tolerate your attitude. You better give me a damn good reason not to have you sanctioned and fired.”

  “You can kiss my ass, Payten,” Kirkyn replied. “You’re right about one thing. I don’t like women a hundred years my junior with less experience in her field than I have in my little finger trying to boss me around.”

  “Be that as it may, I am in charge here.”

  “You’re in charge of yourself, little alpha wannabe,” he retorted. “You have no idea how to deal with Bancoo, let alone Lenno and Creta. The latter two are ten times worse than Bancoo.”

  Baylee turned to watch the two trailed by his grandmother as they came into view. Kirkyn stepped out first and then the woman, who stumbled, and he reached out to steady her. She jerked her arm away, and he had to catch her when she fell.

  Kirkyn set her on her feet. “Get some sensible shoes,” he muttered. “Astarte.”

  “Over here.”

  Baylee watched him, tracking his every move as he went to Astarte, who gave him a sympathetic look as she leaned in close to speak to him. Kirkyn gave her a rueful grin before taking off his pack.

  “I don’t know if you sprites are affected by Darth poisons,” Kirkyn said. “We have colina and rosette. Rosette’s already started taking hold, but it’s not maintaining its color or scent. I’ll have to test it to see—” He turned to Astarte and murmured something.

  She nodded. “Where’s the liaison?” Astarte asked.

  “Talk to me,” Payten snapped.

  “Do you know the flowers in this area?” Astarte asked, striding over to her.

  Baylee walked past them. He’d learned a great deal in the time he’d lived here thanks to his grandmother and cousin.

  “These aren’t one of the natives,” he said. “The black under petals and the shape are different.”

  “I know that,” Kirkyn said blandly. “It’s not holding its integrity. It’s normally blood-red and changes to black as it discharges poison. The rosette is only dangerous when it’s black.”

  “What about that one?” Baylee pointed.

  “Don’t touch it,” Kirkyn replied. “Unless you’re immune.”

  “It reminds me of sea kelp. It has a similar smell.” Baylee picked the flower and a thorn pricked his finger. “Ouch.” Blood ran from his finger onto the stem, and the flower began to die.

  “Hmm,” Kirkyn said, and Baylee looked at him.

  He looked curious, his gaze on the ground. Baylee looked down to find the vine with its small flower dying.

  “What happened?”

  “I’m not sure, but I have a few ideas I’d like to try,” he murmured. “Meet me in my room later. For now, get back. Let me and Astarte do our jobs.”

  His brisk tone annoyed Baylee, but he didn’t know why. He wanted Kirkyn to ignore him, to leave him alone, but that he was doing just that offended Baylee enough that his stomach actually hurt.

  “Hey,” Trinity said. “Ennis is coming out, and he’s bringing my mate. Ennis thinks he can be of some help here, since you’re immune to the poison.”

  “Great, we’re going to have to scour this area. They have to still be here,” Kirkyn said.

  “Is there a chance we will find Alisa alive?” Trinity asked.

  “How would I know?” Kirkyn demanded. “I didn’t have them taken. I said I’d kill her, not hide her.”

&
nbsp; Baylee walked away, and Astarte and Payten joined them.

  “What is going on with you and the demon?” Clarity demanded, taking his arm. “Don’t lie to me, son. Tell me everything from the beginning.” She led him back to the hotel.

  Chapter Ten

  Bancoo grimaced on hearing Parker’s report. “Did you get the plants in place?”

  “We did, but we had to get out when the shields dropped,” Parker replied. “By the time they find the rosettes, they’ll have seeded the grounds, as well as started to infect the waters.”

  “Good thinking. What are the chances of the sprite coming out to you?”

  “None, but I left the crystals inside. You can activate them whenever you’re ready.”

  “I want you to rent a house nearby,” Bancoo told him. “I’ll join you as soon as I’m finished cleaning up a few things.”

  “Won’t Creta be taking over here?” Parker asked.

  “Yes,” he snapped. “But I’ll be staying there for the time being, as well.”

  “Of course,” Parker agreed.

  “Don’t antagonize them. Just keep an eye on them,” Bancoo replied. “I need to know what those demons have up their sleeves. Kirkyn isn’t going to be doing nothing for the next two days. It’s not his style, and if we don’t handle this right, we’ll lose this land, too.”

  “The sprites hate him, so he won’t be doing anything.”

  “Don’t be too sure, and don’t get cocky,” Bancoo told him. “We’ll speak again soon.” He ended the call, marveling again at the human invention of telephones. He set his down on the desk and met the gaze of Lenno. “I’m not sure this was a good idea, Lenno.”

  “I know you preferred Oregon, but it wasn’t hospitable enough.”

  “Arizona or California would suffice then. Our lives could be better there with fewer dominant demons.”

  “I’ve sent a scout ahead, but you’re wrong about California. It’s full of soul-eating demons from Hel.”

  Bancoo sighed. “I hate this place, and I can’t help but wonder if we wouldn’t have Kirkyn on our ass if you hadn’t tried to draw that boy he was after in.”

  “He would have made a good slave.”

  He snorted. “I know what you wanted with him, and I don’t really care about your sexual tastes. They mean nothing to me except it probably put us in this mess.”

  “Incubi are weak, Bancoo, that is why we banished them here. Madinoff and Drinzel are no different, and neither is Wayfaire,” Lenno told him in a tone so casual Bancoo felt sick to his stomach.

  The fool had a penchant for underestimating others, and it just might get them all killed or sent back to their dying home.

  “Why don’t you go to Arizona and leave this to me?” Lenno suggested. “I’ve already brought in part of my team. And Creta is here with part of his.”

  “No. I’ll remain here and see this through with you. Our time grows short. We need this settled within a few days, not months.” Bancoo turned to the window, thinking that going to Desundia wouldn’t be so bad. At least there, he could be among his own kind.

  Life would be harder, but at least he’d have one.

  * * * *

  Baylee had opted to stay behind while the teams searched for Alisa and Blade, as well as signs of more plants. Trinity had said his friends were coming so someone would need to wait for them anyway.

  However, his real reason had nothing to do with being a good host, and he knew it even as he took the tray of drinks up to Kirkyn’s room. He needed to be close to Kirkyn.

  Even while he was running, part of him had merely wanted to just stop, to wait, and to run into his arms when Kirkyn caught up.

  Then, he remembered the bloodshed and the terror Kirkyn had visited on him. He didn’t understand how someone could love him yet conspire to kill him.

  He knocked on the door and waited. When he got no answer, Baylee used the pass key to let himself in. The room was quiet, so he went into the bedroom where he found Kirkyn bent over something on the dresser.

  “I didn’t invite you in because I didn’t want to see you,” Kirkyn said. “Leave.”

  “Tell me where my cousin is then,” he said, setting the tray of drinks on the nightstand. “Why did you kill your own man?”

  “Snevil was a good agent. Killing him wasn’t my doing.”

  “If you didn’t take them, then how did the intruders escape Snevil’s notice and manage to get out without you guys knowing it?” Baylee asked as he perched on the edge of the bed.

  “We aren’t set up for full surveillance.” Kirkyn faced him then. “We were trying to get there, but that is going to be impossible. The sprites will need to handle that.”

  “Why do you hate me so much?” Baylee asked softly.

  “If only I did,” Kirkyn told him in that same bland tone he’d been using with him.

  “Kirkyn, I’ve made mistakes—”

  “Come here a minute,” he cut in.

  Baylee rose and went over, watching Kirkyn carefully. “What?” The man wouldn’t kill him here, so what risk was there?

  “Can I see your hand?” Kirkyn held out his own, and Baylee placed his on Kirkyn’s. A split second later, Kirkyn sliced the side of his hand with a knife.

  “Fuck. What was that for?”

  “When you bled on the flower, I expected it to kill you,” he said. “It died instead.”

  “So?”

  “So, I think your people are the key to preventing the takeover of this area. Your particular brand of vibration and the plant life of the water. I think that, mixed with the sprites’ vibrations, will kill any plants already planted.”

  “What if it doesn’t?”

  “Then, I’ll bleed you and use your blood to until I can come up with something that works.”

  “Kill me?” he asked incredulously.

  “I’m going to anyway, but this way you don’t die in vain.”

  “Asshole,” he cried. “You never even loved me, did you? I was, what, an experiment?”

  “You seduced me back into your bed, and then you ran from me,” Kirkyn said coldly, looking down into Baylee’s eyes. “I ached for you like an addict going through withdrawal. I needed your kiss, your song, like I needed the air.”

  “That’s not true,” he snapped, trembling with rage.

  Kirkyn moved toward him, and Baylee backed up, getting blood on the carpet. Kirkyn grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, halting him.

  “Every breath I took was agony without you,” Kirkyn whispered. “I wanted you more than my life.”

  Baylee put his hands on Kirkyn’s shoulders, the muscle beneath them tense. “I didn’t mean to do anything to hurt you.”

  “I know,” Kirkyn said softly. “That’s why I’m giving you a chance to change your mind, again.”

  “Put me down, Kirkyn,” he ordered, and hummed a low tune. “Now.”

  Kirkyn set him on his feet, and Baylee exhaled slowly, waiting for something, but he didn’t know what. When Kirkyn didn’t move, he slid his hands down Kirkyn’s chest.

  “I always liked Baylee best,” Kirkyn said. “Be with me, Baylee, just for a little while. Take away my pain.”

  Baylee tried to look away, but Kirkyn’s bleak blue stare enthralled him. His stomach hurt from the pulse of sadness washing over him, and he knew it was coming from Kirkyn.

  “Just until this is over.”

  “I’ll be with you under two conditions,” Baylee said, seizing on a possible chance. Demons were deal makers, right?

  “I’m not a soul-eater, Baylee,” Kirkyn told him as if reading his mind. “I don’t want your soul. There is nothing I can do with it.”

  “If this doesn’t work, if you can’t win my heart again, then you leave me alone,” Baylee said. “I’ll even make it easy, so you can’t say I stacked the deck against you.”

  “No.” Kirkyn shook his head. “No bargains.”

  “Yes.” Baylee nodded. “We loved each other. You wouldn’t have done a thi
ng to hurt me then.” He cupped Kirkyn’s face with his bloody hand. “You accept these conditions, and I’ll share your bed again while you’re here.”

  “Baylee, you’ll kill me.”

  “But I’ll live,” Baylee said.

  “What do you want in return?”

  “You’ll leave my family alone, and you’ll leave me alive to live my life as I please without you.”

  “I could never do that. I’ll go insane without you until I can do nothing but hunt you again.”

  “Then, you better convince me taking you back is in my heart’s best interest,” Baylee said.

  It wouldn’t be hard. He realized down by the pond that he was still in love with Kirkyn, had never stopped loving him.

  “How?”

  “Show me your heart, Kirkyn,” Baylee told him. “Show me every part of you I’ve never seen.”

  “I would scare you.”

  “You’ve already done that, so what’s left?” Baylee asked. “If there’s nothing more to you than that, you may as well take my life now.”

  Kirkyn shook his head. “I should, and I will, because you won’t hold up to your end of the bargain.”

  “What?”

  “This is just to pacify me, to get me into bed again and enjoy playing out your fantasies with someone who doesn’t judge you. This isn’t about me.”

  “I don’t want to die, damn it!” Baylee exclaimed.

  “Then, convince me you really would take me back,” Kirkyn told him. “Because I don’t believe you, and I’m going ahead with my plan.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Baylee drew in a long slow breath and let it out. “You’re giving me no choice,” he said angrily. “Why are you being so uncompromising?”

  Kirkyn gave him a ghost of a smile. “I’m what you made me.”

  Baylee closed his eyes and focused his will. Everything inside him rebelled against what he was about to do. He wasn’t some cold-hearted siren, but he was fighting for his life and his cousin’s and her baby’s.

  He began humming a soft melody, one he knew was haunting and seductively beautiful. He couldn’t appeal to the demon’s sense of reason or logic, so he’d have to appeal to his sensual side.