Touched by a Sprite

by E. A. Reynolds

  “Make damn sure you mean it, Baylee,” Kirkyn told him in a rough tone. “I don’t want to go through the pain of losing you again, because it’s not like with humans. Our minds take us through that moment when our mates leave us over and over, day after day.”

  “Never allowing you to recover,” Baylee said. “That’s sad.”

  Kirkyn squeezed him tight. “It’s soul-shattering.”

  “Why don’t you boys get back out here,” Cord called. “You’ll have all night to make up.”

  Baylee grinned. “More like the rest of our lives, right?”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Kirkyn offered to take a shift on watch, and Cord gave him the first. Kirkyn assumed it was so he could spend some part of the night in Baylee’s bed.

  Everything was quiet as he walked the property. Even the lake was still. The nymphs rarely stirred, and the sprites were all inside the hotel staying away from the water.

  “He’s the reason you were breaking apart?” Cord asked, coming to lean against the tree trunk next to where Kirkyn was staring out at the parking lot of the hotel.

  “Was it that obvious?”

  “You breaking apart or Baylee being the one?”

  “The second one.”

  “You look more relaxed with him,” Cord said. “I knew it wasn’t new.”

  Kirkyn sighed. “What’s old is often new again,” he said, thinking of the pitter-patter of his heart when he saw Baylee. He still got hot all over when Baylee smiled at him.

  Cord grunted. “I hope you make it work this time.”

  “Me too.”

  “Can she kill you if it doesn’t?”

  “She won’t have the heart, but I’m not relying on her,” Kirkyn admitted. “Astarte is like a sister to me, having her kill me would be cruel.”

  “I’ll do it,” Cord said. “If you find you can’t.”

  “I’ll let you know if it becomes necessary,” Kirkyn said.

  “You might not have time, so you should have Astarte contact me if anything changes. I don’t think you’ll be rational if he breaks your heart again.”

  Kirkyn nodded. “Probably not, but in my one moment of clarity, I’ll do what has to be done.” He wouldn’t hesitate, because if he did there would be no safe place for Baylee this time.

  * * * *

  Baylee was still awake when Kirkyn slipped into bed just after midnight. He’d been hoping Kirkyn would join him before he fell asleep. As soon as Kirkyn got under the covers, Kirkyn spooned him.

  Baylee smiled. “Hey, you.”

  “You should be sleeping,” Kirkyn said. “Tomorrow could be a long day.”

  “I bet your plan is going to assure it isn’t, and we’ll be having a nice quiet night.”

  “Let us hope,” Kirkyn said.

  “What I hope is there will be so many more nights like this,” Baylee murmured, eyes drifting closed.

  “Me too.” Kirkyn kissed Baylee’s ear.

  The next morning when Baylee woke, he found himself alone in bed. He reached for his phone for a quick glance at the time and found it was already eight. He rolled out and headed to the bathroom where the shower was going.

  “Mind if I join you?” he asked sleepily as he reached for his toothbrush.

  “I hoped you would,” Kirkyn said with a smile in his voice.

  Baylee cleaned his teeth and then pulled back the shower door and got in. He moved into the stall behind Kirkyn to kiss his shoulder.

  “You’re still an early riser,” Baylee said.

  “One of the dictates of the job,” Kirkyn said, turning on the floor mat to look at him, and Baylee leaned into him for a kiss. “The sweetest good morning I’ve had in years.”

  Baylee curled his arm around Kirkyn’s neck. “Me too.” He reclaimed Kirkyn’s mouth for a deeper kiss.

  Kirkyn glided his hands down Baylee’s back as he pinned him to the side of the stall. His hands roved over him, sweeping over Baylee’s ass before Kirkyn pulled him against him.

  “Mmm,” Baylee moaned and broke the kiss to nip Kirkyn’s bottom lip. He looked into those blue-gray eyes that had scared him in the past. They almost glowed, but he had no doubt the demon nature of his man was at the fore.

  Kirkyn lowered his head to kiss Baylee’s neck.

  “Kirkyn, baby, look at me,” he ordered.

  “That’s why you ran from me. It’s something I can’t control.”

  “I know,” Baylee said. “So, show me.”

  Kirkyn met his gaze again, and Baylee stroked his fingers over Kirkyn’s cheek.

  “That will have to grow on me, but I’m not afraid of you anymore,” Baylee admitted. “I think part of my fear stemmed from my learning that I wasn’t just a weird human. I was still dealing.”

  “You didn’t always know you were sprite?”

  “No. I had only found out just before I met you. Alisa found me by tracking our human mothers. Finding out I wasn’t a freak was cool but scary. I didn’t simply go with the flow, that’s why I didn’t use my abilities against you when you were stalking me.”

  “You still weren’t sure what you could do,” Kirkyn murmured.

  “Thank goodness or one of us might be dead,” he said and kissed Kirkyn’s jaw.

  Kirkyn kissed him hard and greedily, and Baylee broke the kiss. His lips brushed over Kirkyn’s throat as he reached between them to curl his fingers around Kirkyn’s thick cock.

  “Ohh,” Kirkyn groaned.

  Baylee nipped the side of Kirkyn’s neck as he stroked his thumb over the sensitive tip. Kirkyn gasped, and Baylee smiled, moving his hand to pump his lover’s cock.

  “Feel so fucking good,” Kirkyn whispered. “Harder.”

  Baylee tightened his grip and gave Kirkyn’s dick a harder pull as he used his other hand to cup his balls.

  “You’re driving me insane,” Kirkyn said and peeled Baylee’s fingers free before turning him to face the shower wall.

  Kirkyn trailed kisses over Baylee’s shoulder down to his back. Grabbing the oil from the caddy, Kirkyn smeared some on Baylee’s back and over the rise of his ass before swatting him hard.

  Baylee groaned and rubbed his ass into Kirkyn’s crotch.

  Kirkyn tapped said ass once, twice, and Baylee gasped as pleasure snaked through him.

  “Be patient,” Kirkyn urged, then tapped his ass again, and Baylee clenched his butt cheeks against the sting while savoring it.

  Then, Kirkyn ran his long fingers down the seam before slipping a slick finger inside to find the entrance.

  Baylee groaned as Kirkyn pressed against the pucker of his asshole. He rubbed his hands against the tile, breath held in anticipation as the digit penetrated him. Kirkyn stroked his finger in and out before withdrawing it to add more oil, and then slide two fingers into the tight cavern.

  Baylee moaned as Kirkyn thrust two fingers inside him. “Baby, I want you now.”

  Kirkyn bit Baylee’s earlobe. “Wait another minute,” he ordered as he spread his fingers and drew them almost free before plunging them back in.

  Baylee groaned and reached for his cock. He pumped as Kirkyn took him with maddening strokes.

  “Enough, Kirkyn,” he wailed. “I’m ready now.”

  Kirkyn chuckled, drawing his fingers free. “You’re so damn pushy.”

  “I know what I want,” he said breathlessly.

  “Do you want this?” Kirkyn pushed the swollen head of his cock inside him, past the tight ring of muscle.

  “No. I want it all,” Baylee told him. “Fill me up.”

  Kirkyn took Baylee in two firm strokes, and Baylee hissed from the pleasure reverberating through him. He closed his eyes and clenched around the tight girth.

  “Fuck. You feel so divine,” Baylee said.

  Kirkyn drew almost all the way out and powered back in. Baylee reached back on a moan and stroked Kirkyn’s thigh, drawing his nails over the flesh.

  “Baylee,” Kirkyn murmured against his ear and gripped his hips tighter. He
thrust into him, setting up a hard rhythm.

  Baylee pushed back against him. His head swam, his skin heated, and his heart pounded. “Oh god! Fuck me!” Baylee screamed.

  Kirkyn reached around and grasped Baylee’s dick and pumped it with one hand as he moved his hips to send his cock into Baylee’s ass in a slow stroke. Baylee groaned louder as he slammed his hips back, taking Kirkyn deep.

  Kirkyn pumped him faster as Baylee impaled himself on Kirkyn’s cock again and again. Then, Kirkyn released his hold, and Baylee palmed his own cock as Kirkyn took him hard and fast, driving into him with abandon.

  “Oh, shit,” Kirkyn screamed. “Shit!”

  “Kirkyn!” Baylee screamed as he lost his load and was rushed by a tidal wave of bliss.

  Kirkyn growled harshly as he came, his seed hot as it filled Baylee’s ass. “I love you, Baylee.”

  “I love you, too, baby.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Twenty minutes later, Baylee hummed as he entered the kitchen. Kirkyn was there with a few of Payten’s team and Astarte. They were having breakfast as they joked and teased each other.

  He could only stop and listen. Kirkyn looked even more relaxed than he had after their talk yesterday evening, and he’d never seen Astarte so friendly.

  “I’ve never seen so many smiling demons in one place,” Clarity mumbled as she entered the kitchen with Azure on her heels.

  “They do seem rather jovial,” Azure agreed. “Does that mean we can get back in the water?”

  “No,” Clarity said firmly. “I’m not even sure I’m staying beyond tonight’s dinner party.”

  “Good morning, demons,” Azure said cheerfully. “Is there any tea?”

  They all looked at her.

  “Course not, but we have pancakes and some of Kirkyn’s strawberry jelly and maple bacon.”

  “Maple bacon?” Clarity asked with a frown. “What is that?” She turned to Baylee, face scrunched.

  He chuckled. “It’s just sweet. Kirkyn uses real maple syrup to coat it before putting it in the oven.”

  “Well, I’ll just have coffee and toast,” she said, and Baylee snickered as he turned his gaze on Azure.

  She’d wandered across the room to where Cord was feeding her bacon. Another demon held out a fork with a bite of pancake on it.

  Baylee smiled and went to Kirkyn, who held a plate out to him. “Thanks.” Baylee went up on tip-toe and kissed him.

  “I have some fond memories, too,” Kirkyn murmured.

  “I have a feeling we’re going to make a lot more,” Baylee told him softly and took his plate to the table.

  “I’ll get your tea brewing,” Kirkyn said to Clarity.

  “Thank you,” she said stiffly and set about getting her cup, saucer, and spoon.

  Baylee glanced at Clarity when she sat down next to him at the long table positioned before a window. The cute little plantation shutters were closed, blocking out the view of the lake.

  “I can’t get past this idea of you with that demon,” Clarity told him. “I know that it’s probably fate, but that changes nothing.”

  “What do you mean?” he asked with a frown.

  She sighed. “I’ve told you the stories of how the demon and a sprite—not a member of my family but another—came together.”

  “Yes.”

  “Both sides decided that for evermore one of their kind and one of ours had to be unified in order to keep the balance of the land. Some sprites were having a hard time living in this realm, but they had been cast out of Faery, so they had no choice.”

  “Why were they cast out?” Kirkyn asked, and Baylee realized everyone in the room was listening.

  “Their families had broken some laws.”

  “And yours did, too?” Astarte asked.

  “No.” She shook her head. “Members of four families were sent to this area as guardians of those cast down. Our role was to ensure they didn’t bring exposure on themselves.”

  “What happened?” Cord asked.

  “Then, you demons came, and there was a big fight. There were casualties on both sides, so the leaders of both groups called a truce while they decided how to handle things.”

  “What did they decide?” Baylee asked, leaning toward her.

  Kirkyn brought her tea and poured her a cup. Clarity gave him a nod of thanks and stirred in cream and sugar before taking a sip.

  “Ahh.”

  “Gram,” Baylee protested.

  She gave him a chastising look. “In the end, they decided every generation would give one of their own in sacrifice.”

  “Death?” Cord asked.

  “Marriage or handfasting,” she said.

  “How long ago was the last one?” one of the other demons asked.

  “Two generations, and for all that time no interlopers were able to invade the area.”

  “Kirkyn was right,” Baylee said. “The combined energies are all that’s going to save our home and Bossier.”

  “By extension, the surrounding towns,” Kirkyn said.

  “That’s true,” Clarity agreed. “The magic is woven into the land and it came from the blood oath of each couple during the ceremony.”

  “Blood oath?” Cord exclaimed. “Are you kidding? At a wedding?”

  “The unions were more about protecting the land and allowing both species to co-exist peacefully with each other and humans.”

  “Both sides brought their own crops and food sources with them,” Kirkyn said. “They needed to be harmonized to prevent death of any kind.”

  “Right,” Clarity agreed. “How did you know?”

  “Pure demons have the same stories,” Kirkyn replied. “We didn’t find comfort in humans, but rather our own kind or vampires and rarely Faery folk.”

  “I imagine that’s made you all a bit on the purist side,” Clarity said with a hint of disdain.

  “One could say the same for you,” Kirkyn replied mildly.

  Clarity took another sip of her tea. “At any rate, I suppose I’ll have to support this union as it is necessary.”

  “How about because I love him,” Baylee suggested.

  “He tried to kill you!” Clarity thundered.

  “I never tried to kill him,” Kirkyn said plainly. “Just scare him.”

  “You stalked him and caused him to fake his death and change his face,” she muttered, giving Kirkyn a glare. “That’s enough all on its own.”

  “I agree,” Kirkyn said. “But that changes nothing. I’m in love with Baylee.”

  “You kids these days,” she said, shaking her head. “You all have too many feelings that come into play at all the wrong times.”

  “If their feelings didn’t come into play right now, this entire area would die,” Astarte commented. “So, I think some people would be happy to know feelings are good for something besides being pissed when you can’t have your way.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “I haven’t been able to sense the crystals,” Lenno said to Parker, who stood next to him outside the hotel.

  Staring up at it, Lenno thought how attractive the sprawling building was. From the pictures, he knew the gardens could be made lusher and provide more oxygen for them.

  But he could keep parts of the building.

  “I laid them,” he said. “The sprites won’t have recognized them for what they are. They blend too well even for their notice.”

  “For a demon’s?” he demanded. He didn’t have many dealings with Madinoff, but he knew his reputation as a dogmatic fighter with brilliant strategy.

  “I did my job,” Parker retorted. “Now, it’s up to you to go from there, sir.”

  Lenno turned to him and back-handed him so hard he stumbled into a nearby tree.

  “I know you’re used to working with Bancoo, but I’m the one in control. Not him. He was never going to be allowed to live.”

  “Be that as it may,” Parker said as he wiped blood from his lip. “Your inabilities are no fault of mine.”
>
  He sneered at the other demon. “Try to sense them.” The crystals should have been easy enough for him to sense. Their energy had a low vibrancy rate that wasn’t always easy for the incubi and succubae to pick up.

  They’d been in this world too long. Add to that, the majority of them had no training in crystal warfare. It was a simple plan that took bombing to a new level.

  “They’ve been muted,” Parker told him, “but they’re still there.”

  “Are they located where you laid them?” The ghost demons were connected to the crystals and would control them telepathically.

  “Five of them have been removed, but the others I can’t tell. I just know they are there.”

  “Good. I want you and your team to act in concert in activating them when I give the order,” he said.

  “As you wish.”

  “I want you outside for tonight’s dinner party in case of an attack, but I don’t really expect one,” Lenno said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation of his conquest. “The negotiator isn’t known for her intelligence.”

  Parker snorted. “The siren is a thief. She’ll probably attempt to strike some kind of deal with you to get part of the land for herself.”

  “I’ll agree with her terms, but I have no intentions of giving her anything,” Lenno replied coldly. “They all die, and then we’ll deal with this Wayfaire.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “Tell me again why we’re refilling these canisters with this mixture?” Baylee demanded with a frown. “I thought you said it was deadly.”

  “It is,” Kirkyn said. “Now, it has the poison. I’ll have to only use one of the crystals to activate it.”

  “I thought we were poisoning them with the beer.”

  “We are, but suppose someone doesn’t drink beer?” Kirkyn asked and screwed the top back on a canister. “The wood nymphs said they can get the smaller ones placed in the woods around their home.”

  “The city ones?” Baylee asked.

  “Exactly,” Kirkyn said. “The ones here will put some in places they’ve noticed demons lurking. I want to do maximum damage here to minimize the loss of life.”