by C. S. Wilde
Only then did she realize he wasn’t wearing a shirt.
Lowering his gaze to her chest, he grinned. “Hmm, sweat befits you.” He shook his head. “Sorry. I have no clue what…”
The siren’s song hadn’t completely left him. It hadn’t left her, either.
“Bast.” She closed her arms over her chest. “We shared that dream, didn’t we?”
He nodded. “I have no clue—”
“You have mind powers,” she reminded, dragging herself farther from him on the bed. She couldn’t let him connect this to her siren; she couldn’t allow him to know.
He stared at her, his mouth hanging open. “Mera, I would never—” He swallowed dry. “I have no clue what the fuck just happened. I promise.”
Yeah, because she knew who was responsible for this.
Her horny siren.
They sat in the dark for a long, in silence.
“I’m sorry,” he offered, his tone strained, his gaze lost and frightened. “I don’t know how I did it. Maybe I wanted it badly enough to…” His voice broke.
“Don’t be sorry,” she blurted as guilt tore her from inside. Though she knew she shouldn’t, Mera scooted closer to him and took his hand. “Whatever happened, I wanted it. Did you want it, too?”
Poseidon in the trenches, what if he said no? What if her siren had taken him against his will?
He gave her a wicked grin. “Kitten, I’d have to be crazy not to want it.”
Her shoulders relaxed and she let out a deep breath, slamming a hand on her forehead. “Okay. Okay. This is good,” she muttered.
She wished she could kill that ravenous force inside her. What if Bast found out she was a waterbreaker? What if he realized Mera had been the one leading the dance?
“So, we both wanted it.” His face suddenly lit up. “Did you enjoy it?”
A furious blush swam up to her cheeks, and she fidgeted with the sheets, pressing them tightly against her chest. “It was a dream, Bast. Whatever happened is over now. Best we forget about it, right?” She didn’t wait for him to respond before pointing to the door. “Go back to your sofa. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”
Leaning forward, he drew circles over her hand with his finger. “Are you sure?” He nodded down at his boxers, which were soiled with his release. “I’ll have to sleep naked tonight anyway…”
‘Take him!’ her siren demanded.
Okay, so Mera did want to push Bast against the mattress, pull down his boxers, and take him inside her, but the little common sense she had left stopped her.
‘I doubt you would regret it,’ her siren countered.
Shut up, you reckless asshole!
“Y-yes,” Mera stammered. “I’m sure.”
“You don’t sound sure, kitten.” He observed her for a while, giving her a chance to reconsider.
“Bast, what did you tell me near the end?” she asked, trying to remember it.
“I claim you under the moon and stars. I claim you under the night sky…”
His eyes widened, the lust in them quickly replaced with absolute horror, and a shudder ran down his body. He looked away. “It was just a dream.” His focus lingered on the empty space ahead for a while. “You’re right, we should rest.”
Bast moved to get out of bed, but stopped midway, turning to face her.
“One last thing, though.” He leaned closer and brushed the tip of his nose on her right cheek, their lips so close that if she turned just a little…
Her heart drummed in her chest madly, until Mera thought she might faint. She could feel the bastard grinning.
“I guarantee you, kitten,” he whispered, his breath soft and warm on her skin, “I’m much better in real life.”
Chapter 13
Bast’s precinct occupied half of the only building in Tir Na Nog that resembled the rest of Hollowcliff. With its squared shape and glassy façade, the construction stuck out amidst the city. It reminded Mera of a lone soldier surrounded by enemy forces.
A soldier losing the fight.
The gray marbled hallway and elevators were the spitting image of the ones from back home, but the similarities stopped when the elevator doors opened to the second floor.
“This is your precinct?” she muttered as she stepped into the vast space.
Fae enjoyed the extravagant, but this was… wow.
The walls were made of polished marble; so were the ceiling and floors. Roots sluggishly spread over the stone, and flowers bloomed from their wooden surface. The vines stretched like veins atop skin, as if the entire place was a living, breathing thing.
A hint of cedar and apricot wafted through the air, coming from mahogany desks that looked heavy and carefully carved—nothing even similar to the compressed wood tables they had back at Mera’s precinct. Big windows let in enough sunlight to flood the room, giving it a warm and golden atmosphere.
The place resembled more a palace from faerie tales than a police station.
The layout wasn’t much different, however. It had a big open space with separate rooms in the corners for meetings and briefings, and an indoor balcony that led to the third floor.
Some detectives rushed in between the desks, heading for the meeting rooms, while others gathered near small fountains that worked as watercoolers. The rest worked at their tables or discussed case files eagerly.
They wore tailored suits similar to Bast’s, but their colors varied. Some wore pink shirts and green vests, others a mix of purple and blue, and very few had the common sense to go for black and white. A moss-haired faerie, eating a cupcake in the corner, stood out with a navy shirt and canary suit.
“What do you bring us, Bast?” someone asked from behind, startling her.
Mera turned to see a tall, thin fae with red spiky hair and clear green eyes. He resembled a teenager after a growth spurt, and definitely not someone who belonged in a police department. Still, he wore the same white uniform as Ruth.
This was Bast’s Cap.
“Captain Asherath.” Bast greeted the fae with a humble bow of his head, then gestured to Mera. “This is my partner, Detective Mera Maurea.”
Captain Asherath bowed his head slightly at her, placing a hand over his heart. “I’m glad to finally meet you. Bast has told me great things about you.”
She also bowed, guessing that was how members—or ex-members—of the Autumn Court greeted each other. “Thank you. But how could Bast have told you anything about me? He doesn’t have a phone.”
Captain Asherath smiled at Bast. “Perceptive, isn’t she?”
“You have no idea.” He gave her a roguish grin. “State secret, kitten.”
“Forgive him, Detective,” Captain Asherath offered. “He’s never had a partner before. Sebastian doesn’t trust easily.” He shook his head the way the Cap did when Mera misbehaved.
Like when Ruth baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies and told Mera to share them with the neighbor’s kid, but instead, she ate them all. It’s how she’d gotten her little nickname, actually.
Cookie.
“You see,” he went on, “certain Sidhe have the ability to communicate with each other from a distance. Sometimes, we even catch glimpses of the other party’s surroundings, or sense how they’re feeling⸻as long as they wish to share such things, of course. It takes weeks for us to create a mind link, but once it’s stablished, it works better than one of your phones.” He tapped his temple. “Unfortunately, it only covers short distances. If Bast went back to Lunor Insul, I doubt he’d be able to communicate with me.”
Lunor Insul. The night fae island.
Given the heavy magic in the waters, the same magic that kept the merfolk away, mobile phones probably wouldn’t work either. Something about wavelength interference and whatnot.
Captain Asherath nodded to the desks around them, each with a landline phone that seemed made out of wood. She’d completely missed them at first, since they blended with the desks so stealthily.
“As you can
see, we’re open to technology. In our own way, that is. Bast and I might communicate through safer methods, and our precinct might be different from the rest of the boroughs, but we’re here to protect Hollowcliff at any cost, same as you.” He leaned forward. “Just don’t tell that to the light courts,” he whispered.
Mera smiled. At least this Captain had a sense of humor. She couldn’t remember the last time Ruth made a joke.
Why did Captain Asherath communicate with Bast through his mind, though? Either they were hiding something, or they wanted to keep information safe.
She’d find out which soon enough.
“Like most humans, Mera has a talent for pre-judgement,” Bast remarked from beside her, earning an immediate shove from her elbow.
Captain Asherath laughed. “Oh, you can keep him in place, Detective Maurea. I never thought Bast could play nice with other kids, but here we are.”
“He’s not exactly nice.” She scoffed.
“He has his moments.” Captain Asherath looked around, then motioned for them to follow him into his office.
A lion’s head was carved on the door, and wild flowers grew from its mouth. The door must be enchanted like the rest of this place, which meant it must’ve cost a freaking fortune. Meanwhile, Ruth’s office door was the standardized wooden square with a glass panel engraved with her title.
The differences weren’t fair, but as Julian had said, Tir Na Nog police got privileges the rest of Tagrad didn’t. All because of their magic. Their money, too. After all, the fae state was the richest in Tagrad.
At some point, though, this had to stop. A civil war had never felt closer than it did right now.
Inside, Captain Asherath’s office was an exact copy of Ruth’s, down to the bookshelves lining the wall behind a leather chair, and the carefully carved mahogany table facing the door. It was a relief. At least here, there were no privileges.
A white leather sofa rested across the left wall, the single difference between both offices—the Cap’s was brown.
Asherath closed the heavy door and sat on his chair, facing them. His easy manner disappeared, his expression growing somber and ridiculously similar to Ruth’s. “Before you report on your visit to the Summer King’s home, I want to run something by you.” He stared directly at Bast.
“Shoot.”
“Have you considered that whoever wants you dead might not be linked to the case?”
A heavy silence filled the room.
“That seems unlikely,” Mera jumped in. “If they’re not linked to the case, why go after Bast right now? The witch said a seer predicted Bast would kill someone, and that this someone hired her. It has to be our culprit, right?”
Asherath nodded. “You have a point, Detective. However, Bast informed me the witch didn’t want you dead. If whoever is behind this intended to mess with the investigation, they would’ve tried to kill two birds with one stone, and get rid of both detectives working the case, don’t you think?”
He was right.
Asherath may seem soft and sweet, but he was Captain for a reason.
“It’s not impossible, I guess.” Bast ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve put some power-heavy Sidhe in prison, and my solve rate is the highest in the precinct. The light courts were bound to come after me sooner or later. But Mera is right. Why now?”
The captain raised his shoulders. “I have no clue. But Zev Ferris’ killer is calculating. They drowned Sara Hyland and used her as bait. That points to someone cold and cruel.” He nodded to Mera. “Would someone like that take action based on a feeble vision?”
His reasoning left her in awe. Fae weren’t exactly famous for logical thinking, but Asherath’s was spot on about the case.
“Anyway.” He extended his hand to her. “I believe you had something for me?”
She nodded, pulling the plastic bag with the phone from the inside pocket of her jacket. “This is Zev Ferris’ mobile.”
His green eyes widened. “Is it?” He whistled lowly as he studied the device. “A king from a light court owning a phone. Now, I’ve seen everything.” Laying it on his wooden table, he leaned back in his chair, forming a circle with his hands. “Is that why Lisandra Ferris dropped by my office to make an official complaint?”
That sneaky bitch!
Bast stepped forward. “Fallon, she—”
“I can handle Lisandra. But you left her apartment yesterday, and you’re handing me this phone now.”
Bast clicked his tongue and shrugged. “Traffic was a bitch.”
“Right.” There was no humor in the Captain’s tone. “And you conveniently forgot that you have wings. And that you could even winnow, if you put your mind to it?”
The wicked, yet childlike grin Bast gave him was a thing of wonder. “I’m a lazy bastard, Fallon.”
Captain Asherath let out an exasperated breath. “Fine. I’ll hand the phone to the guys over for analysis.”
“To Redford, yes? Directly to his hands.” Bast’s tone weighed boulders.
“Of course, to Redford.” Asherath’s forehead crinkled. “I’m not an idiot, Sebastian. Laula and Guli are on Summer’s payroll and everyone knows it.”
It was strange seeing the two police officers, one of them a freaking Captain, having to tip-toe around the corruption in their own department.
“Go on, then.” Asherath swooshed them away. “Time is of the essence.”
As soon as they left the precinct, Mera turned to Bast. “Your Captain is pretty cool.”
“Cool isn’t the right word.” He chuckled. “Relentless might be better. Fallon is one of the few whom I trust in there.” Bast shoved his hands in his pockets and watched the sandstone pebbles at his feet. “I’m surprised an honest fae like him has lasted this long.”
“I’m not. He’s resourceful.” She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Smart, too. I can see your Captain keeping his title for a long time.”
He gave her a tight-lipped smile, heavy with worry. “I hope you’re right.”
Turning ahead, Mera watched the wide street, where Sidhe zinged about in straight lines, either boosted by magic or their wings.
Some wore elaborated and colorful dresses that should belong to a museum, others had modern and practical clothes such as jeans and jumpers. A few wore fighting leathers, and a great many sported magical fabrics that resembled rustling leaves or flowing water.
‘We need one of those,’ her siren muttered in awe.
It’s completely see-through!
‘Exactly.’
A wooden bus packed with trolls, pixies, and banshees drove sluggishly across the street. The Sidhe flew around and over it, since they were much faster than the vehicle, but Mera could hardly keep up with it all. The fae moved like shooting stars and zinging bees.
She pointed to the traffic—if one could call it that. “Did you know Clifftown and Lycannie are working on a machine that can fly? I’ve heard it has wings.”
Bast blew air through his lips. “Come on, kitten.”
“I’m serious!”
He rolled his eyes, but seemed to ponder. “Considering what your technology has done so far, I wouldn’t call it impossible. Maybe you’ll join us in the sky soon enough.”
A fuzzy and warm sensation filled her chest, which didn’t make much sense. Humans might not be Mera’s people, but they were the only people she had left. She took pride in their accomplishments as if they were her own.
“It will happen, Bast. You’ll see.”
She always imagined flying might be akin to swimming in the ocean’s currents; the same currents she would never feel on her skin again. Mera couldn’t return to the sea, but the sky above waited for her. “Whenever this machine is ready, I’ll be the first to go for a ride.”
He frowned. “But you already know what flying feels like.”
“I was unconscious when you took me to Stella, remember?”
“Good point.” He gave her a lazy, sideways grin. “Call me surprised. Air isn�
��t exactly your element.”
It wasn’t the air, specifically, but the currents that she craved.
“Oh, really?” She crossed her arms. “And what is my element?”
He smirked but didn’t reply.
A heavy, trembling sensation settled in her stomach.
“All right, then.” Bast’s mighty gray wings spread out of thin air, and flapped. He hovered inches above ground, offering her his hand. “If you insist.”
Mera gasped, exhilaration spinning inside her. “Seriously?”
Instead of answering, he hooked his arms underneath hers, and boosted, going higher and higher.
Mera screamed louder than a child riding their first rollercoaster. Her feet dangled as she watched the streets and buildings shrinking below. Panic set in her stomach, but it also fueled her.
Faster and higher they went, and as Bast took her in loops and straight lines, Mera became… free.
Free like she hadn’t been since she’d left the ocean. Flying wasn’t different from swimming after all.
‘I could get used to this,’ her siren cheered.
Loud huzzahs and laughter burst from her lips as Bast zinged with her into the deep blue.
“This is amazing!” she yelled, utterly carefree.
“Of course it is!” Bast shouted over the howling wind, and she noticed he was smiling, too.
They went on for what could’ve been hours but felt like minutes, until Bast landed them atop a terracotta building.
He panted discreetly, as if trying to hide the effort.
Mera’s head spun from all the loops. She tried to balance on her own two feet, but ended up leaning against Bast to gain her footing.
She looked up at him, watching the bewildered strings of hair that had escaped his bun. It seemed as if an electric current had jolted straight through him.
“You don’t look much different.” He pointed at her messy hair as his gray wings disappeared behind him.
Mera didn’t care. She’d loved flying. Having her hair form a cuckoo’s nest atop her head had been totally worth it.
Sunset drenched everything around them in a soft, warm glow, turning Bast into nothing short of a vision. The orange hue that swallowed the world reflected in his eyes.