by Michelle Fox
“His name is Eric LeBlanc.”
Hiccough.
“We used to date.”
Sniff.
“He almost killed me.”
Shuddering silent sobs wracked her body and Aidan held her tight making soothing, shushing noises.
“Now he’s out of prison and looking for me.” She lifted her head and looked at him. “He’s coming to kill me.”
“No,” Aidan said. “He’s not. I won’t let him.”
Marion shook her head. “You don’t understand. He’s a powerful mage.”
“And I’m an elf with a trick or two up my sleeve.” When she turned to look away from him, he caught her chin in his hand and forced her to meet his eyes. “I’m serious. I’m not going to let this guy touch you. Okay?”
She gazed into his eyes for several long seconds as if testing the truth of his words before nodding.
He pulled her close and they stood, cleaved together until she pushed him away. “I’m sorry to be such a buzz kill, but maybe we should call it a night.”
Aidan frowned at her. “No way. I’m not leaving you alone. Not after that phone call.”
“That’s very kind of you, but I’ll be fine,” Marion said. “The apartment is warded. Raven pulled some strings and got them done yesterday. So long as I’m here, I’m safe. “
“Wards aren’t foolproof. I’ll sleep on the couch. You won’t even know I’m here.”
She wiped her eyes and sniffed. “Really, I’ll be fine. You don’t have to protect me.”
“Yes, I do,” he said, his voice firm. “I’m a guard. Protecting is what I do.” He reached out and gently touched her cheek. “Marion, I’m involved with you now. Your trouble is my trouble.” Trouble that could break the lady’s curse and set Aidan free, but it went beyond his own selfish purposes. Aidan also wanted to see Marion lose the hunted look in her eyes. She didn’t deserve to be stalked. Maybe the Lady’s curse knew Marion needed more than a lover, she needed a guard too. Perhaps that’s why they’d been brought together.
“Just like that? Not even one full date and you’re willing to watch my back?” She gave him a wobbly smile, tears still shining in her eyes.
“Yes. And let’s not forget you’re in real danger here. This isn’t some little ex-lover spat. The guy tried to kill you and now he’s looking for you again.”
“Thank you.” She leaned in to kiss him softly. Aidan returned her kiss, but where she had kept it shallow, he went deep until she gave a moaning sigh.
“You’re very good at that,” she said, breaking contact.
“At what?”
“Kissing.”
“I have many other talents too.” Aidan skimmed her body with his hands, smiling at the way she quivered at his touch. “But we’ll save them for another day. You’re tired and I have some planning to do.”
“I’m fine,” Marion protested, but then she yawned and gave him a sheepish grin. “I guess I am a little run down. What a way to end a date, huh?”
“There will be others,” Aidan said.
“You sure you’re not going to run screaming back to Fairy?” She narrowed her eyes as if trying to determine how far she could trust him.
“It will take more than an angry mage to scare me off.” With that, Aidan picked her up in his arms and carried her down the hall to her bedroom. He set her gently down on the bed and tucked her in. Before he left, he leaned down, his lips grazing her ear and whispered, “Sleep and dream sweet.” The words were a simple sleep charm his mother had used throughout his childhood. On command, Marion’s eyes closed and her breathing became deep and regular.
Back in the living room, his mind raced with various plans and plots to protect her from Eric, weighing and discarding options. First things first, he needed to call in a few favors and make some charms. Then to lay the trap that would give Marion the peace of mind she needed and Eric the punishment he deserved. With a confident smile, he picked up the phone and started dialing.
At dawn, he heard the apartment door open and jumped up from the couch to investigate. It was Raven, home from her date, clothes disheveled and a happy smile on her face. A smile that disappeared when Aidan told her what had happened and explained his plans.
“You’re sure you can protect her?” Raven asked.
“Yes.”
“You swear?”
Aidan didn’t hesitate to bind himself with his word. “I swear.”
“Because if you hurt her or let her get hurt...” Raven didn’t finish, but the threat of dire consequences was implicit in her flashing eyes.
“I can protect her. I am, after all, one of the Queen’s guard.”
“Good.” Raven gave a curt nod and then yawned. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get some sleep. Wake me when Marion gets up. We’ll finalize things then.”
“Sleep well.” Aidan watched her go down the short hallway to her bedroom. He settled back on the sofa, his date with Marion replaying in his mind. For once, he hadn't said the wrong thing. He couldn't remember the last time that had happened.
Chapter Six
Just a few hours later, a soft knock sounded at the door. Aidan opened the door with a wide smile. "Dougal. You made it."
“Of course I did,” he said, peering down at Aidan. Half giant, half elf, Dougal ran tall and broad. His long dark hair was bound in a braid, exposing his pointed ears and making his square face look even wider.
“Thanks for coming.”
The big man waved his hand. “No worries, my friend. I wanted to see how you were faring with the Lady’s curse anyway.”
“Is McAllister with you?”
“Aye, back here behind this wide arse of Dougal’s,” said McAllister, propelling himself up to Aidan’s eye level with a quick snap of his wings. He still wore the same white jumpsuit, but his pompadour had wilted, looking more like melted raspberry ice cream. “So this is the one you say will satisfy the Lady’s curse?”
Aidan nodded. “Yes, she will.”
McAllister gave him a doubtful look. “I will be the final judge. I saw her at the club the other night, she looked more perfect than not.”
“She is actually quite beautiful, but, inside, she is not whole. Afraid of men. Afraid of romance. And what is less-than-perfect than a woman who can’t find her match in love?” Aidan countered.
“I don’t know if that was quite the Queen’s intention.” McAllister rubbed his chin.
“Her curse should have been more specific, then. It didn’t say how she should be less-than-perfect. I’m within the terms.”
McAllister snorted and started to respond, only to be cut-off by Dougal.
“Enough of this debate,” the giant said in his booming voice. “Invite us in, Aidan. I, for one, have come a long way and would welcome a soft chair and a cold drink.”
“Forgive me, old friend.” Aidan threw the door wide. “Please, come in.”
Dougal ducked under the threshold and sank into the couch with a sigh of relief while McAllister perched on the sofa’s arm.
Aidan handed them each a glass of wine left over from dinner the night before. “Did you bring the charms, Dougal?”
The giant nodded as he drank, patting a pouch around his waist with his free hand.
“And you’re willing to help me?”
“Of course, my friend. It’s the least I can do.”
“Thank you.” Aidan felt some of the tension he’d been carrying ease. Marion would be safe. He would see to it with the help of his friends.
***
A loud, snorting laugh startled Marion from a deep sleep. She lay still for a moment, trying to orient herself. The first thing she remembered was Aidan. The way he had touched her, the way her body had responded. The memory alone made her heart race. Then she remembered Raven was out with what’s-his-name wolf boy and of course there had been the hateful phone call from Eric. Aidan had said he would stay and protect her, but now she was alone. Aidan was nowhere to be seen and whoever was guffa
wing out in her living room was not Aidan. Worse, she'd left her cell phone in the kitchen. She couldn't even call for help. A chill went through her.
As silently as she could, she threw back the covers and grabbed the baseball bat she kept under the bed. Bat cocked over her shoulder, she crept down the hallway, prepared to do battle.
With a last minute prayer to whatever god might be listening, Marion squared her shoulders, and with what she hoped was a fierce battle cry, barreled into the living room. Swinging the bat back and forth, she headed for her cell phone intent on calling for help.
She was so focused on getting to her phone, she didn’t see whoever grabbed her by the back of her dress.
“Take it easy now, lass,” said a pleasant tenor. “There’s no one here going to hurt you.”
Marion swung the bat wildly behind her and hit her assailant with a glancing blow. He released her with a vehement, “Hell’s bollocks,” followed by a bellow of, “Aidan!”
Aidan appeared instantly from the kitchen, brownie in hand. “What is it, McAllister?” His eyes went wide when he caught sight of Marion.
“Damn hellion of yours just hit me with a bat,” said a pixie with Barbie-pink wings and the pinched face of a fruit bat. A white jump suit outlined a generous beer gut. The pixie floated up to the ceiling, keeping a wary eye on Marion.
She watched him with equal suspicion. To Aidan she said, “What the hell is going on?”
“Marion, meet McAllister. An old friend of mine.”
“And who’s he?” She gestured to the hulking giant standing behind Aidan, busily stuffing his face with leftover brownies. His rounded stomach led her to think there wasn’t enough food in the kitchen for his appetite.
“Dougal, another friend.” Aidan moved to take the bat from Marion, but she glared at him and raised it. She wasn’t about to give up her only means of defense. There were way too many men in her apartment that she didn’t know.
“Stay back,” she warned him. He took a step away, hands raised in a placating gesture.
“What’s going on out there?” asked Raven, poking her head out of her bedroom.
“There's a bunch of strange men here,” Marion said at the same time Aidan said, “Nothing.”
Raven rubbed her eyes and stepped into the hallway. Taking in the three men in her living room, she frowned at Aidan in disapproval. “I told you to wake me up when she got up.”
He shrugged. “Umm, she’s up?”
Marion whirled on Raven, a confused look on her face. “You know these guys?”
“No, not really. They’re friends of Aidan. Reinforcements. They’re going to help you with Eric. We talked about it this morning while you were sleeping.”
“Oh.” Marion let Raven take the bat.
“Why don’t you get dressed? We can talk over breakfast,” Aidan said
Marion nodded. “All right.” Catching sight of McAllister, she blushed. “Sorry I hit you.”
McAllister waved a hand. “Forget it, lass. I’ve been hit by worse.”
Biting her lip, Marion went back to her room and gently shut the door before having a very quiet breakdown.
***
Fully awake, dressed, and somewhat recovered from the shock of the morning, she emerged from her room to join everyone in the living room. The big guy sat on the couch, his bulk taking up more than half of the seat cushions. The pixie hovered by the window, and Aidan was in the process of setting a platter of scrambled eggs on the table. Marion’s stomach growled and the aroma of bacon wafting in from the kitchen made her mouth water.
Aidan smiled at her. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.” She kept her eyes downcast. What must he think of her? She'd run out of her room screaming like a banshee. That couldn't have made a good impression. Had she just ruined her shot with him?
She didn’t have to wait long for an answer to that question as he came over and gave her a sweet kiss on the lips reminding her of what they had done before Eric had called. Her heart went pitter-pat and she found herself returning Aidan’s kiss with unabashed fervor. Several throats cleared loudly, and Aidan pulled back with a wink, leaving Marion kiss-stung and struggling not to blush.
“Breakfast smells like it’s ready,” Raven said, filling the awkward silence where no one looked at anyone else. “Why don’t we eat and let Aidan tell us what he has in mind?”
Between bites of breakfast, Aidan explained his plan. ”Dougal here,” he said, laying a hand on the man’s shoulder, “will stand in for you.”
Marion looked at Dougal, puzzled. He was so tall, he had to hunch to avoid banging his head on the ceiling. He probably weighed three times as much as she did. Not to mention he was very much a man with broad shoulders and beard stubble.
Noticing her expression, Aidan said, “Dougal is a shape shifter.”
Marion raised her eyebrows.
“He’ll look just like you.”
She nodded, thinking she’d believe it when she saw it.
“And he’ll draw Eric out into the open.”
“And then bam,” Dougal slammed a meaty fist into his palm. “We’ve got him.”
“I like the hitting part,” Marion said, poking at her eggs with a fork. “Eric deserves that, but I think you’re forgetting what a powerful mage he is.”
“And you’re forgetting the Fay have outsmarted more than their fair share of mages, lass,” said McAllister with a dismissive flap of his wings. “There isn’t a mage alive who can spot our shape shifters.”
“Or counter our charms, once cast,” added Aidan. “Dougal is going to do more than serve as a decoy, he’s going to lure Eric into the Wastelands of Fairy.”
“And I’ll charm-bind him there. If he’s really unlucky, I’ll find a bad time storm and throw him in,” the big man said with a wicked smile.
McAllister snorted. “Better to let an Eros Fay have him. He’ll never want to leave.”
“Eros Fay?” Raven asked.
“They’re goblin kin. Always female. Their bite infects the victim with burning lust. It’s how they reproduce,” Aidan said.
“They’re so ugly no one will lay with them willingly.” Dougal shoved a large forkful of eggs in his mouth and reached for more bacon with his free hand.
Marion shuddered. “That’s awful.”
“It’s the least Eric deserves,” Aidan said.
Marion nodded her agreement and rubbed her wrist. It always seemed to ache at the mention of Eric.
Aidan reached over to touch her scar. “So while Dougal and McAllister are dealing with Eric, I thought you and I could go on a trip.”
“To where?”
“Someplace safe. I have a small place outside the city. We can hide there until we get the all clear from Dougal. It has wards that no mage can break. Eric won't be able to find you let alone touch you.”
She liked the sound of that, but wasn't wholly convinced. Not yet. “What about Raven?”
“I’m going to stay with Wolf,” Raven said.
“What if I don’t want to go?” Marion asked.
There was a silence in the room. Aidan’s friends looked at him, puzzled expressions on their faces. Had Aidan told them she’d agreed to his plan?
Aidan took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. “If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. I just...thought this was the best plan. Get you somewhere safe, let someone else draw Eric’s attention, someone who can take him in a fight. But, if you’re not comfortable...” He trailed off with a helpless shrug.
“It’s a good plan, Mar,” Raven said. “Who else is going to help you?”
Marion shrugged. “I could call Detective Wallace.”
“What would he do?” Raven asked.
“Report a parole violation. Eric would have to go back to prison.”
“Would he come here to protect you while they try to find him?”
Marion gave a reluctant shake of her head. Detective Wallace was on the other side of the country. She�
�d run so far away from danger, she’d left help far behind too.
“As I see it, your choices are to do this alone, in which case you won't be able to stop Eric, or accept the help Aidan’s offering,” Raven said, her tone matter-of-fact.
Marion worried her bottom lip. If only it was that easy to trust, to think someone had the best intentions.
Aidan took her hands in his. “Marion, let me help. Please.”
“Why?” she asked, meeting his eyes.
His thumbs caressed the back of her hands. “Because you need help and I can give it.”
She took a deep breath and nodded. Raven was right. Aidan gave her the best chance at making sure Eric never got close to her again. She’d be a fool not to take it. ”I guess I’d better go pack.” Marion pulled away from Aidan and went to her room. Whether Aidan solved her love potion problems or not, she'd certainly met him in the nick of time.
Chapter Seven
Aidan watched her go and tried not to think too hard about how they would be alone with no interruptions for the next few days. He pushed away images of Marion underneath him, her back arched in pleasure. There would be time for that later, for now he needed to focus on the task at hand: Preparing Dougal to deal with the mage and convincing McAllister to accept his choice for satisfying the Queen’s curse.
It wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have in front of Raven though, so he said, “Raven could you give us a moment to strategize?”
“Go ahead.” She scraped the last of her eggs onto her fork.
“Alone. The less you know, the less you can tell someone. It’s standard guard protocol.”
“Oh, I guess that makes sense.” Swallowing the last of her eggs, she got up and took her plate into the kitchen. “I might as well go pack too.”
Once Raven had left, Aidan turned to McAllister. “Will she do?”
McAllister sighed. “I don’t know. The Lady wasn’t thinking much beyond beauty when she cursed you. Wanted you to see what an ass like two moons would really look like.”
Dougal gave an amused snort.
McAllister continued on, ignoring Dougal. “But I’ll talk to her, see if I can convince her because I can tell you aren’t going to change your course. You’ve already given your word to this girl?”