Tales of the Fae

by L. J. Hamlin

  Table of Contents

  Tales of the Fae

  Book Details

  Dedication

  Hearts in Motion

  Ode to the Forest Fae

  The Fae by the Lake

  About the Author

  Tales of the Fae

  L.J. HAMLIN

  A trio of tales about magic, faeries, and women falling in love...

  Hearts in Motion is the tale of a shy yeti shifter who prefers to keep to herself, and the faerie artist who coaxes her out...

  Ode to the Forest Fae is about a forest faerie who's woken up by a song, and intrigued by the stuttering girl singing it.

  The Fae by the Lake tells about a photographer who takes a tumble into a lake, and the intriguing creature who saves her life.

  Tales of the Fae

  By L.J. Hamlin

  Published by Less Than Three Press LLC

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the publisher, except for the purpose of reviews.

  Edited by Megan Derr

  Cover designed by Aisha Akeju

  This book is a work of fiction and all names, characters, places, and incidents are fictional or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is coincidental.

  First Edition June 2018

  Copyright © 2018 by L.J. Hamlin

  Printed in the United States of America

  Digital ISBN 9781684312825

  To all the magical women in my life, thank you, keep being exactly as you are

  Hearts in Motion

  Walking into the gallery, brightly lit with amazing art on the walls, Alice is almost glad she came. She can be a little bit of a hermit, and she likes her cabin in the woods. But her best friend, Bastian, had convinced her she would love this art show. Alice has always had a love for art.

  "So who are we here to see, again?" Alice asks.

  "An artist who draws nudes in nature. They're a fairy," Bastian says casually.

  Alice feels like she's been hit in the stomach. "What? Bastian, I never thought I'd hear you call a gay person that," Alice says, shaking.

  Alice had been friends with Bastian since elementary school. He stuck by her through the few hard times and was the cause of a lot of the good times, which was why thinking he'd used a gay slur had made her feel sick. Bastian was the first person she had come out to as a lesbian, and he'd never been mean about it before.

  "Oh, no. No, I'm sorry. She's a fairy, Alice. A real fairy, like I'm a real kitsune," Bastian explains, looking horrified at the confusion caused by his words.

  "She's one of the fae?" Alice asks, relieved. She herself is a shifter, but she's never met a fairy. Their small town by the forest attracts a lot of supernatural beings due to the energy of the forest, and they've made a safe community here, but Alice doesn't come into town much. She's sure otherwise she'd notice a fairy. Their kind are beautiful, often powerful, and not to be messed with.

  "Yes. Let me show you some of her art and then maybe introduce you," Bastian suggests. He still looks a little sheepish.

  "You know her?" Alice asks, following Bastian deeper into the rooms.

  "Did I not tell you? I've talked with her a few times."

  "You definitely didn't tell me," Alice says, but forgets why it matters as they come to another painting. She stops in her tracks.

  The painting is beautiful. It depicts a black woman lying nude in a bed of red flowers, petals all over her skin, the long lines of her arms and the curve of her hip all perfectly captured.

  "Do you like this one?" Bastian asks.

  "Yes. Her style is amazing. The woman looks alive and the flowers real." Alice isn't an art expert, but she can recognise skill when she sees it, and this artist is highly skilled.

  "This is why I spoke to her. I'm buying this piece. It's mine after the show," Bastian explains.

  "It'll look amazing in your home. Maybe I'll buy something, too. Can we look at the rest?" Slice asks.

  "Yes, let's look around."

  They move from beautiful painting to beautiful painting, some depicting women, other men, some androgynous figures, some leaving gender up to interpretation. It's clear the artist doesn't have a gender she won't capture in her work.

  Alice is gazing at a red-headed woman entwined with vines when she feels someone beside her, and she glances to the side and then looks again. The woman beside her is beautiful and makes Alice, with her brown braids and grey eyes and simple clothes, feel plain.

  This woman's long, flowing hair is pink, starting out a dark magenta at the roots and changing shade every few inches, getting lighter till it ends in a pale, cotton candy pink. Her eyes are a clear blue, her skin like porcelain, and she has a pair of gossamer wings growing out of her back, poking through slits in her simple but stunning forest-green dress.

  "Lily, so good to see you," Bastian says happily. He reaches past Alice and shakes Lily's hand. His skin is a few shades darker than Alice's skin from her Jewish heritage, and next to Lily, Bastian's skin looks even darker, and the fairy's skin seems to glow white.

  "Hello, Bastian. Who is your beautiful friend?" Lily asks, and Alice startles. She's no troll and has gotten attention from women before—and dated several in her thirty years—but Lily is gorgeous. And given how stunning all the subjects of her paintings are, it's hard to believe she'd see Alice as beautiful.

  "This is my very best friend, Alice. I'm sure she'll be too shy to say, but she loves your art," Bastian says, nudging Alice in the ribs.

  "Hello. Yes, it's my first time seeing it, but I'm very impressed." Alice manages to get her words out without sounding too much like a nervous child asking out their first sweetheart.

  "Thank you, Alice," Lily says, offering her hand, and Alice takes it. She doesn't think she imagines the sparks she feels.

  "I would like to draw you sometime," Lily says in a soft lilting voice. It's like music.

  "What, me? And like that?" Alice says looking to the perfect curvy redhead with a hand over her groin and arm over her breasts.

  "If you're not comfortable with nudity, we can work up to that. I'd be honoured to draw you," Lily says with a warm smile.

  "Now that's an offer you don't get every day," Bastian says with a smirk. He can be such a schoolboy at times.

  "Why don't you go get us some drinks from the bar, Bastian. Lily, what would you like?" Alice asks. She loves Bastian like a brother, but she's keen to get rid of him for a few moments.

  "A white wine pinot grigio, please," Lily says brightly.

  "And a beer pilsner for me. Off you go." Alice nudges Bastian, and he'd been raised with manners. He'd never refuse to get someone a drink who asked.

  Alice doesn't speak until after Bastian is out of earshot.

  "Do you really want to draw me?" Alice asks.

  "If you'd be comfortable enough. Not only is your physical presence impressive, I'd like to capture your energy, too. Not to be rude, but I can tell you're a shifter but not what kind?" Lily asks.

  "Um, I'm a Yeti shifter," Alice admits. Her kind is rare and often lives in isolation. Alice sometimes feels a little embarrassed by her other form. She's a myth to humans, something to be laughed at if you believe in them.

  "I have never drawn a yeti before." Lily sounds intrigued.

  "I've never met a fairy before," Alice says, surprised by the flirtation in her voice. She's attracted to Lily, an instant pull, but it's unlike her to flirt so soon or easily.

  "If I give you my number, could we arrange for me to draw you?" Lily asks.

  "I'm not sure. As much as being part of your art would be an honour, I'm a little shy," Alice admits.

  "You could use some silk to cover yoursel
f so that you're not completely nude. I don't wish for you to be uncomfortable, but I do think we could make something beautiful together," Lily says softly. She's not being pushy, and Alice has a feeling if she says no that Lily will still be kind and full of smiles. Alice might still have a chance with her. She doesn't want to say no, though. She wants to be daring.

  "I could do that. Do you have a cell phone, so I can give you my number?" Alice asks.

  "I do." Lily has a small bag with her, and she takes her cell phone from that and hands it to Alice, who programs her number and hands it back just as Bastian comes back over with their drinks.

  "Thank you," Alice says, taking her glass, trying to send the message with her eyes to Bastian not to make a big deal about her passing Lily back her phone.

  "Very kind of you." Lily takes her glass and sips daintily, the perfect cupid's bow of her mouth making Alice's stomach flutter.

  "How are you two getting on?" Bastian asks.

  "Very well, but I'm afraid I must work and talk to all the people here. I would much rather spend my time in your company. I'll try to see you both again before you leave." Lily smiles at them both, and when she walks away, she brushes her hand against Alice's fingers. She might be getting her hopes up, but she feels like Lily may well be interested in her as more than just an art subject.

  "Did I interrupt something?" Bastian asks.

  "No. Maybe. I don't know. She has my number, so it's in her hands." Alice thinks maybe it's better that way, as she would have driven herself insane deciding when the right time to call was. She knows there are rules when it comes to calling people when they give you their number, but she's never really known them.

  "You like her, though. That's why you gave her your number?" Bastian asks.

  "It might be nothing. She might just want to draw me. It looks like she likes to paint all kinds of body shapes and sizes, skin colours, hair. Maybe she just finds me interesting in that way." Alice sighs.

  "And what if it is more, and she's interested in you?" Bastian presses.

  "I'm not sure," Alice says, taking a sip of her beer.

  "You haven't had a date in a while." Bastian raises an eyebrow.

  "Hush. It hasn't been that long," Alice argues.

  "If you say so." Bastian smirks.

  "Come, let's look at more of the art," Alice says.

  They circle through the rooms a few times, and Alice catches flashes of pink hair and wings. Each time she feels a thrill.

  Eventually, though, she starts to get tired, and Bastian suggests leaving.

  Like she knows, Lily appears. "I wanted to see you before you left. Did you enjoy the show?" Lily asks.

  "Yes, everything was so beautiful," Alice says, and she speaks of more than the art.

  "I'll call you," Lily says and kisses Alice's cheek lightly in goodbye. Bastian says something about picking up his painting, and they leave. Alice still feels a little stunned from the simple kiss to her cheek. She'd swear she can still feel the pressure of lips on her skin.

  *~*~*

  The phone ringing surprises Alice. She'd been working, translating ancient manuscripts into other languages, and she'd been absorbed. She doesn't recognise the number on her phone and answers, hoping it isn't some scam call trying to sell her something or ask her if she's been in an accident.

  "Hello?" Alice asks.

  "Hello, this is Lily from the art show. Do you remember me?" Lily asks in her soft but slightly husky voice.

  It's been three days since the art show, and Alice has thought of little else, but she doesn't want to sound too keen and scare Lily off.

  "I remember you. Bastian told me he picked up his painting yesterday. He's still very impressed, as am I," Alice says, and she feels like she's in high school, trying to act cool on the phone to a cute girl.

  "Would you be free this week for me to take some sketches? I have a wonderful painting in mind if you still agree to sit for me," Lily says.

  "I work from home, so I can schedule things around you as I have no urgent deadlines at the moment. What day would be best for you, and where do you want to meet?" Alice asks, nervous and excited.

  "Bastian said you have a home in the forest. Could we meet there, if it's not imposing? It's just I love the forest so. To be within it while I draw, with the energy of nature around me, I would like that. Is tomorrow too soon?" Lily sounds genuinely pleased by the idea of a home in the forest. Alice is used to people complaining that her home is out of the way and hard to find and too far a drive.

  "I'd love that. I like the energy here, too." Alice can't believe that Lily is going to come to her house. She needs to clean up.

  "Can you send me directions?" Lily asks.

  "Yes, of course. I'll text them to you, but it's not too hard to find. It's the only house for miles," Alice replies.

  "I'll see you tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to drawing you," Lily says softly.

  Alice is about to say goodbye when she decides to be daring. If she doesn't say this now, she might never say it. "Would you like to have dinner while we're here?"

  "I'd love that. It's not too much trouble?"

  "No, I love to cook, and the company would be great. I'd like to hear more about you and your art." Alice almost bites through her lip, she's so worried about Lily's reaction.

  "I like to get to know all my muses. I'll admit you have me more intrigued than most. Is that okay to say? I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, especially if I'm going to be drawing you. I want you to be comfortable with me, but I believe in being direct, and I must say you fascinate me," Lily says, and Alice's heart does a weird flip in her chest.

  "So, we could consider tomorrow a sort of getting to know each other date as well as an art session?" Alice asks, and she actually crosses her fingers, hoping and wishing as hard as she can that things go her way.

  "I like the sound of that. Oh, one last request?" Lily asks, and Alice is so happy she's going to have to stop herself from agreeing to anything Lily asks. Alice has had some weird requests from dates before, especially when she tried online dating. She has friends who tried online dating, and it's worked wonders. They've even found their spouse. Alice was just unlucky. She got the strange people who asked for nudes ten times before they even said hello.

  "Um, of course?" Alice hopes she's not being a fool.

  "Could you wear your hair down for our session? I love the chestnut colour. I'd love to see it free." Lily sounds so relaxed and happy, it makes Alice feel more relaxed, too.

  "I can do that. What time do you want to meet tomorrow?" Alice asks.

  "Can we meet at eleven? I have a few errands to do in the morning, but I'll be on time," Lily says brightly.

  "Eleven is great. I'll see you then." Alice tries not to sound as giddy with excitement as she really is but doesn't want to sound too disinterested.

  "Tomorrow. I'll let you get back to your day," Lily says, and they say their goodbyes, even though Alice would happily stay on the phone.

  Once the call has ended, Alice saves Lily's number. Then she gets up and looks around her open-plan home. Everything but the bathroom and her bedroom are in one space, which makes it quite social but also means there's no place to hide any mess, so she has to clean properly.

  Her place isn't that messy, but Alice goes over everything, making sure there isn't dust or anything embarrassing on show, no pictures she doesn't want Lily to see on a first date. Alice goes back to her desk once she's happier with how her home looks and tries to resume working. It's hard to focus on the words with thoughts of Lily in her head, but she manages to regain her focus and get back to work.

  *~*~*

  The knock on the door startles Alice even though she's expecting Lily. She straightens her sweater and goes to answer the door. Lily's standing there, just as pretty as before, holding sketch pads and bags, lots of art supplies. Alice reaches out right away to help Lily get everything inside and set down, and then closes the door.

  "Hi. I'm glad
you got here okay," Alice says, hoping her smile isn't too dorky.

  "You sent good directions, and there are no other houses to get confused with close by. I have to say your house is in a beautiful spot and absolutely lovely," Lily says with a kind smile.

  "I love it out here," Alice says. This forest is her home. She can run in it in both her human and yeti form without people staring and taking pictures.

  "Should we set up in here? I have the silk and some extra cushions. I really like this space, it's so light and airy. I can see why you like it," Lily says, looking around the room and seeming impressed.

  "In here is perfect, but would you like a drink first? A coffee?" Alice asks, trying to remember her manners instead of just staring at Lily. She looks somehow at home in Alice's space, despite being more delicate and petite than Alice's taste in furniture and style.

  "I don't drink coffee, but a glass of water would be lovely." Lily starts to go through her bags.

  Alice goes and pours two glasses of water and sets them on the coffee table close to where Lily's arranging pillows and silk. She's a little like a whirlwind, always in motion, and Alice likes it. She likes how alive Lily seems to be, and she'd bet money that Lily always goes after what she wants without second guessing herself.

  "I, ah, guess I should undress?" Alice asks.

  "I have a robe you can wear while I'm not drawing so you don't get cold." Lily takes a robe out of the bag and hands it over.

  "I'll be right back," Alice promises. She goes to her bedroom, quickly undresses, and puts on the robe before joining Lily again, who seems to have mostly everything set up, sketchbooks and pencils, pillows and silk.

  "Thank you for wearing your hair down. It looks lovely. Are you ready to start?" Lily asks.

  "I think I'm ready," Alice says, coming closer to the nest of pillows on her floor.

  "Don't be nervous. Every person has a beautiful body. If you have scars or stretch marks or any part of your body you don't like, it won't bother me. Everything the goddess creates is beautiful as it is." Lily means her words. Alice can tell that Lily isn't just making platitudes to get her way.