by Kimbra Swain
“Something fruity. Can you make an apple martini?” she asked with her soft uber-feminine voice.
“Sure thing. You got some I.D. on you? Sorry, I have to ask everyone,” he said.
“That’s no problem,” she opened her tiny clutch pulling out her driver’s license. Nestor showed me where to look on the I.D. to determine the persons age. The I.D. was issued in Ohio. She was twenty-three years old according to it. I imagined she was much older, but you never could tell with fairies.
“Thank you, Ma’am,” Nestor said handing it back to her. He showed me how to fix the drink even though I’d made lemon drops at home before I got hooked on the darker liquors.
I took it over to her, sitting it down on the bar. “Here you are. It’s a good drink. I used to drink them all the time,” I said.
She smiled. Around her neck hung a silver bead about the size of a marble, but it sparkled like a diamond. She took a sip, “Ah, yes, it is very good.” Her tiny hands grasped the drink as if it were her lifeline.
“What brings you to Shady Grove?” I asked.
“I hear this town is different,” she said.
“It’s unique. That’s for sure. I’m Grace,” I said, offering my hand.
“Hi, Grace. I’m Misaki. You are the one they speak of, right?” she said, shaking my hand. Her grip, if you could call it that, was clammy and delicate.
“Depends on what they say,” I teased.
She smiled, but her eyes didn’t show it. “You are a protector. Yes?”
“Of those who need it. I am. Well, at least I try. It’s kind of a new gig,” I said.
“And you are bartender?” she asked.
I chuckled. “Actually, it’s my first day. My grandfather owns the place, and I needed something to do.”
“Ah. I see,” she said as her finger twirled around the edge of the glass of bright green liquid. “I am in need of protection.”
“You are welcome here in Shady Grove. Where are you staying?” I asked.
“In motel,” she responded showing the first sign of broken English.
The Cahaba Motel was just down the street. It was the only one in town so I assumed that’s what she meant. “There are a few houses for rent around town. I’ll write down a few of them for you, if you plan on staying,” I said. “Do you work?”
“No, I have daddy’s money,” she replied.
“I know how that is,” I said.
“Your father is King?”
“Yes, but not here,” I replied.
“Daughter of King is a hard job,” she said.
“I take it you know that,” I replied.
“Yes, I know too well,” she said as she finished off the drink. “I have particular problem.”
“We all do, honey. What’s yours?” I asked.
“I cannot speak of it here. Perhaps we meet somewhere else later,” she said.
“Of course. Will you be okay until then?” I asked.
“Maybe. Maybe not,” she said.
Lordy mercy. Mo’ fairies, mo’ problems.
“Maybe you should stick around here. The peanuts are free. Or you could go over to the diner. Betty and Luther are familiars. Damn good food, too,” I replied.
I looked up to see that someone else had entered the bar. My bard, Levi, and his raging hormones locked eyes with the beautiful girl. His jaw dropped. He wore a long sleeve t-shirt, a Kevlar motorcycle jacket and a pair of jeans that hung low on his hips. Even though Levi was only half fairy, his looks definitely came from his father’s side of the family. Dark blue brooding eyes and scruff on his chin made all the girls swoon. I bought him a Harley for Christmas, upping his hot factor. The damn thing scared me to death, but I knew he wanted one.
“Levi, you are drooling,” I said.
He put his hand to his chin, then realized I was joking. “Shut-up, Grace.” He stalked over to where Remy and Niles were chatting with Nestor, but kept looking at us. Could that boy be any more obvious? God bless it.
“He should be punished for his disrespect,” she muttered.
“Ah! That’s just Levi. He’s my bard. I make him pay on the regular,” I said.
“Oh, he is your sex slave,” she said.
“Oh, no! Not like that. I just give him hell,” I said. I couldn’t wait to rib Levi about that one. My sex slave. I suppose I could include that in his list of duties. Dylan would likely object.
“He deserves lashes,” she replied.
“We don’t do lashes around here. Besides, he might like that kind of thing,” I said.
Finally, she blushed catching my meaning. I looked back at Levi when she did, and a pretzel fell out of his mouth.
“He is staring,” she said.
“Well, Misaki, you are a beautiful girl. Levi likes beautiful girls. He’s harmless though, unless you don’t want him to be,” I said. “In fact, if you need someone to keep an eye on you until we can talk, he would fit the bill.”
“Fit what bill?” she asked.
I reckoned she’d not heard southern speech before and probably only caught on about half of what I was saying along the way.
“I meant that if you needed protection, someone to look out for you, that Levi would be happy to do it,” I said. “Maybe he could show you around town.”
“Um, I do not know him,” she said. I realized she definitely wasn’t going to go for the bodyguard route. “I will stay here if that is okay.”
“Sure honey. You are safe here. You want another drink?” I asked.
“Yes, please,” she replied.
I walked back over with the empty glass. “She wants another,” I told Nestor.
He pulled a fresh glass as I bent over the small sink to wash the glass. “My god, she’s an angel,” Levi purred.
“Levi, if you don’t stop fucking her with your eyes, she’s going to run. She says she needs help. Now quick gawking,” I scolded him.
“I’m not fucking her with my eyes,” he protested.
“Yeah, you are,” Remy said.
“Fuck off, Remy,” Levi spouted.
Remy and Niles laughed, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“How’s Kady?”
“Fuck you too, Grace,” Levi said, stomping out of the bar. Even Nestor chuckled at poor Levi. He brooded on the regular. Hell, if he wasn’t brooding, I’d think he was sick.
“Let me go catch him,” I said. Nestor nodded.
I ran out of the bar as he put his helmet on. He’d climbed on to the denim blue Harley.
“Hey, what’s going on?” I asked.
He hung his head. “I’m really done this time,” he said.
“With her?” I asked.
“Yes, I can’t do anything right,” he replied.
“Honey, she does nothing but torture you. Frankly, I think I am the only one allowed to do that. What happened this time?” I asked.
“I forgot our monthiversary,” he said.
“Montha-what?”
“Apparently, we’d gone a whole month without breaking up, and I forgot. She got me a pair of biker gloves. I didn’t know there was such a thing, Grace,” he whined twirling the fingerless gloves in the air.
“There isn’t. She made it up to make you feel bad. So, go buy her something,” I suggested.
“No, she said it was too late now.”
I grabbed his hand sending tingling wave of fairy touch through both of us. He shivered. “Levi, be done with it. Once and for all. There are other girls.”
“Yeah, like that one in there. Damn, Grace. She’s beautiful. What’s her story?”
“Fairy. Needs protection. Same song, different verse,” I said.
“I’ll protect her,” he said.
“I suggested that, but she seems a little skittish. Why don’t you just hold your horses on that one? I’ll let you know,” I said.
“Okay. I’m going to meet the furniture folks at the trailer. They should be there with my stuff,” he said.
“Alright. Be safe on that ho
g,” I said.
“I will,” he said firing up the guttural engine. As he pulled away, a red Camaro approached the bar. My heart flip-flopped.
Dylan stopped the car and climbed out. Long legs and sandy hair. Hot damn. Without a word, he wrapped me up in his arms, kissing me. “Yum. What did I do to deserve that one?”
“Uptown shopping for downtown business,” he said.
“Oh really?”
“Later,” he grinned. “What are you doing out here with Levi? It’s freezing.”
“The cold doesn’t bother me,” I said. He smirked.
“It does me,” he said pulling me back into the bar. His eyes locked on Misaki. Stopping in his tracks, his body tensed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Thunderbird warning went off in my head,” he said. I’d learned more about his Thunderbird heritage over the last month. The Phoenix in him allowed him to use fire magic and rise from the dead. The other part of him was a protector much like the role I now found myself in. Keeping the law and protecting his people. He made me want to be a better person. I thought about the last few years as I worked with him. He was an excellent lawman. I knew he missed it. Later this week, he would go to Montgomery to complete his private investigator license. I was happy to see that he would be getting back to something he loved, even though it would put him in danger. I’d realized though that with Shady Grove growing, we were in constant danger.
“She says she’s in trouble. Needs protection,” I said.
“Hmm,” he replied.
“Hmm, what?”
“Just think she may be the trouble,” he said.
“Most women are,” I replied.
“Don’t I know it!” he laughed kissing me on the cheek. “Now get around there and fix me a beer!”
I slapped him on the arm. “You are a butthole,” I said. When I turned away from him, he popped me on the ass. Spinning around on him, I paused because of the devious look on his face. He winked at me. The flush of embarrassment spread up my neck to my cheeks.
He leaned over to my ear. “You are so damn beautiful.”
“Okay. I forgive you,” I said.
“Howdy, Dylan,” Nestor said already cracking open a bottle of piss water.
“You keep that beer mouth away from me,” I told him.
“You sure about that?” he said, taking a swig.
“I’ll get back to you,” I said, returning to Misaki.
“He is your mate,” she said. She’d watched the whole exchange closely.
“Well, sometimes. When I claim him,” I joked.
She smiled. “I will claim him if you don’t.”
“Whoa there, honey, hands off my man,” I replied lightheartedly.
“You said sometimes,” she said watching Dylan.
I laid my hand on the bar, twisting my ring back and forth. “He gave it to me. I’m his. He’s mine. You will get used to me. I joke around a lot.”
“Still. He can protect me,” she said.
“Yes, he’s a protector, too,” I replied. “We have many in this town who are capable.”
“I want him,” she said. Perhaps she didn’t understand the concept that Dylan was my fiancé. A language barrier or cultural barrier. I wasn’t sure.
“Want him how?” I said.
“He must make me a baby,” she said.
“The fuck he will,” I said loudly. Nestor approached.
“Everything okay?”
“No, she wants Dylan to make her a baby,” I said.
“What?” he said.
“Look, Misaki, Dylan isn’t making babies with anyone but me,” I said.
“I am?” Dylan said.
“At least practicing,” I returned.
“He must take me before they arrive,” she said.
Fucking fairies. I hated this shit-town.
“Misaki, I’m Dylan Riggs. Perhaps you tell me what kind of trouble you are in, and we will see if we can help,” he said.
We’d moved her over to a small table where Dylan and I sat to talk to her. She seemed shy around him, but she was clearly attracted to him. I couldn’t blame her. Not just handsome, Dylan carried himself as the strong, silent fighter. If provoked, that façade faded into a burning fury.
“There is a man following me. He is my betrothed, but I want to choose my own mate. If I can procreate before he arrives, he will break off our engagement,” she said.
“You cannot guarantee that you will get pregnant,” I said.
“I will. My kind is always ready,” she said. “I would like Mr. Riggs to do it.”
Dylan put his hand over my arm to calm me. The last woman that even mentioned Dylan that way ate my fist. “Misaki, I am sorry, but that’s not possible.”
“She has not given you baby,” she said.
“There is a cultural difference that you do not understand,” he tried to explain. I seethed. Dylan did need an heir, and it wasn't like we were trying to prevent that from happening. It just hadn't yet.
“I will not settle for a half-breed,” she said.
“There are many fair-folk here, if this is truly what you want to do. We will introduce you to them,” Dylan said.
Her face crinkled. “I only have one day, then he will be here,” she said.
“What are you?” I dared to ask.
“I am Kitsune from Yokai traditions,” she said.
“Fox,” Dylan said.
“Yes,” she replied.
“Kitsune are usually old and wise. Forgive me but you seem young,” I said knowing a little about the Japanese fairy.
“I am unblemished,” she replied shyly.
I tilted my head sideways. A kitsune was a unique fairy especially for these parts, but a virgin, human or otherwise, was damn near an urban legend. “I wouldn't broadcast that honey. You'll have every man in the county ready to jump you.”
“Then perhaps I should tell them all,” she replied.
“Better not. There are a lot of fairies here and some lycans, but not all are as reserved as we are. I wouldn't want anyone to take advantage of you,” Dylan said.
“Who is coming? Another Kitsune?” I asked.
“No, he is a demon,” she replied.
“Oh, joy!” I said. “How did you become betrothed to a demon?”
“Demons are not always bad. Oni can be very good sometimes,” she said. “But I do not want to marry him.”
“Outside of impregnating you, is there another way?” Dylan asked.
“You could kill him,” she offered.
“I was thinking more like banishment like Levi’s demon,” I said.
“I will do some digging to get information about this type of demon. In the meantime, I can take you back to your hotel room,” Dylan offered.
“Wait, what?” I asked.
“Yes,” she purred, as if she had suddenly lost all innocence. She stood and walked to the door. Glancing back at Dylan, she fluttered her eyelashes. A fox skin purse would be nice.
I looked at Dylan pleading with him not to go. “Either you trust me or you don't, Grace,” he muttered.
“I trust you. I don't trust that,” I said pointing to the fox.
“I already have one sex crazed fairy. What would I do with two?” he smiled.
“Wear yourself out,” I attempted to joke.
His kissed me. “I'll be right back.”
“Call him,” Levi said, looking at his watch.
“No, he will think I don't trust him,” I replied.
Dylan left around lunch to take Misaki back to the hotel. Looking at the clock, my anxiety reached a new level. It was almost 6 p.m. The fairy council preliminary meeting was in an hour, and he hadn't returned. No call. Nothing.
“I'm driving down there,” Levi said, grabbing his helmet. He'd come by the bar for a cup of Nestor’s magical coffee. I'd already drank 3 cups.
“Levi, don’t,” I pleaded.
Ignoring me, he went out the door. I looked at my grandfather. “Call hi
m, Grace. Better if he's mad at you than something be wrong.”
Pulling out my cell phone, I dialed. It rang several times then went to voicemail. I dialed again.
“Grace,” he answered. “I’ll call you back.” He hung up.
“What the hell?” I said. “He hung up on me.”
“What did he say?” Nestor asked.
“Said he would call me back. Something is wrong,” I said.
Nestor sighed. “Wait for Levi to get back, then you two go over to the meeting.”
“I can't go without him!” I said.
“Grace, you took in this role before you and he were together. You can do it without him for one night until we can find out what's going on,” he said.
I took a glass, pouring Crown into it. Nestor shook his head as I threw it back. It burned, and my eyes watered. I coughed. It had been a while. Feeling it burn through my throat into my chest, I prepared myself for what I was sure would be a fairy circus. Contrary to his belief, my heart belonged to Dylan when I accepted this shit job. Even if I hadn’t admitted it yet.
“His car wasn't there,” Levi said.
“We gotta go. He answered the phone, so it's not like he's hurt or something. I'll deal with it later,” I said.
“You are freaking out,” Levi said as we walked into the community center. He left his bike at the bar, riding with me in Dylan’s truck.
“Doesn't matter,” I replied. We walked into a boisterous gathering of people. More than I imagined. “Goodness gracious.”
“I didn't know there were that many fairies in Shady Grove,” Levi said.
Looking around the room, I saw many people that I knew were fairies. Some I didn't know. There were a few lycans, like Sheriff Troy Maynard and his girlfriend Amanda Capps. Trying to gain confidence, I walked through the middle of the room to the front. Off to my left, Remington Blake stood next to Niles Babineau and his daughter.
“Settle down,” I said projecting my voice with a touch of power. The room silenced. “We are here this evening to discuss election for fairy council. There are a few things I want to say before we get started.”
Dylan and I had talked over the last few weeks about the possibilities of mayhem that could erupt in a meeting like this. So, we planned on setting some ground rules from the start. He was supposed to be here to help me keep the peace. The thought pressed on me that I would have to do it alone, and my confidence sank.