by Amy Cissell
“My Lady,” he said. “I’d heard you might be in the area, but did not think I’d be so blessed to as to lay eyes on you myself.” He bowed and I stared, unsure of what to do. I didn’t realize my reputation had preceded me.
Finn elbowed me. I really needed a crash course on courtly manners, as other than the few times when the magic flowing through me provided me with answers, I generally had no idea what to do with bowing and scraping.
I cleared my throat. “Uhhh…it’s always good to meet a kinsman, no matter how remote the relationship might be. I was drawn to your shop as we drove through town, and now that we’re here, I know why. You do more than basic tattoos, don’t you?”
He looked up at me, still in a half bow. “Why, yes. I can give you almost anything you desire. A tattoo to draw men to you like moths to a flame. A ward of protection that should repel spells of harmful intent. Something to enhance your looks, perhaps?”
I decided against being offended that he thought my looks needed enhancing. Even though I was full-blooded Fae, I didn’t look anything like most of the Fae I’d seen so far. Not leafy enough, or tall enough, or willowy enough.
“No, but you honor me with your offer.” I searched my brain for how to say what I needed. The words came to me, “I need you to pull out the spirit and make it flesh.” No idea what that meant, but it sure sounded good.
The Fae clapped his hands together. “Excellent! I haven’t done a transformation marking in hundreds of years! I need time to prepare. Can you come back on Friday morning? I’m closed Fridays and Saturdays, and it will take the entirety of two days to complete.”
“Two whole days? Will there be breaks?”
He waved a little distractedly. “Of course. You can get up to relieve yourself when you have need, and I’ll have water and light refreshments available. Now, before you go, may I touch you?”
I aimed my best side-eye at him.
“I need to get a sense of what needs to be revealed.”
I nodded my agreement, and he ran his hands lightly over my visible skin.
Whatever he sensed caused him to start and give me a fearful glance. “There it is,” he said, his voice less sure now. “I’ll see you Friday morning at eight.”
We drove back towards the campground, stopping to pick up pizza. Isaac shook his head sadly. “When this is over, I hope you spend a solid month making up for the abuses you’re delivering to your stomach. Nothing but salads and fresh fruits for you.”
Finn laughed. “Don’t blame the quest for her steady diet of pizza and fast food. The only times in the last few years she hasn’t eaten take-out for dinner is when I’ve cooked for her.”
“Pizza is delicious and it covers all the major food groups. It’s practically a health shake. I’m immortal—or nearly so—so why does it matter? It’s not like I’m going to clog my arteries.”
“Bad health may not kill you directly, but the healthier you are, the more fit you are. If you’re fit, you’re faster, more agile, and have greater endurance. That makes you harder to kill.” Finn in lecture mode never ceased to make me roll my eyes.
I pulled my shirt up. I’d all but forgotten how I’d sliced up my stomach the day before. The wounds had been pretty superficial, but there had been a lot of them.
I ran my hand over my skin. My stomach was smooth and unmarked, not even a visible healing scab or light scar.
I glanced over at the guys. They both had nearly identical quizzical expressions. “I cut myself yesterday when I was practicing air magic,” I explained. I told them about my new skills with invisible tornadoes and short-lived but awesome air swords.
“Very cool,” Finn said. “Were you able to practice constricting a shield around someone to cut off their air supply?”
My stomach lurched with the memory of the tree Fae I’d recently killed. “No. God, Finn. Why would you bring that up?”
“It was effective. You could use it again.”
“Are you volunteering to be my practice partner?” I asked, trying to keep my voice level.
“Too bad we don’t have a friendly vampire,” Isaac said, breaking the tension. “That’d be the perfect person to experiment on. He’d be able to tell you if it worked, and you wouldn’t have to worry about hurting him.”
I looked sideways at Isaac. “A friendly vamp? Does that exist?”
“There are vampires who’re less about the whole-sale slaughter of humans for their blood. Many drink enough to thrive and don’t drain their victims. In fact, they have symbiotic relationships with their meals, lending longevity, influences, and financial assistance to people who would otherwise have few opportunities in life.”
This was shaping up to be an educational afternoon.
“Do you know any?” I asked.
“I’ve met a few, been involved with one—not that I’d call her friendly.” His face was shuttered.
Again, I chose the path of least emotion. “Involved? You had sex with a vampire?”
“We were a couple for almost a year.”
“How did you meet? Why’d you break up? Where was this?”
Isaac answered my questions, but I could tell it was making him uncomfortable. “We met in Portland—I’ve lived there for decades. She tried to glamour me into agreeing to be a meal, which was rather ridiculous as shifters are notoriously hard to enthrall. She was intrigued by my resistance; I was intrigued by her good looks and stamina. We started seeing each other and eventually moved in together. We broke up for the usual reasons. She wanted more than I could give.”
“You didn’t love her?” I asked.
Isaac laughed, but it sounded forced. “I did a little, I suppose. That’s not what I meant, though. She wanted more blood than I was willing to give. I refused to bond with her in the manner in which she preferred—she wanted a Renfield and I wanted a partnership. I didn’t need her blood to extend my life, and I preferred to maintain my autonomy.”
“How’d she take it?”
“Not well.” He turned away from me, signaling the end of that conversation.
We pulled into the parking spot at our campground. I dished out the pizza while Isaac opened beers.
“Can we talk about plans?” I asked.
“Could you be more specific?” Finn asked.
“Sure.” I swallowed a bite of pizza and washed it down with my beer. “Other than knowing that I’m getting a magic tattoo on Friday and Isaac is going walkabout Monday, what are we doing?”
“Are you worried you’re going to get bored?” Finn asked.
“I get twitchy when there’s too much down time. I don’t want to be unproductive, but I don’t know how to be productive.”
Isaac said, “I’m hoping that we’ll hear from Florence by the end of the week. Learning more about managing your existing powers and figuring out ways to mitigate the catastrophes inherent in triggering a huge magic influx should keep you busy for at least a week.”
“Just a week?”
He laughed. “That could be the answer to your question. If Florence agrees to help you, that will take up a great deal of the time between the full moons. The equinox is right after my September vacation, so once I’m back we’ll need to be ready to open the gate and leave. While I’m gone, you and Finn will need to get everything ready to go and narrow down the locale so that you’re in the right place at the right time.”
I relaxed. A tentative plan was better than no plan, and they were right. It was going to take time to work with Florence if—when—she agreed to help. I refused to think of the alternatives at this point.
As usual, I was the last to wake. I skipped outside and snagged my waiting coffee.
“Good morning!” I was remarkably cheerful for a pre-caffeinated Eleanor. “I’m going to take a shower. Be right back.”
I grabbed my toiletries bag and headed to the bathroom. The urge to whistle overcame me, but after a couple breathy, out-of-tune bars, I contented myself with humming a jaunty little tune.
&nbs
p; When I got back to the cabin, I refilled my coffee and dug into the food. When I looked up, Isaac and Finn were both staring at me.
“What?” I asked after swallowing a mouthful of buttery, delicious grits.
“You seem…” Isaac started.
“…happy,” Finn finished.
“Do you object to me being happy?” I snagged a piece of bacon from Finn’s plate. He swatted at me but was too slow. I grinned triumphantly.
“Of course not,” Finn said. “It’s not your usual morning demeanor.”
“How could I not be cheerful? Wonderful sunrise, wonderful breakfast, coffee that is wonderfully hot and caffeinated…it’s going to be a wonderful day.”
This time I snitched a piece of bacon from Isaac’s plate. He was ready for me, though, and grabbed my hand. I looked up at him, widening my eyes in an attempt to look innocent and winsome. When that didn’t work, I leaned forward until my cleavage threatened to spill out of my low-cut tank top and pulled my lower lip between my teeth. “Can I please have this piece of bacon, Isaac?” His eyes went from my hand to my chest, and when he was distracted, I grabbed my loot with my free hand and crammed the purloined bacon into my mouth.
He laughed in defeat and let go of me. “You’re generally adorable, but cheerful morning Eleanor is a wee bit evil.”
I swallowed my stolen goods and scooted over on the picnic bench until my thigh was pressed up against his. I leaned in, intentionally showing the cleavage again, and then reached up and kissed him. I’d meant for a light, teasing kiss, but he had other ideas. Before I knew what had happened, he’d pulled me into something deeper.
“This isn’t the best place for this,” I whispered against his mouth.
“You’re right,” he replied. He showed off his preternatural speed by grabbing me, picking me up, and getting us into the cabin in record time.
He tossed me onto the bed and pulled my jeans off in one smooth movement. My long-sleeved shirt went next, and then my tank top and panties were unceremoniously removed. His clothes followed suit, and then he was on me. He entered all the way to the hilt and barely paused to let me get used to the feeling before he was moving against me, thrusting into me over and over until I could barely breathe. I came rapidly, and the moment my first orgasm faded, he pulled out and flipped me over. He pushed me up onto my knees and filled me again. He rested one hand on my hip and snaked the other around and under me. He pulled at a nipple, pinching and rolling it between his fingers, and then moved down to rub my clit with the same rhythm he was pounding into me. My second orgasm to hit moments later, and this time, he let himself go, too.
I lay boneless on the bed beneath him until he slowly pulled out, leaving me empty and aching. He trailed kisses down my back and bit my ass cheeks gently before moving to lie beside me. I snuggled my head onto his shoulder and gazed at him. His eyes were streaked with yellow. “If that was my punishment for stealing your bacon, I’ll be doing a lot more of that in the future.”
He smiled at me, tilted my chin up, and kissed me. That kiss, like many of his kisses, conveyed more than affection and lust. It evoked feelings of longing and completion and regret.
“Sorry,” he said, not sounding even a tiny bit repentant.
“No complaints from me.”
“I mentioned before that my control leading up to the full moon isn’t perfect, right?”
I nodded.
“One of the reasons shifters—wolves anyway—run in packs is because the pack helps your control. A good Alpha is important. He has to have enough control for himself and his entire pack.”
“He?” I interrupted. “Aren’t there female Alphas?”
“Not often, although it’s not unheard of.”
“The Alpha exerts enough control so that his—or her—pack can…absorb it and secrete it back out, magnifying the effects. A large pack with a great Alpha will seldom have control issues. Since I’ve been away from my pack for the last three weeks, I have to rely solely on myself for this control. And although I’m strong, my control hasn’t been great lately.
“My control is faltering right now, which is why I need to be away from you for the full moon. A chase like you gave me last month would end differently now.”
I wrapped my arm around his waist and pressed into the hard lines of his body. I knew, whether or not he believed it, that he would never hurt me. But if going away for three days gave him peace of mind, I wasn’t going to argue. At least, not this time. I trailed light kisses across his collarbone before asking, “Why do I make your control so shitty? Is there something I can do differently?”
He groaned as I resumed my kisses across his skin. My hand grazed across his abdomen, and I ran my fingers through the hair on his stomach.
“I don’t think there’s anything you can—or should—do. You challenge me at every turn with your intellect and wit, and you tempt me with your body. You steal food from my plate—which you shouldn’t ever do to another shifter.”
“I only steal food from those I like best.”
“And do you?”
“Do I what?”
“Do you like me best?”
We were entering territory I wasn’t ready to explore. I tried to move away but his arm became an immovable force. I wasn’t ready for this conversation, especially not with Finn sitting right outside. I decided to equivocate.
“I like you immensely. But we’ve only known each other for a month. How can we know if it’s anything more than passing attraction?”
Isaac started to answer, but I stopped him with a kiss. Then I slid my hand down from his stomach and grasped him firmly. Recent exertions aside, he began to harden immediately. “I’m not saying I don’t want to know; I just don’t want to know right now. I’m not ready to have this conversation.” I slid down his body, went to my knees, and took him in my mouth.
He gasped and grabbed my head with both hands. “This isn’t over, Eleanor.”
I pulled up and let my lips rest on the tip, flicked my tongue on the underside of the head of his cock, and then replied, “It is for today.” I resumed my attentions. A few minutes later, he came, and after I swallowed every last drop, he rolled me over and dove between my legs. His tongue licked the full length of me, and his fingers came up to delve my depths. Moments later, I was coming in his mouth and screaming his name.
This time, there was no post-coital cuddling. I hopped out of bed and began to dress. Isaac watched but made no move to follow suit.
“Aren’t you going to get dressed?”
“I wanted to give you a chance to go talk to Finn before I joined you. You know he’s not okay with this.”
I sighed. I was not looking forward to another uncomfortable conversation. Sometimes adulting sucked. I might be willing to take on the responsibility of being Fae royalty and making decisions that could catastrophically affect two worlds, but relationship conversations? That was hard.
I walked outside anyway. Finn was sitting at the picnic table and all evidence of breakfast was cleaned up and put away.
“Feel better?” he asked.
“I feel pretty good,” I answered. I wasn’t sure where this was going, but I knew it wasn’t going to be a fun trip.
“I bet you do.”
I took deep breath and attempted to rein in my anger. I could feel myself heating up and didn’t want to find out if I could set him on fire with my brain. Yet. I sat down next to him and grabbed his hand. He tried to pull away from me, but I wouldn’t let go.
“Look at me, Finnegan.” He did. “What’s wrong? We’ve been over this…fixed it.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “We have been over it, and it should be fixed.”
“Then, what’s going on?” I had a pretty good idea but was hoping I was wrong.
“I felt a little left out this morning. I never get one-on-one time with the wolf.”
I sighed in relief. If he was making jokes, we weren’t going to have to have the real conversation. Unless…
“You’re kidding, right? You’re not really harboring a secret desire for Isaac, are you?”
He laughed, and it almost sounded genuine. “I definitely do not want sweaty, naked time with him.”
“Glad to hear it,” Isaac said. His sudden presence startled me. “You’re not my cup of tea, either. Not that you’re not a fine specimen of elfhood, but you’re lacking that key something that makes my heart go pitter pat.”
“Boobs,” they both said at the same time and then laughed.
“Men.” I shook my head and did my best to sound disgusted.
Chapter Fourteen
THE TRIP WENT smoothly. We stopped for five-cent coffee at Wall Drug. I wandered through the maze of shops, a little weirded out that this was a major tourist attraction advertised on billboards all over the world.
We followed signs to the Badlands, and I watched, fascinated, as the landscape became less “cattle range in a Western” and more “alien planet.” The multi-colored rock formations were breathtaking and a little frightening. I could see how the park had earned its moniker—no water sources to speak off and treacherous terrain. It was eerily beautiful. We pulled over at the first scenic overlook we encountered.
“We need to stay here for at least a week,” I said. “She’s going to want to fly.”
They both went completely motionless, as they did when I said something odd. It was almost as if they were afraid any movement would startle me, like one of Isaac’s unlucky jackrabbits, and I’d bound away before finishing my magic-threaded thoughts.
“Ellie?” Finn asked. “Who wants to fly?” He sounded so uncertain that I almost laughed.
“The dragon. And don’t bother asking more questions. I can’t answer anything else.”
“That will certainly make lighting fires on damp nights easier,” Isaac said. “I’ve never met a dragon before. I hope she won’t need to share a tent with us.”
I smiled at him and took a step forward, forgetting for a moment our third wheel. Before we locked lips, I remembered Finn, cursed myself for forgetting and the situation in general, and then said, “Let’s find our campground so we can get set up and do some exploring.”