by A. B Lee
“Well at least stick insects don’t find me attractive, unlike Piper,” Bree shot her a look and Piper raised just one eyebrow in return.
“Hey, I get stick insects and she gets wolves…” Piper pointed at me and I lost my sense of humour again. I groaned.
“Come on, Jazz. It’s not like the end of days. You’ll have a mate, you’ll still have us…” Bree offered trying to sound upbeat.
“And if that isn’t good enough, you’ll still have the choice to walk away,” Piper offered, “only by then you’ll be all loved up and fat with baby Fae-wolves.”
“You had to go and spoil it,” I groaned again and Bree helped me out by elbowing Piper in the ribs.
“Ouch!” Piper scowled at her, “be nice or else.”
“Or else what?” Bree giggled.
“I know where your secret stash of chocolate is hidden.” Piper grinned and Bree scowled.
“Do not.”
“Do too,” Piper sniped back, and I was done hoping for my little bit of peace and quiet.
“I’m off…” I announced as I spread my rainbow wings and fluttered away from the branch.
“Where?” Bree asked hopeful.
“Trinket duty. I didn’t get to do it earlier,” I lied, not about not doing it, but about where I was going. I just wanted a little solitude to lick my wounds. I know they meant well…
“Want a hand?” Piper asked and I had to frown. If Piper was offering to help do any duty that wasn’t her own, then things had to look bleak.
“No thanks,” and I was gone. Feeling the last of the summer sun on my wings and the breeze beneath them as I travelled over the land, over my mate and his kin, and further out into the Glen. Leaving my troubles behind me- for now.
CHAPTER FIVE
~
SETH
In my world a mate was a blessing, was everything, and more. We searched, we waited, we hoped, and sometimes we resigned ourselves to the fact that we would never find our mate, our true love- the one that Fate and Destiny had intended for us. Now I had found my mate and she had wholeheartedly rejected me.
A Fae, a Faerie. Of all the things- of all the people, supernatural or otherwise that Fate could have given to me as my one true love- she was a Faerie.
Mischievous, reckless, sometimes wicked, sometimes a blessing- Faeries were notorious for being unpredictable, and I never would have predicted this in a million years.
When my kind dreaded the thought of getting a witch for a mate- that was nothing compared to getting a Faerie. Now, I had one, a damn Fae mate, and she had run away, or flown- definitely vanished into thin air.
I was being stupid to think that the three of us, two of my pack, one the alpha, could be out in the Glen and stumble across the Faerie Realm. Not that it mattered, we couldn’t enter. I couldn’t go storming in and carry her off to woo her- but I guessed they were humouring me, buying time, making me feel as if there was hope.
Jazz was gone and I was looking at standing stones and balancing rocks for clues to where she had run off to.
I was a prime example of an idiot for all to see.
“How many moons until the solstice?” Robert asked and my ears pricked up. I knew the answer to this, we all did, but my mind couldn’t focus on anything material.
“Three,” Finlay answered for me.
I shot him a look from beneath my furrowed brow and he appeared calm and collected. It was a lot more than I felt.
If I didn’t find my mate. If I couldn’t woo her to be mine then I would be lost. Not as in; I didn’t know where I was, but as in; I’m going to rip, tear, and bite everyone in my damn path as I spiral towards insanity.
A rogue wolf, me, Mr Dependable, becoming one of the things that I hated most in my world. A killer without conscience. A mindless beast akin to a werewolf- only satisfied in my bloodlust- maybe not even then.
I had to find my mate before the urges started to take over, becoming more wolf than human, just a shift away from staying in my wolf form until I died. I would die. My pack would see to that- Finlay would see to that personally, and if it had been any other wolf I would do the same.
Innocents were to be protected at all costs. Now they would need to be protected from me. Damn.
“So, we have three nights to prepare the pack to run the land until we find the Faerie Realm, simple,” Robert offered me a smile but it was frayed at the edges and I could see that in his eyes he didn’t believe it to be simple.
“Simple? Have you forgotten what happens on the night of the solstice?” I shot back.
“Witches, Warlocks, fires on the land, naked humans jumping over them…” Robert knew full well what I was talking about, what he wasn’t saying...
“And vampires coming out of the damn woodwork for whatever reason… we stay inside,” I told him.
I wouldn’t have my pack out there searching on my behalf when they could run into vampires.
“I could tell you the reason.”
The voice was sweet, low, like a whisper on the wind. I looked around, sniffed the air, but there was nothing that I could actually see, smell, or touch.
“Was that just me…?” I had to ask, but as I turned my eyes to the others, they were looking too.
“I heard it,” Robert confirmed. Thank God I wasn’t already going insane.
“Yep. Me three,” Finlay had a growl in his voice as his beast paid attention.
“Go ahead, tell me the reason.” I could only try.
Then- out of nowhere and in human form, stood a woman- not six feet away from us. Short and rounded where it mattered the most- at the breasts and hips- she was attractive, with dark hair and darker eyes that sparkled with mischief and amusement. Faerie.
I could have tried to catch a hold of her and keep her tethered to this realm, and yet- she had come of her own free will, and boy, could I use the help.
“Vampires hunt on that night.” The woman shrugged her shoulders. She was a lot curvier than I’d expect a Faerie to be, and it looked good on her. “I’m Bree.”
My heart hit my ribcage. “You were with Jazz,” I stated the obvious and the light of mischief shone even brighter in her eyes as she gave me a dazzling smile.
“Yep, she’s a friend, a best friend,” Bree said, all bubbly in spirit. I nodded.
“Don’t suppose you want to take me to her?” I had to ask. She gave me a sympathetic smile.
“Can’t. She’s in my world, and you’re a little big,” she chuckled.
The sound of her laughter was kind of catching- soothing- like everything was going to work out. That was more than I could hope for, but I did have a real life Faerie in front of me and I knew that I needed to take advantage of that.
“Ok, so what can you do to help me?”
“Hmm, not much right now,” Bree admitted, looking a little downcast. “But, you’re right about the solstice.”
“Is this where your realm starts?” I pointed to thin air.
“Nope. It’s a little over there,” Bree pointed to more thin air.
“And so, if I come here on the night of the solstice…” I asked and shut up when she started to shake her head, now she looked really downcast and a little worried.
“You were right about that too. It’s not a good idea to be anywhere near our realm on a solstice, or an Equinox…” she turned up her nose at the thought.
“Why?” Finlay was trying not to growl at the Faerie. I could hear it rumble in his tone but I guess he didn’t want to scare her away.
“He was right about that too,” she offered another shrug, “vampires.”
“But, if I’m in your realm…” I asked and she was already shaking her head again.
“That’s why the vampires come,” she half whispered as if it was a secret. I was lost. I had no clue as to what she was talking about. “They come for us. We taste really good, apparently.” She gave a slightly hysterical chuckle.
That shocked the hell out of me. My stomach twisted at the thought of Ja
zz anywhere near a damn vampire hunting or not, or even Bree- she looked kind of- butter wouldn’t melt- nice, and with that bubbly personality- but with the Fae looks could be deceptive.
“They come to feed?” Robert scowled at the thought.
“Oh no, well, they might have a quick bite,” Bree offered, “but they come to take us.”
Bree couldn’t believe that they didn’t know, it showed on her face. How could anyone not know what the vampires did to the Fae?
“To take you where?” Robert asked, just as confused as I was.
“Away,” she shrugged, “I don’t know where. Different places. They keep us as blood slaves, tethered to the Earth so they can feed. We make them stronger.”
“Why do you let that happen?” Finlay growled this time, but it wasn’t a warning for the Faerie, more out of annoyance at her words.
“During those times, we have no real powers, no real magic. We fight as human, we are as human as…” she frowned, “well, not you…” Then shrugged again.
“So, the Fae are helpless?” Finlay scowled at the thought. It was so wrong that he couldn’t understand how it would be allowed to happen.
“Yes, well no,” she scowled and shook her head, “our queen is a warrior and she leads our people against the vampires, but sure, pretty helpless sometimes.”
“Are many taken?” I asked.
“Not- many, enough,” she looked sad and I hated that I’d wiped that smile off of her face.
“And Jazz,” I cleared my throat at the thought of her fighting off vampires with no damn magic. “Does she fight?”
“Sure. For a couple of years, since she reached the age, but…” she looked a little perkier, “maybe if she was already mated to you, she wouldn’t have to. You could take her away and keep her safe.”
“She rejected me.”
That felt like a blow to the balls just to say it aloud. Bree looked sympathetic, but hopeful.
“Then woo her,” she shrugged again.
“How can I woo her if I can’t find her?”
“Valid question,” Bree frowned and her eyes searched the grass at her feet, “I don’t know.”
“Will you help him?” Finlay asked and I felt my throat tighten as it dried out while I waited for her reply.
“I could- maybe- do something,” she frowned harder.
“Maybe talk to her,” Robert offered.
“Oh, I did that, we all did that- she’s not… happy,” Bree looked contrite, “sorry.”
“To have me as her mate,” I filled in the gaps.
“Anyone, really.” She fidgeted on her feet and looked anywhere but at me. Yep, I’d hit the nail on the head.
“Liar,” I called it.
“Yep,” she grimaced. I grunted then sighed.
“If I can’t speak with her…”
“Yeah, well, you did kind of… anger her. You brought out her…” she stopped and frowned hard looking for the word.
“Bitch,” Robert shrugged and Bree chuckled.
“She can be, but she can also be very sweet, and caring- and a good friend,” Bree gave me another sympathetic look and I sighed inwardly.
“I just need to woo her,” I explained.
“I know. But from what is saw, you’re not very good at it.”
I opened my mouth to speak and Robert’s laugh boomed out into the air around us. I growled at him, and he coughed into his hand and looked apologetic and sheepish.
Bree chuckled. “I’m sure you can do better,” she offered, and Robert sniggered this time.
“I’m sure I can.”
“But he needs to see her,” Finlay said and I concurred.
“Maybe- not,” Bree turned her head and looked up at a nearby tree. I got it right away.
“Is she here?” I snapped out.
“Not right now, but she was watching you a little while ago,” she offered and my heart hit my ribs again. I had to wonder what I was doing, saying? Damn, had I been growling and cursing? “I think she might come back again, she seemed- intrigued.”
Hope. I felt a little chink of hope within me. I guessed I hadn’t completely scared her away after all.
“Then I’ll stay.”
“We all will,” Finlay offered.
Bree’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Then, maybe I’ll go tell her that I’ve been watching you and that you’re still here.”
“Thank you,” I offered and it was heartfelt. She smiled again.
“Nooo problem, just- don’t growl as much as you do- for a while.”
Then she was gone with just a small jump into the air, and I was left wondering if my mate could see me now. I pulled myself to my full height and stuck out my chest… it couldn’t hurt.
CHAPTER SIX
~
JAZZ
I wasn’t interested in pretty little trinkets. Not today, not now, maybe not ever again. Although, I guessed even if I lost my right to be a Faerie, my wings, and my magic, I would still be drawn to pretty, shiny things. It was in my nature, a part of me and we couldn’t deny ourselves, even to ourselves.
No, I was bothered by other events, namely my mate. He’d been searching for me, and I had to wonder how much of that had been out of a sense of self preservation. Not wanting to go rogue was a powerful motivator.
Still, the thought that someone cared was different. I know I had my mother and my best friends, our people had a strong sense of community, but this felt different, and whatever his reasons or motivations- he was still searching.
It tugged on my guilt complex. Yes, I had guilt, didn’t everybody? I wasn’t a complete psycho-bitch, even if I had acted like one- but I’d like to see how anyone else would react to having a shifter mate- swoon- not at first, I’m betting.
“Thought you were doing trinket duty,” Bree fluttered to a sitting position beside me on the rock. The water looked almost magical in the sunlight as it rippled and bobbed along at a gentle pace. This was my kind of shiny, with the glistening beams of sunlight kissing the pale blue of the Loch.
I deliberately didn’t turn my head to look at her. “I needed to think. I needed to wonder if I was making a mistake over the whole mating thing,” I admitted.
“You are, but you don’t need us telling you that, you’ll figure it out for yourself soon enough.”
Bree sounded so self-assured that it made me a little jealous. I’d been that way not an hour earlier and now I was second, and third, guessing myself.
I couldn’t contain the sigh within me, sadness was a cruel thing. This morning I’d been blissfully unaware of my mate’s existence, and blissfully happy, now life looked a lot gloomier, and on such a beautiful day- it was a real sin.
I nudged her in the ribs and heard her expel a harsh breath. “Go on then, what would you do?” I asked.
“Not elbow my best friend for a start,” Bree scowled. I didn’t even need to look at her to know, we’d been friends our whole lives and I knew her better than she knew herself.
If I were completely honest, I even knew her answer to my question before she spoke it.
“I’d talk to him, get to know him, and go from there.” That wasn’t the answer that I was expecting.
“Liar.” I challenged her, turning to catch the grimace on her face before she killed it.
“M-a-y-b-e.” Bree was thinking, playing for time. I had her now.
“You’d jump in with both feet and mate the guy,” of that I was sure.
“Not… ok,” she huffed, “you’re probably right, but the ending would be the same, no?” She flashed me a smirk
I didn’t feel much like smiling. “But he’s a shifter,” I protested with more than a little whine in my tone.
“Yes, all those muscles,” Bree got a sparkle in her eyes and I wanted to groan. The woman was in love with the thought of being in love- reality just might shatter the illusion for her if she found a shifter mate.
“Geez, Bree, a handsome face and a sexy body doesn’t mean-” I stopped right ther
e when she gave me that look, a huge grin on an excited body as she looked like she was going to burst if she didn’t get out what she was thinking, “Go ahead, spill.”
Bree started to clap her hands with excitement, “you said a sexy body, that means you’re attracted to him, therefore-”
I raised my hand to silence her words but she was still fidgeting like she had ants in her panties.
“I’m not blind, Bree, the man is…”
“Handsome…” Bree grinned like she’d just found the world’s biggest diamond.
“Sure.” I gave her that one, after all, I’d already said it.
Bree’s hands started to clap double time again, like she was overdosed on sugar or something. “S-e-x-y…” she grinned wildly, her eyes flashing fire.
“Yep, that too-”
“See!” Bree exclaimed, “You like him.”
“That’s taking A and B and coming up with Zee!” I snorted.
“What’s wrong with missing a few steps along the way, saves time and the effort of denial?”
“You wouldn’t say that if I was making chocolate cake.” I shot back and watched her deflate for a moment.
“True, but this is love, not baking, and fate has already mixed the ingredients for a perfect match.” Bree gave me a sly smile.
“Perfect? Hardly.” I snorted again. Then I felt another sigh come over me and I let it out.
“He’s still down there looking for you.” Bree offered.
“Show’s what an idiot he is then.”
I was starting to get grumpy. I knew in myself when I’d had enough, and this was it. I should just take myself off and be alone before I said something that I might regret.
“Shows that he likes you.” Bree grinned and I groaned.
“He’s a shifter who will turn into a rogue and his pack will kill him if he doesn’t woo me, you do the damn math.”
I took off on fast wings. I’d done it. I’d snapped at my friend instead of biting my tongue and making my exit before I’d hurt her feelings. Now we probably both felt like poop.