by Kimbra Swain
“Daddy!” That’s all it took, and his attention was torn away from smoldering me to death.
“Pumpkin! How are you?” he asked lifting her up above his head.
“I’m so excited to go with my friend, Tabitha. We are going to get ice cream,” she said.
“Awesome. Just don’t eat all of mine,” he said.
“I couldn’t eat that much, silly Daddy,” she said, laughing at him. I think his interaction with her turned me on more than the smolder.
“If you don’t save me some, I’ll have to eat your belly,” he said as he made chomping noises on her stomach. She squealed with delight until he let her go. “I love you, Winnie. Be good.”
“Yes, sir. Bye, Momma,” she said waving at me.
As Tabitha and Winnie got in the car, Dylan waved his hand toward the door. A wave of heat crossed the room slamming it shut. He blinked to fire consuming his clothes, then back to human, in an instant. The next thing I knew, I was backed against the bedroom door with my azure flaming- eyed fiancé pressed against me.
“Whoa! Slow down there, Dylan,” I said.
“I hope you didn’t have plans tonight, because I am going to keep you naked in bed all night,” he smiled.
“Actually, I promised Nestor we would drop by the bar later,” I said, hoping that he wouldn’t protest.
He pulled my shirt off over my head. His warm hands worked down to my hips to unzip my jeans. Planting kisses between my breasts, he made a line to my neck with his tongue. I found it hard to focus on the task at hand which was convincing him to go to Hot Tin later.
“You are distracted,” he groaned in my ear.
“I’m with you. I just need to keep my promise, too,” I said.
“When?”
“A couple of hours,” I replied.
He sighed. “I suppose we could take a drink break, but we don’t have time to goof off.” He sounded all authoritative. It was cute.
“Sure thing, Sheriff. Why don’t you cuff me to make sure I don’t goof off?” I said.
He flamed across the room where he laid his jacket, and back again. Suddenly my hands were cuffed together.
“There,” he said.
“You keep flaming across this room, and this whole thing will go up like a tinderbox,” I scolded.
“You are going to have to hush your mouth. Don’t make me do it for you,” he grinned.
“Holy shit! What has gotten into you?” I asked.
“We are doing it this time. Making a baby,” he said, as he grabbed my cuffed wrists. He dragged me to the bed, then produced a second set of cuffs to attach me to the headboard. Now I knew why he wanted the wrought iron bed instead of the wooden one. Kinky bastard.
“I’m not sure I like this,” I said.
“Why?” he asked.
“I can’t touch you,” I said, hoping to gain some sympathy. It did make me feel trapped. I’d run my entire life to keep from being trapped, and here I was letting him cuff me to a bed. I pulled on the cuffs and even felt them with my power to see if I could unlatch them. I couldn’t.
“There will be plenty of touching,” he assured me. “But if you are worried, you can have a safe word, Queen of the Exiles. Don’t give me some crap that you can’t get out of those.”
“I can’t,” I said.
“You can, too,” he said.
“Where did you get these cuffs?” I asked.
“Troy,” he replied.
“Hmm. Wonder if he cuffs Amanda to the bed. It would take magical cuffs to hold her down, I think,” I replied. However, his tongue distracted me until the moment I realized I was actually stuck.
“Heh. You are trapped!” he laughed as he hovered over me.
“Do I get my safe word?” I asked.
“Sure. It’s pickle,” he said.
“No. I’m not saying that,” I said.
“That’s the point. I don’t want you to say it,” he laughed.
“This is ridiculous!” I complained, but then that distracting tongue of his found a nice spot. For the rest of the evening, the only words I spoke involved his name, a vulgar four-letter word, and yes.
“Why do we have to go to the bar tonight?” he asked as he slipped on a tight pair of jeans.
When he reached for a t-shirt, I wrinkled my nose at him. “Not that,” I said, as I looked through the closet. I picked out a black button-up shirt.
“Awful fancy for Hot Tin,” he said.
“Is a crime for me to want my fiancé to look nice?” I asked.
“What are you up to?” he asked suddenly. Damn lawman.
“Nothing,” I said.
“Grace, honey, I know when you are lying,” he said.
“So, what if I am? I’m not telling you,” I said. To change the subject, I asked, “How do I look?”
“Like I need to skip Hot Tin, and cuff you back to the bed. You look gorgeous. I’d fuck you,” he said. As if he hadn’t done it already a hundred times.
“High praise from the man who just had his way with me,” I said. “I was defenseless.”
“You were in a pickle,” he said.
I stopped moving, except for shaking my head. “No, don’t say that again,” I said.
“It’s funny. Go ahead and laugh,” he said as he threatened to tickle me.
“Time to go,” I proclaimed.
We drove together to Hot Tin in the truck. I was on an adrenaline high and had to suppress my fairy side. I couldn’t wait until we walked in the bar. I expected every one of our friends to be there, except Tabitha who had Winnie. I dreaded seeing Levi. I just hoped I didn’t have to watch him fawn all over a woman all night.
As we approached the door, Dylan slipped his hand into mine. “Thank you, Grace,” he said.
“For what?”
“Tonight,” he said.
“What? That back at the trailer? We do that all the time,” I said.
“It’s never the same though. I’ll never get tired of making love to you,” he smiled. “Let’s go have a couple of drinks, then go back home. I’m not done.”
“Good. Because I’m not done either,” I returned his smile.
He opened the door for me, but the room was dark.
“What’s going on?” he muttered, pulling me toward him to protect me.
The lights flicked on and the whole town yelled, “Surprise!”
“Huh?”
“It’s your birthday,” I said.
“I don’t have a birthday,” he muttered.
Remington Blake crossed the room and handed me a folder. “Thanks, Remy. Yes, you do. This is a signed form by Washington Blackarrow, the current chief of the Algonquin tribe. His oral records speak of a child born of fire and thunder. He places that date on April 21st. Today. Happy birthday, Darlin’.”
He looked down at the papers then back at me. Troy patted him on the back which caused him to jump. “Here. You look like you need this,” he said, handing him a beer.
“Grace,” he said quietly. His eyes welled up. I’d never see Dylan cry, and I didn’t want him to start now.
“Hey, there. None of that,” I said.
“Shit. This is amazing. I don’t know how you did this,” he muttered, looking from the paper to me then to Remy. A young woman I’d never seen cozied up next to Remy. I couldn’t wait to ask him about her, but I turned my attention back to Dylan.
“I love you,” I said.
He broke out of the daze with a laugh. He scooped me up and spun me around. “I will love you forever,” he blurted out. Half the room laughed. “Oh, hey, y’all. Thanks for coming to my,” he paused, running his hand through his hair nervously, “Well, to my birthday party.”
There were cheers and claps. Mable entered carrying a big cake with a sheriff star on it. “Congrats on being sheriff again, and happy birthday,” she said. Nestor stood behind her after she set the cake down on the bar. There were a lot of candles. I wasn’t sure how many there were, but Dylan blew them out without effort. The m
usic cranked up, and we partied.
Dylan and Troy were having a heated game of pool when Levi asked me to dance.
“I don’t want to dance with you, Levi,” I said, watching Dylan and Troy goof off trying to make stupid shots.
“I asked him for permission,” Levi said.
“Good for you. The answer is the same,” I said.
He leaned into my ear, as I pulled away to look him in the eye. “Dance with me.” The command rolled over my skin, and I groaned at the power of it. Dylan suddenly looked up at me, then at Levi. I shook my head. Levi offered his hand to me, and I took it. Dylan continued to joke with Troy but kept one eye on Levi.
“If you ever do that again,” I started to say.
“Shut up, Grace,” Levi said, playing with his power. “You wanted me to use it more. I’m using it.”
“Not on me,” I said. “Is that what you are doing to these women?”
He held me by the waist with one hand. The other rested at my neck. “You know me better than that,” he said.
“Lately, I feel like I don’t know you at all,” I replied.
“I know, and you are right. I have been bingeing, but it doesn’t matter who I’m with. None of them are you, so I’m going to stop,” he said with a sad look on his face.
We danced silently for a few minutes. No one seemed to care that we were together while Dylan played pool. He cut his eyes to us occasionally. Levi had more to say, so I waited patiently for it. Pushing him wasn’t going to do me any good. He pulled me a little closer.
“Pressing your luck,” I said.
“I know, but I need to tell you something,” he said.
“What is it, Dublin?” I asked.
“Dublin. The place I’m from, but the only place I feel at home is with you, but I couldn’t live in the trailer anymore. Moving out wasn’t enough,” he said.
I tried to pull away from him. I knew why now he wanted me closer. He had the leverage to hold me in place. The only way I was getting away from him was with a struggle. To make a scene. He knew I didn’t want that at Dylan’s party. “Levi,” I gritted my teeth.
“Release me,” he said.
“What?” I choked on my own word.
“You said that if I ever wanted to be released, that you would do it. I think it’s the only way,” he said. “I’ve talked to Finley about it. He seems to agree. It would break the bond. I’m leaving Shady Grove.”
“No,” I whispered. I couldn’t stop the tears. Dylan noticed them immediately.
“Grace,” he said from across the room. I bit my lip and shook my head at him.
“Don’t do this,” I said.
Levi pressed his forehead against mine. Dylan started to rush toward us when Finley grabbed his arm.
“Let go of me,” he growled, swatting at Finley.
“Release me. Please, Grace. Put me out of this misery,” he begged.
Dylan collided with us. Shoving Levi away from me. “What is wrong with you?” Dylan shouted at him.
Levi’s head swayed back and forth. “I can’t do it anymore, man. She’s got to let me go,” he said.
Dylan met my eyes. His palms rested on my cheeks covering my tears. “You decide. He is your servant. Whatever you choose, I’m here. We will work it out,” he said.
“Gloriana,” Levi said.
My tattoo flared turning my hair platinum. Silver swirls covered my arms, chest, and legs. The power of it was growing. “Levi Rearden, royal bard, my servant,” I said working up the courage to let him go. The room stood in silence as my power built. Levi trembled because he had been named by the fairy monarch. I saw fear and doubt in him. He didn’t know what he wanted for sure. I doubted myself in having the power to let him go. I opened my mouth to speak when Stephanie Davis walked into the bar.
“Did I interrupt something?” she asked.
“You are banished from this town. Why are you here?” I spat at her. I was already in royal form. The sight of her drove me to see red. The council’s first business when we were gathered was to banish Stephanie and Brock. She knew it too. Coming here was a death sentence.
“Before you kill me, Grace. Not that I think you would, because you are weak…,” she started to say.
“On your knees,” I ordered her. Dylan had moved behind me, and I felt his hand tighten on my forearm. Stephanie dropped to her knees because she had no power here. She knew it too. Behind her stood a boy about seven years old. He looked scared. He had sandy blonde hair and striking blue eyes.
“I beg you not to kill me in front of my son,” she whimpered.
“What the hell?” I muttered.
“I brought him here to be with his father. Brock will kill him if he stays in the Otherworld,” she cried. The boy shifted his weight, not knowing what to do. He looked at me then quickly away.
“Who is his father?” I asked, knowing the answer.
“No,” Dylan whispered to me. “No, Grace, it’s not possible.”
Stephanie’s tears dried quickly, and an evil smile crossed her face. “He’s Dylan’s heir, of course.”
The room turned frigid. My emotions bounced around with my father’s power pressing down on me. I felt the urge to strike them both down. I fought it with everything that I had. Dylan got between me and her. “You can’t protect them from me,” I sputtered.
“Look at me! Grace! Look at me,” he said, grabbing my chin. His hand turned to ice which he quickly melted. “No! I’m telling you. This is not my child.”
“You can’t know that. Look at him,” I muttered. I saw Levi out of the corner of my eye. He couldn’t stop me from killing them because, at the moment, the only thing stopping me was Dylan. A battle he would lose. He knew it.
He shook his head. “Levi, come here,” he ordered. Levi came up to us while everyone else cowered around the room. “Take her out the back. Calm her down.”
“I’m not going with him. He doesn’t want to be my servant anymore,” I said.
“Good thing he still is, then. I won’t let you do this, Grace,” Dylan warned me.
“You can’t stop me,” I hissed.
“I can,” Levi said. He pushed Dylan out of the way taking his place in front of me. “Come with me.” I had no choice but to follow him. He wrapped his arm around me, pushing me toward the side door. I watched over my shoulder as Dylan turned on Stephanie.
“You better explain yourself, whore,” he said. “You fucked so many people when you lived here. You can’t prove that this is my son.”
“But it is,” she smiled, watching Levi take me out the back door.
When we hit the cool night air, I ran. Levi kept pace behind me. When I reached the end of the strip mall close to the tattoo shop, I leaned on the wall to catch my breath. The power faded. Levi stood away from me but watched me closely.
“It can’t be,” I muttered. “No wonder I couldn’t get pregnant.”
“Grace, come on. You know Dylan loves you. He has always loved you,” he said. “He told me everything from before I came along. He’s always loved you. This doesn’t change that.”
Levi stepped closer, testing the waters. I pushed off the wall, barreling into him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and cried into his chest. He stopped talking for a long time, just holding me. Letting me cry.
“I couldn’t control the urge to kill her,” I said.
“It’s the law, Grace. The council decided along with you that she was banished. Without an invite, she is marked for death the moment she stepped back in Shady Grove. You had no choice,” he said.
He was right. When we banished them, I didn’t realize that I would be the one that enforced the law, but the royal power within me took over. I wondered if it was the same for my father. I’d seen him strike down many wayward fairies. He must have had no choice in the matter once the council decided. Which meant that when the council banished me, he had no choice but to obey.
“Damn it, Levi. If you hadn’t been there,” I said. “If I had rele
ased you, I might have killed Dylan’s son.”
“I know. Now we know that I can’t be free,” he said. I stepped back from him.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I know you are unhappy.”
“It’s okay. A long time ago when Jeremiah told me I was coming here to learn from you he gave me a choice. He would dump me far away, and I could hope that the demon wouldn’t find me. Or I could come here. I choose to be here. I choose to stay here. I choose to love you. I just have to live with the consequences instead of running,” he said.
“You are a better person than I am. I spent my whole life running. Now look at me,” I said.
He brushed his thumb across my wet cheek. “I see you. You are a queen.”
Damn that boy. Levi always knew the right things to say. I just wished he was saying them to someone who deserved him. I saw Dylan come out of the bar, looking for us. He ran over to where we were.
We stood in silence. Neither of us knew what to say. Levi stepped back so that he wasn’t between us, but he stayed close. I felt his presence behind me leaning on the wall of the strip mall.
“I don’t know what to say,” Dylan said.
“Me either,” I replied.
“You. Grace. It’s always been you,” he said.
“I know, but there is a child. Your heir,” I said.
He stepped up to me with his jaw set. “I don’t care what she says. That is not my child. I would know my own child.”
“Whose child is he then?” I asked.
“I’m not sure, but we will find out. Grace, she even slept with Joey Blankenship. You remember Joey, right?” he said.
“Yeah,” I remembered my one-night stand prior to sleeping with Dylan. He got off. I didn’t. No repeat performances. Joey ended up pretty bad off after it, and I thought perhaps I did something to him, but if Stephanie slept with him too, I was sure that it fucked him in the head. “He looked like he could have been your brother.”
“Yes! It could be his child. Fairy children grow fast if the fairy parent doesn’t slow their process. I’m sure Stephanie let him grow. The kid is probably only a year and a half old,” he said.
“You slept with her a year and a half ago?” I asked.