by Jackie Nacht
Foster could feel his desire growing for the mortal that he knew would be more trouble than he was worth to the Seelie. He hoped his desire came from the mystery of the mortal he was helping walk the path back to the court. The rest of the Seelie would feel the same attraction to Axle. The unknown always seemed to make the Seelie want to test the waters, so to speak. For some odd reason, that unsettled Foster greatly. He didn’t want to share this human with the others. And what a fucked-up human this one was.
It had been a long time since there was anything new to hit the Seelie court, and Foster had a feeling this mortal was about to turn their world upside down. He had to wonder if his brother was trying to piss off the queen again. This wasn’t some snow on a party, though. Axle was about to take up permanent residence with the rest of the summer fae. What was he doing even taking this guy back with him? He should have just left him tied to the tree.
Axle seemed to be having a hard time walking, and he smelled like he hadn’t showered in a couple days. He smelled of sweat, alcohol and sex. This was no way to present the changeling to his queen. Foster changed his course, trekking his way toward the lake that lay in the center of the fae realm.
Axle was looking around and not realizing the body of water they were approaching. Foster didn’t even slow down, he walked right into the warm waters before dumping Axle into it, knee deep. The guy went under like a rock and remained there until Foster thought he was going to have to pull the guy up.
Sputtering, Axle broke the surface. “What the—”
“You stink. You can’t meet everyone smelling like you do. It’s offensive.” Foster crossed his arms over his chest.
“Sorry if my smell offends you. Next time I get kidnapped and tied to a tree, I’ll make sure I smell like the guys in the damn Axe commercials!” Axle began washing his face vigorously in the lake.
Axle needed more than just a good scrubbing. The guy needed fresh clothes and a shave. What had this guy been doing? He looked completely shit-faced. Foster had seen it too many times at the pubs in the mortal realm. The only difference was that not only did Axle’s dark blue eyes hold a sense of loss but also pain. Did he lose someone special, or did he lose himself somewhere along the way? Maybe Foster could take him under his wing until Axle got back on his feet even though he could tell it was going to be a major pain in the ass.
Foster bent over and grabbed the bottom of Axle’s shirt then pulled it over the human's head. He could tell Axle was about to protest. “Trust me, there are more unidentifiable stains on there than at a hotel under black light. I’ll make sure you get a new one before you meet everyone. I live on the outskirts, and we’ll go there first.”
Foster watched as Axle closed his mouth and sat there in the water with his brows furrowed. It was the first time Axle looked halfway normal. He began to notice the long, dark, wet lashes and the way tiny droplets slid over his full lips and dripped into the lake below. Looking at Axle's chest, he could see very nice muscles that made him above average in size for humans, but there wasn’t an ounce of fat to his midsection. Instead, he had a six pack with a small trail of hair that lead to where Foster suddenly wanted to be.
What the hell was he thinking? This guy was so not his type. He tended to go for the sprites in the court. They were full of life and energy, where Axle was… sinking below the water.
Acting fast, Foster pulled Axle above the water’s surface. “You’re a wreck. Here…” Foster began guiding Axle to the shore.
“I was just hoping this was some horrible nightmare and maybe I'd wake up and my mouthy little brother would be okay and I wouldn’t be abducted by a guy with hair that looks like a putting green.” Axle stepped away and began walking on his own. A miracle by Foster’s standards.
Foster didn’t live very far from the in-between. He loved looking at the fallen leaves when dusk came, because it was the link between him and his brother. Sometimes, he wondered why he chose to go to the summer court and walk away from his brother. Sure, he had a little bit of the prankster and wickedness in him, but there was just too much summer in him to survive in the Unseelie court. He’d freeze his ass off in the first hour, and then, the Unseelie would eat him alive. The only problem was that he didn’t feel completely summer either. While his brother lived in court with special accommodations given by King Oberon, Foster lived on the outskirts, yearning for a place to fit in. He never had the courage to ask his brother if he felt the same way.
After a short distance, Foster made his way to the stone pathway that led to his small home. The tiny hut was just the perfect size for him. While opening the door for Axle, he wondered what the human would think of his living conditions. His home was neat and tidy. It was a completely open house except for the bathroom, which was enclosed toward the back. The kitchen, living room and bedroom were all open and in various sides of the hut.
Since he didn’t live in court where everything was modern, he lived a rustic life. He cooked out of a fireplace, bathed in the lake and slept under the stars with an open hatch in the ceiling. The only modern thing he had in his house was several LED book lights and a working bathroom. His brother brought the book lights back from the mortal realm when he found out Foster was still reading by candlelight.
Walking over to a wood chest that held his clothing, he opened it and dug out a pair of blue swim trunks. When he turned around, he found Axle lying back on his bed rubbing his eyes.
“Here, these should fit you. We’re about the same size,” Foster dropped the trunks onto Axle’s stomach, hoping to cover the enticing image. A great-looking, half-naked guy in his bed was not the norm. It was all he could do not to join him there and keep him all to himself. Once Axle went to court, Foster knew he would lose him to the other more attractive Seelie. Being a Halfling to both courts tended to make him the odd one out.
“Thank you. Do you have a T-shirt I can borrow? I’m not in the habit of going without one,” Axle stood up and without an ounce of modesty opened his wet jeans and dropped them to the floor.
Fuck, that is a perfect body. Foster wasn’t even sure what propelled him into action, but with a few short strides, he reached out his fingertips to trace all the muscles on Axle’s stomach and chest. He was completely mesmerized.
“Hmmm…that feels excellent.” Axle closed his eyes and leaned his head back.
As much as Foster wanted to go farther in this, he knew Axle wasn’t in any state for it. “Why?” he blurted out.
Axle looked at him with deep blue eyes. The redness was finally clearing up. “Why what?” Axle asked.
“Why were you in that condition when Puck took you?” Foster whispered.
Axle looked away and shrugged, but Foster could see shame written all over face.
“I haven’t been such a great guy lately. I keep telling myself that I’ll turn it around, but I’m kind of in a tailspin right now. It’s kind of bad for someone who’s only twenty-one.” Axle looked down at Foster's fingers as they traced the muscles on his chest.
“What keeps you from getting out of it?” Foster moved his fingertips up to his shoulders. He wanted to keep Axle calm, so maybe, Foster could get to know him more. For some reason, it was very important to him.
Axle swallowed what looked like a golf ball before he spoke softly, “Guilt and youth, I guess. I was eighteen when our dad died, leaving Torque and me alone. He wasn’t such a great parent, but when he passed away, everything happened so fast. I got custody of Torque and found a job as a mechanic as quickly as I could. When I still wasn’t making enough, I did some other things I’m not talking about. The guilt comes from getting pissed at my brother for the circumstances that were anything but his fault. Spent my entire childhood protecting him, and I found out one of the people I brought into our home hurt him. Epic fail on my part.”
“I’m sure everyone handles a situation like yours differently. Your feelings are actually pretty normal. But youth? How old are you again?” Foster missed it, but the guy looked young.
For the first time, Axle smiled a little. “Twenty-one. I’ve been going a little crazy since my dad died, and I didn’t have to come home in fear anymore. I need to learn my limits, though. I turn into a complete jerk when I get wasted, and unfortunately, that’s when Torque is at the height of wise ass. We clash during those times, and it’s put a strain on our relationship. He doesn’t like who I’ve become, and I don’t like it when he calls me on it, because I know he’s right. Can I go see me brother?” Axle finished hoarsely.
Foster looked at the sadness in Axle’s eyes. He knew that Axle might not have been doing such a bang-up job raising his brother, but in that moment, he knew Axle wanted to fix it going forward.
Foster brushed a stray hair out of Axle's eyes. “I know you have no reason to trust me, but I promise my brother is taking good care of him. I’ll make sure you can see him soon. Why don’t you worry about healing yourself?”
Furrowing his brows, Axle looked at Foster's eyes. “I wasn’t hurt, my brother was.”
Sighing, Foster went on, “Yeah, Axle, you were. From what you said, you’ve got wounds that are new and old. Why don’t you take this time to find who you are? Not who you’re afraid of becoming. Trust me, there’s a difference. You fear becoming your dad so much, you have no idea who you really are. And without knowing that, you could fall very much in the same pathway that led to you being tied to the tree.”
Axle turned and stepped away. “I don’t get it. I never talk to anyone like this. I’m here five minutes and dropping all my personal biz to you. It’s freaking me out.”
Shrugging, Foster responded, “Sometimes, humans view the fae in different ways. Maybe, you see me as someone you can confide in. Someone you are comfortable with. I don’t know. I’m not much of a talker either and feel like I’ve been questioning you under the hot lamps.”
Laughing, Axle glanced over his shoulder. “You didn’t even need them. I spilled them like I shotgunned sodium pentothal.”
Foster had spent enough time in the mortal realm to know what that was. Not as much as his brother but quite a bit of time nonetheless.
He kind of thought that Axle would be a little more resistant to him. There was no way Foster would put his guard down, though. However, he knew for a fact that the stuff Axle had revealed was truth. It was the darkness that was extinguishing the light in him.
Axle definitely needed to be here. Maybe, his brother hadn’t completely fucked up. Deep down, Foster was happy to have Axle here, too. Even with all the prickles and thorns, Foster was fascinated and attracted to him. Axle wasn’t the only one acting strangely.
Shaking out of his thoughts, he answered, “Come on. I think you should take a small nap, and then, we’ll go and meet the Seelie court.”
Foster handed Axle a huge mug of water before tucking him into bed with fresh sheets, since the old ones were wet. Finally, after the man drank his water and closed his eyes, Foster went to sit at his wood table and began to read. He would never admit that he spent more time looking at Axle than he did at the words on the page.
Chapter Four
Upon waking up for the second time that day, Axle was aware that his hangover was almost gone and that he was still in what Foster called the fae land or something like that. He was pretty sure he remembered everything. The last couple hours seemed to have passed by in a fog, but he knew this was not the kidnapping he thought it was.
He must have the worst case of Stockholm’s to not only think that his captor was extremely hot, but also that this was something that was actually good for him. He had ugh…shared his feelings.
Plus, Axle felt for the first time in his life that he might have been removed from a bad situation. A situation that he should have controlled and taken ownership of, but in the end, the things he had done to survive had towed him into a dark abyss.
Sitting up, Axle scrubbed a hand over his face. trying to get reoriented. A sloshing sound right in front of him had Axle sitting back to see a mug thrust into his face.
“Thank you,” Axle mumbled, taking the mug from Foster who nodded and walked away.
Axle brought the mug to his lips, and the cool liquid made a path down his parched throat. God, this was the best-tasting water he had ever had. He took great gulps until he'd emptied the mug then looked around for more. Foster was generous enough to bring him two more cups.
“We need to go see Queen Titania now. I’ve delayed this as long as I could. At least you don’t look like mortal road kill now.” Foster wore a pair of green swim trunks and began donning his bow and quiver of arrows.
Yesterday, the look would have seemed odd, but now, it seemed fitting of Foster. Axle glanced around, wondering if he would enjoy living this rustic life like Foster or if he would like something more like the modern conveniences he was used to.
Foster opened up the door to his home…hut… whatever you call it, and Axle followed him out. The sun was piercing through the beautiful foliage. Without the haze of alcohol buzzing through his system, he got his real first look at the place to which he'd been brought. Fuck, I must have fallen down the rabbit hole here.
Trees that were so beautiful, they damn near shimmered under the golden rays bordered the pathway of their journey. The scent of the forest had Axle taking in deep breaths just so he could get a lungful of the good stuff. Animals made a musical chorus that would probably make a composer weep. Axle had never felt so out of place in his life. He felt like a tarnished penny.
Following behind Foster, Axle kept turning to get a look at the giant lake that stood in the center of a world that was so breathtaking, he couldn’t help but stare, even while stumbling over the vines on the ground. On the side of the lake that he was closest to, he got the distinct impression of stepping from fall to summer in an instant. The leaves were bright colors, and then, after about a hundred more yards, a green so rich that Axle wasn’t even sure he had ever seen the shade so vibrant. It was that stunning. Turning back, he noticed across the lake a large black castle surrounded by snow and ice. The place looked hauntingly beautiful.
The sounds of pop music filled the air, making Axle’s eyes go wide. What in the hell? They broke through the forest and onto a beach that was filled with people. All of them scantily clad in various-colored bathing suits. That didn’t seem so bad, but they were just so…damn happy that it made him feel like ants were crawling all over his skin. The music made him want to cover his ears. Is that a hot dog stand?
Axle felt a headache coming on. He rubbed his temples. Then suddenly, Foster grabbed him by the elbow, leading him over to a large cabana where the most beautiful woman he'd ever set eyes on sat on a lounge chair in a gold two-piece bathing suit.
“Foster, what is this thing?” The lady curled her lip at him.
Axle was about to tell her exactly who he was when Foster stepped in front of him. “My Queen, a message from the Unseelie court.” Foster handed her the note that had been pinned to him. Axle leaned to the side to watch her read the note, her face appearing to get angrier as she mouthed the words at a second passing.
“Is this a joke?” The queen threw the note on the ground. Ouch, Axle knew he was a hot mess, but he wasn’t that bad.
“No, Queen Titania. It seems the Unseelie have taken on a changeling and…” Foster cleared his throat. “Given us this one.” At least Foster had the decency to look guilty as the rest of the court gasped in shock.
Hey! It wasn’t like he was a fungus or anything.
Titania got up and walked over to him. “He’s a disaster! Just look at him. He’s already one damn foot in the door to Unseelie. Why did they give us… him?” She said with disdain.
“Seems his brother went to the Unseelie. Puck took him and is keeping him for himself.” Foster adjusted the quiver on his back and rolled his neck. Is this as tense for Axle as it is for me?
Queen Titania's brows drew down. “Puck kept his brother, you say?”
“Yes, My Queen.”
The queen w
alked over to Axle and scrutinized him. She was so close to him that he could feel her warm breath kiss his face. Strangely, the smell of jasmine hit him at the same time. Axle became dizzy and swayed a little before catching himself. This lady had a fucking scary effect on him.
Titania grabbed him by the chin, her gold eyes seemed to pierce him and delve into his very soul. He felt naked before this woman and didn’t like it one bit. The urges to shove her away and at the same time submit to her warred inside him.
“There’s not much light left of you, human. It’s buried so deep, I’m not sure you’ll be able to cope with this court. But I’ll give you one chance, but if you fuck up…I’ll kill you,” she murmured before pushing his chin away.
Okay, now, he had to deal with a crazy bitch as well as being kidnapped. “If you could just get me and my brother back home…” Axle began trying to reason with her.
“No. You won’t be leaving here. You belong to the Seelie now.” Titania sat back down in her lounge chair, and a tiny speck of a girl came over with a goblet, handing it to her before…fuck… flying away.
Axle tried to reason with the lady…queen…whatever. “Look, you and I both know that I don't fit in this place,” Axle waved his hand around the ridiculous-looking beach scene. “Why don’t we save each other a great big damn headache and help get my ass out of here…please?” Sheesh, it was hard to tack that last part on.
Titania raised a delicate brow toward him. “No. Learn to adapt or die. It really is no headache on my part. You act like an ass, I’ll kill you. You treat my people disrespectfully, I’ll kill you.” Titania leaned forward. “You talk back to me one more time and you won’t draw breath again.”
Titania gold eyes blazed, and Axle knew that she wasn’t fucking around anymore. Step one toe out of line and this lady would end him. Period. Axle rubbed his face, at a loss as to what to do. His life was no longer his own, and that was not sitting well with him. In fact, he was so pissed right now, he was visibly shaking. But there was also a draw to staying in this place. Too bad it was in the forest with the sexy green-haired man. This beach gave him the heebie jeebies.