“I'm a regular old green fae,” Isadora answered with a smirk. “There's not too much difference, but your kind comes from warmer places like beaches or deserts, and the magical abilities vary a bit. Saying you transitioned, you wouldn't need any lessons on what you could do, you'd simply know it preternaturally. But sun fae are adept at healing, and bending sunlight to their will. For instance, you can teleport if it's daylight outside.”
This was interesting, and Charlotte realized if she'd been a fae before, she would've been able to heal Ulric when he'd been attacked—not that it seemed to matter.
Charlotte took another drink. Don't think about it.
Forcing her mind back onto the conversation, she asked, “If sun fae can teleport, why didn't you send one of them to get me?”
Isadora lowered her drink and answered, “I knew if someone showed up out of the blue and tried to explain these things, you would've been spooked, denied help, and very likely been killed in the process.”
Charlotte had to give her that, she definitely would've been startled if someone had just shown up at her apartment and tried to explain all of this. In fact, she knew she wouldn't have listened at all. It took her a while to believe any of it even when she'd seen it with her own two eyes.
So Isadora had definitely taken the right course of action in sending Ulric. Despite how that turned out.
With the thought in mind, she asked, “So does being part fae affect me as I am now even though I'm mortal? Like the impotency thing.”
“It's possible,” Adriana answered with a curious look. “Why? Have you had trouble?”
“Yeah, I did.” Until I met Ulric. She grumbled, downing more of her drink.
“Hmm, did you plan to try transitioning?”
“Not really. I don't think I could, and besides, I was born a human, so why should I want to be anything else?”
The blonde suggested, “It may be a good idea to try because you'd be more capable of protecting yourself. There are other ways to deal with vampires, but tapping into your abilities would be the best security you could have.”
Adriana made a good point, but Charlotte had to ask, “What about my friends? I'd end up staying young while they grew old.”
“You could still be with them. Not only do mortals not see the things they don't understand, but there's magic available to make you look older, spells to mask your visage.”
So transitioning wouldn't alter her life too drastically to be easily handled. Of course, she'd watch loved ones grow old and die, which would be incredibly depressing, but at least she wouldn't have to abandon them.
Maybe it was worth a second thought after all.
“Until you decide, you can stay here, even work here if you wanted,” Isadora suggested, then looked at Adriana and added, “or we could just get Yules to watch over her. He wants to protect her because he thinks she might be his mate.”
When Charlotte realized where this was going, she reacted quickly, tugging the straw from her mouth to rush out, “No! I'm not living under his constant supervision after what he said.”
With an interested look, Adriana asked curiously, “What did he say?”
“That I was a waste of his time!”
“Oh?” She looked confused. “I don't see why if he thinks your his. But maybe payment would change his tune.”
“That just makes it worse!” Charlotte bit out, then realized she was being extremely emotional, leaning her forehead into her hand with a loud groan. “I’m sorry, Adriana, I’m just angry with him, and I'd rather join a convent than have him following me around.”
And why the hell not? If her fae heritage was the culprit of her trouble enjoying sex, then she'd never care to sleep with anyone. She could just live on holy ground and … be miserable for the rest of her days when that life just wasn't for her.
With the thought, she took the straw out of her drink and downed the rest of it, feeling a little more loose now. I need to drink these more often.
“We have time, Charlotte,” Isadora reminded her. “You don't need to leave here for a while, so nothing has to be decided right away.”
“That's good, because my job's probably going in the can, so I wouldn't be able to pay my rent.” Grumbling at the thought, she announced, “I hate vampires so damned much!”
“Hear, hear,” Isadora qualified, holding up her glass, and Adriana toasted it.
“I also hate stupid, sexy draconians who think you're a waste of time,” Charlotte added. “I should bill him for ransacking my apartment!”
“He what?” Isadora asked in surprise.
“Wrecked my apartment looking for that stupid box!”
Her jaw dropped. “I directed him to find you, not wreck your place! You should bill him. He's wealthy, he could pay for it.”
Charlotte grumbled, wishing she was drunk enough not to think it wasn't petty, replying, “I don't know. Honestly, it seems like a really good idea to just move.”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she looked between the two fae, stating, “I should move back to Florida. The only problem is that I don't have a lot of money and I'd have to find a job. Would working here pay?”
“Yes, but we can make arrangements for you,” Adriana supplied. “Don't forget, we're invested in your welfare, so mortal money shouldn't be an issue.”
If that was the case, then Charlotte knew it was exactly what she wanted to do. She really had nothing left to return to in Pennsylvania. Her marriage was over, Donna was with Mitchell, and Edith lived in another state entirely. So Charlotte could just find another job and stay in the Spire until it all got sorted out.
She could even go back to school if she wanted. It could be a whole new start, a way to leave the failures of the past behind for a much brighter beginning.
Suddenly, Charlotte felt more enthusiastic about her future than she had in several months.
But a part of her recalled the disappointment she just experienced with Ulric, making her eyes roll. She was not going to base her wants around a man this time. It was her turn to make herself happy, and she'd be damned if she let anyone else dictate that for her anymore.
It was time she took her life into her own hands.
Chapter 20
“You look like hell.”
Ulric had just stepped into Garrick's penthouse in Atlanta when his brother made the observation. The older draconian was sitting in a leather recliner, placing his game controller down while asking, “What's wrong?”
Walking over to the sofa and sitting back against the cushions, Ulric was quiet at first, staring blankly at the paused sports game on the large, flat panel television screen before remarking, “If I tell you, don't start harping.”
“Why would I start … ” Garrick trailed, his gaze narrowing. “You didn't borrow something of mine and ruin it again, did you? Like driving my car off a cliff into a lake.”
He's never going to let that go. Ulric rolled his eyes. “For the last time, a minotaur was chasing me and caught up, so I didn't have a choice. Besides, it was my house that burned down in that attack.”
Garrick didn't look one bit sympathetic. “So what did you do this time?”
“Nothing,” Ulric shot back, “I didn't borrow anything, and this has nothing to do with you.”
Hearing this, Garrick finally calmed down. “Okay, so talk. Why do you look like you're about to puke?”
Ulric certainly felt as if he was going to, and had ever since he'd left Charlotte with Isadora the previous day. Afterward, he'd driven to Liam's mountain home to return Rozdra, then spent a good portion of the night on the road, just trying to figure things out.
The whole time, he felt more guilty than he ever had in his entire life.
Ulric hadn't even tried to turn the box in, and hadn't notified Dalris. It was still sitting in his jacket pocket, and he simply didn't give a damn. The only thing he wanted to do was apologize to Charlotte, alleviate whatever hurt he'd caused, knowing it went deep. I've really fuc
ked up this time.
But unsurprisingly, he couldn't think of anything that would make up for the thoughtless words he'd snapped out in irritation. His intention was to make her go to the Spire where she'd be safe while he finished his job, not tell her, for all intents and purposes, that unless she transitioned, she was worthless.
Gods know she's so much more.
“Yules? Yules!”
Garrick snapped him out of his daze when he shouted the nickname, and Ulric glanced at him to see a concerned expression. “What the hell? You're starting to worry me.”
Ulric exhaled a deep breath. “I lost my chance with her, Gar.”
“Your chance with who?” After a moment of thought, he lifted his head and added, “Wait, are you talking about that human woman?”
“Charlotte,” Ulric replied, “and yes.”
“Dalris told me you called and said something strange was going on with her, but I didn't think it was this serious. What happened?”
“I lied to make her go to the Spire with Isadora, told her she wasted my time,” Ulric muttered. “I didn't want to leave her, but I didn't want to risk getting her hurt again either, so I was frustrated. But the way I said it … ,” he groaned, “gods know I didn't mean to make it sound that way.”
Garrick became quiet, and when Ulric looked, he realized his brother was staring at him. “What?”
“I'm not used to hearing you talk like this. You're sure she's not your mate?”
Because that question had been so prevalent in his mind, Ulric couldn't help but snap, “No, and that's the whole goddamned problem! According to Isadora, she can transition, and then I'd be able to tell for sure. But Charlotte doesn't want that, and the thought of never knowing drove me crazy enough to say those idiotic things.”
Once he'd gotten that out, Ulric let his shoulders slump, adding more dejectedly, “I can't stop thinking about her, and I don't know which way to go. But hell, I should be used to that by now. Ever since I met her, I've felt lost.”
After a silent moment, Garrick drew out, “Damn, Yules. You should get wasted if it's like that.”
All things considered, that was a good idea. But there was something Ulric needed to do before drowning his sorrows in a bottle.
“At least you finally finished your job and got paid, right?” Garrick asked.
“Actually,” Ulric started, tugging the box from his jacket. “I didn't even try to turn it in. I don't give a fuck about the job right now.”
Staring at the item, Garrick looked even more shocked. “You don't care about finishing a job that's worth half a million? She's definitely got you by the balls.”
Ulric didn't want to hear it, standing to go to his room.
Garrick followed behind, asking, “You're not going after her?”
“She's made it clear what her choice is. She wants to remain a human, and that means there can't be anything between us unless I watch her grow old and eventually die.” Not that I wouldn't take that time if offered it.
“Is there some way to change her mind?”
“After what I told her? Not likely.”
At his bedroom door, Ulric looked back to see Garrick shaking his head. “So you were an asshole,” he started. “It's not the first time you've been that way with a woman.”
“That's different, Gar. I never cared to fix it. Besides, there's something that needs to be done before I even think about setting things right. So I wanted to ask if you're busy for the next few days.”
Though Ulric couldn't figure out how to make up for what he'd said, he did know a way to help Charlotte's situation.
“No, I'm free, why?” Garrick asked.
“Because we need to spend some quality time together hunting for the blood the Rymid took that belongs to Charlotte and destroy it.”
A smile formed on Garrick's face. “Just say the word, little brother, and we'll get going.”
Ulric was grateful for his agreement, giving a nod before shutting the door of his room so he could clean up and prepare for the new hunt he was undertaking on Charlotte's behalf. Whether or not she ever forgave him, he needed to do this. At the very least, he owed it to her for saving his life.
Ulric entered the combination into a safe in his room, then pulled the door open. Quietly, he lifted the curse box and looked the item over, wishing he could tell Charlotte she wasn't a waste of his time at all, that he'd idiotically snapped before thinking.
Now, he had this box. Half a million for such a small item was definitely worth the time he'd spent acquiring it, but it wasn't worth her. Releasing a deep breath, he placed it inside to conclude his job at a later date—if he ever felt like getting back to it.
“She's the one, isn't she?”
Isaac's sudden appearance wasn't surprising. Locking the safe, Ulric looked at the demon who was now standing in the shadowed corner of his bedroom where the light shining in through the windows couldn't reach.
The expression on his face was neutral, but Ulric knew he was more interested in the question than he let on.
“I don't know, Isaac.”
“Bullshit,” Isaac retorted plainly. “So tell me, do you think she's the one.”
Ulric stared into nothing, considering his answer before nodding in confirmation. “Yes, I think she is. I'd do anything to make sure she's safe, Isaac, and you know me.”
“Better than myself,” Isaac confirmed, growing silent for a moment, then inquired, “What did it feel like?”
“What?”
“Having her close, or just knowing what she looks like.”
“Why? Are you having those dreams of your mate again?”
“Only every time I close my eyes now,” Isaac muttered with no lack of frustration in his voice. “It's why I haven't slept in a while. I know she's close, but I also know Chandra hasn't taken an apprentice yet. So I wanna know if this dream bullshit is worthwhile, Yules, otherwise I'm going on a killing spree just for the hell of it.”
Most demons who were tied to another often had dreams of their destined mates that became more frequent and intense just before they met, and according to Isaac's experience so far, it was hellacious. He said he could sense her there, feel her, but could never see her, and always woke to an empty bed with a heavy yearning that he couldn't satisfy in her absence.
So it wasn't surprising that Isaac would ask, and Ulric didn't deny him an answer.
“It felt perfect, and I don't imagine actually knowing Charlotte is mine without question would be much better than what I experienced with her on the road. True, I was frustrated because I'd never been tempted by anyone to break my vows, but after accepting I might be seeing her as my mate, I can't explain the kind of completion I knew she'd give me.”
Isaac looked to the side with eyes glowing like embers, as if imagining having that kind of completion instead of experiencing the empty longing he'd been going through.
Ulric didn't say so, but he knew what it was like. I'm there now.
“Good,” the demon finally qualified, but didn't say more. Ulric couldn't imagine what might've been going through his head either. There was a lot about Isaac that was a mystery—even to Isaac himself—but Ulric didn't try to figure it out. He only wished his friend better luck with having his own mate in his life than he was currently experiencing.
With the thought, he mentioned, “I may have ruined it, Isaac.”
“Ruined it how?”
“By lying to Charlotte. But it doesn't matter anyway, not when I need to ensure her safety. So I wanted to ask if you found Lillian.”
Isaac grumbled over the question. “No, but I did get a good idea of where a few Rymid are hiding that could tell us.”
“Up to a hunt then?”
“Do you need to ask?”
Ulric smirked, knowing he didn't. That's when a knock came to his door and Garrick asked from the other side, “Is that Isaac, or are you talking to yourself?”
Ulric shook his head. “It's Isaac. He's got some leads for us
.”
“Good. I'll get our supplies and call Dalris.”
“Let me call him, Garrick. You just get the supplies together.”
Isaac burned away from sight, likely to go help, and Ulric placed the call while hoping his friend's information was worth something. Not only did he want to get Charlotte's blood away from the Rymid, but Lillian's death was a top priority.
It was time he got started on fulfilling his promise.
~*~*~*~
Isaac's information proved to be worthwhile. Ulric destroyed a number of Rymid lairs in the search for Lillian, taking out his rage on each one. Hunting for Charlotte, killing those vampires to ensure her protection, felt better than he could've imagined, though a part of him continuously longed to go back and mend the problems still standing between them.
But he had to push on, sensing he was getting closer to his goal overtime. They'd interrogated several vampires found in the lairs they destroyed, and shared any information acquired with Dalris, who had his own connections to check if something didn't sound accurate.
As it came to pass, many of the vampires questioned didn't even know Charlotte existed, which wasn't surprising. Lillian was probably greedy, and didn't want to share in her so-called bounty. But that fact alone made it clear that if Ulric found her lair, he'd also find Charlotte's blood.
The hunt progressed for nearly two weeks before Dalris came across more solid information. Nighttime was spent visiting bars and watching public areas that vampires were known to stalk for prey, and during a trip to a pub in Virginia, Dalris called Ulric, stating he'd abducted one of the vampires named in a previous interrogation.
As it turned out, this vampire was one of Lillian's closest confidants, and Dalris convinced the vampire to tell him everything—meaning he'd tortured the creature—learning that Lillian always kept Charlotte's blood stored in a vial close to her coffin. He also had the address of the lair where she was currently residing.
Lillian was known to move from place to place rather frequently however, so Ulric needed to get there before she decided to leave.
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