by Elle Lincoln
“I can’t even fucking say!” he shouts at Patrick, pushing him in the chest, causing Patrick’s ax to slice along his throat. Yet Mac doesn’t flinch. Not fucking once as blood drips down his chest.
“What can ya say?” he roars back. “She demands you uphold your end of the bargain!”
“I was fucking dying!” Mac’s words send an arrow straight through my heart.
“No talking,” I say deathly calm. “Mac, speak.” I’m terrified to know who she is, but deep inside I know who he is about to name.
“I was too far from the sea.” He holds up a hand, warding us off. “My choice, my fucking choice. I’d rather spend every waking moment with you assholes. But it came at a cost. The party, I couldn’t... I crawled into a house and she was there,” he growls at himself.
“Ya can’t even say her name,” Patrick spits. “Kelsie, fucking Kelsie. What did she get ya to do to make a contract? Because that’s why yer fucking tongue is tied, innit?”
Mac can only nod, and the second he does his wound pours with blood.
“What the fuck is that?” I want to reach for him, but I need to know exactly what is going on.
“It’s a magical noose. He bound himself to a contract with a Fae.” Balor’s words hold more sympathy that I ever expected of him. “If he says too much, his own magic will kill him, awarding the other bearer his magic.”
Mac can’t even agree.
“She took Logan, Mac.” Patrick slams his ax into a tree, working out his frustrations repeatedly, until the base cracks and it falls, crashing into others as it goes down.
“I was dying,” Mac reiterates.
“What does she want?” Casseus states, calm and deadly, a hint of the mercenary he was showing through.
Mac can only shake his head.
“War.” I sit on the broken log, my legs, heavy and tired, lie limp in front of me. Every joint now aching as I cling to that pain.
Balor nods in agreement. “I’m guessing it was her power that created the fissure in the earth. She wants us to take out her family, so she doesn’t have to.”
“You have to make that happen, don’t you, Mac?” He tries to nod, and blood runs down his cut, further darkening his shirt. “She is holding Logan hostage to make sure that happens.”
Silence thickens all around us, broken by the sound of wings. Ember lands softly with her head hanging low as she walks around a tree to shift. Her steps hold no sound as she walks out toward us wearing a long t-shirt. One I am guessing was Logan’s.
“I follow.” She juts her chin out, pointing to the east.
“You followed them?” I hop up, hope rising within me.
“I follow. Yes.” She nods her head enthusiastically.
“That was fucking odd, too.” Patrick plops to the ground. “She created a cyclone, but it wasn’t a portal. It was like a tunnel.” He claps his hand, making a whooshing noise to mimic what Kelsie did.
A fact I’m not quite ready to come to terms with, but one I’ll have to face soon. “She holds too much power.” I scrub a hand down my face. “I need to deal with one thing at a time.” I turn to Mac. Casseus stands beside him, furious. “I might have been really pissed about what you did yesterday. But right now? I get it.”
“Bette!” Casseus interrupts. “He fucking made a deal with a Fae.”
“One who happens to be my friend. Sure, she’s fucking crazy right now, but I’m not sure that’s her fault. You say immortals only come into immortality at twenty-seven. We are the same age. She’s held magic her whole fucking life, that is how powerful she is. Her change may have just been too fucking much. You all have said repeatedly their ancestors were mortal. Her fucking mother is a witch. Probably a crazy one to boot!”
“You think her power is corrupting her?” Cas scoffs, crossing his arms before thinking better of it and pulling out a toothpick to chew on.
“I know what that feels like. I was in there, but I wasn’t in control, my magic was. She’s in there. Just...” I shake my head. “I’m losing my thoughts here. Mac. I get it. And quite frankly, I don’t care if it’s selfish of me or not, but I’m glad you chose to survive because without you, any of you, I’d be lost.”
He nods, clearing his nose before replying, “Logan.” He shakes his head.
“One thing at a time. Cas, where are the courts hiding?”
“West.” He frowns. “The opposite direction from Logan.”
“We need a plan.” The words leave my mouth and yet nothing comes to mind except worry and grief over my best friend kidnapping my lover. “I don’t know what to do.” I look up at Balor, feeling a deep sadness weighing me down.
He grips my hand, making me wince against the blisters still there, before lifting me up. “Let’s get you cleaned up. I doubt Kelsie’s intent is to kill Logan. She wants something from him, from us.”
“You want me to just leave him out there?” I turn, my eyes blurring in the darkness.
“She taunted him with his brother.” Patrick rubs a hand down his neck. “I forgot until just now. I swear.”
“Do you think she has both of them?” I hate to hope that he isn’t alone, as stupid as it sounds.
“It’s possible,” Balor states directing me deeper into the forest instead of town. I don’t even question it, because the deeper we go, the more at home I feel.
My mind feels muddled and unable of conscious thought, even though I should be coming up with a plan to get Logan back.
I stop, turning to Ember. “Did you see where she took him exactly?”
“I follow,” she repeats.
Frowning, I try again. “Building? House? Cave?”
Her brows furrow together. “House.” She nods.
“Ember, you should get some rest.” Casseus turns her around, pointing her toward the town. She huffs but walks off.
“Do you think she’ll be okay alone?” I bite my lip, feeling like I’m torn in four different directions. One to fight the Fae, one to find Logan, take care of Ember, and be here. I’m really starting to hate this feeling.
“She eats people.” Cas shrugs.
“You gave me a hard time for eating people,” I point out.
“Yes, but she is a carnivore, she needs meat to grow.”
“I need sins to live, as do you.”
Casseus smiles, his dimples deepening his cheeks. “You are just looking for a reason now.”
“What?” How is he making my head spin like this? I had a point, dammit!
“To eat people. You don’t always have to do it, she does.”
“So, she gets to eat anyone she wants because she needs it to survive.” I’m so confused, because I was under the impression I needed to eat sins to survive.
“Bottom line is, she can just eat whoever is pissing her off.” He shrugs and walks off toward some unknown destination.
Hands on hips, I stare after him, wondering what the hell just happened. He’s making excuses for an adolescent because she’s a dragon and now our pseudo child. Why the hell fate would make us parents, even pseudo ones, in the first place, is completely beyond me.
I follow them deeper into the woods, my eyes adjusting to the absence of light. Stars filter in through the canopy above, gifting the scene with a sense of serene magic.
Except the loss of Logan is a wound that will only heal when he returns. I’m trying to believe that Kelsie would never truly hurt him, but her mind is poisoned, leaving me unable to fight her fights. Not that I ever could in the first place, but I would have. If she had chosen to come to me with her issues, I would have gladly stood side by side with her.
Hell, I even gave her the option.
The rush of water soothes me as we step into a clearing. High up, moonlight glistens off a rock slide, the water rushing down into a crystalline pool. Between trees, six hammocks are tied. The pang of loss spears my gut.
“When?” Small witch globes dance between trees, casting the area in ambient light, while a rock in the center is full of
meats and bread.
“We knew you’d eventually come looking for us. We didn’t realize you would take the entire day to bury the dead,” Mac sheepishly states.
“We didn’t want you to think we’d abandoned you.” Casseus walks over to the rock, ripping off a piece of bread.
“You also smell like shite.” Patrick rips off his shirt, his suspenders flying into the night. His pants come off last, after his shoes. His ass jiggles just a bit as he marches up the side of the waterfall. He plops himself on the top and slides down into the pool below with a cackling laugh.
I had honestly completely forgotten this place existed. It’s usually so full of people and laughter, but now it’s our own little getaway.
I turn to Balor, his eyes stuck to mine. There are so many words that go unspoken between us. Yet the feeling slipping through to me via our link is nothing but love and acceptance.
Love.
“Balor.” I shake my head, unsure what to say. An apology is too superficial. The only way to guarantee I have control is to make sure that I do every fucking day.
He nods once with a smile on his face before he, too, turns and climbs the side of the waterfall. Tartan and all, he slides down into the pool that I know is cold as fuck. Yet not once does he shiver as he steps out. His eyes remain glued to mine as water drips down his body. He unclasps his tartan, letting it fall to the ground. I wonder when he took off his boots that sit beside a hammock.
With a smile on his face, he approaches me, my body instantly heating up with desire. Lifting me, he holds me tight as I wrap my legs around his dripping body, making his erection slide over the fabric of my pants with perfect friction. Our lips meet and I lose myself to his kiss until he pulls away too soon.
With a demon’s smile, he jumps into the pool of freezing water, my eyes wide as the liquid steals my breath.
Yet he never once lets go, telling me everything I need to know and more.
Chapter 22
Bette
Apart
My eyes crack open to the chirping of birds and the gentle, soft-spoken voices of the guys. Today, our time is up with Ryoden and Mab. Our plan is faulty at best, and we spent the better part of the night coming up with something that hopefully won’t get us dismembered. Because truth be told, that is honestly the last thing I want to feel. Ever.
The hammock cradles me and yet as I roll out of it, small rope lines cover my entire naked body. Balor’s reasoning for diving into the water was truly because I smelled. I didn’t argue, but pleather leggings are a bitch to peel off when wet. I honestly should have stripped the moment I entered the clearing, though the night may have ended differently.
Desire burns in my belly again. Once we are whole again, I’m locking these men in a house where we can have an entire week of sexcapades. No emergencies. No crazy killers on the loose. Fucking nothing. Just us and some gritty sex sounds.
My feet slide over dewy grass toward the guys who huddle around the leftovers. Their voices stop as I near. Any other day, I’d be thrilled with how they watch my hips sway and my breasts jiggle as I walk, but they are just going to have to wait until Logan is back.
I tsk at them, pointing at my breasts then my eyes. “What are we discussing?” Instead of sitting, I grab my finally dry shirt and slide it over my body, and then my mostly dry leggings, cringing at the feel of the fabric. This is the worst part about a post-apocalyptic world. No drier. No washer. No laundry detergent or fabric softener to make my clothing less like cardboard.
I swear, when all this bullshit is over, the first thing I’m doing is finding a nice place to stay, like that mansion, and hooking up solar panels and a freaking washer and drier.
“Really, Bette?” Patrick snorts. “Logan was working on it. We will have you some proper soft clothing soon. Quit yer bitching.”
I plop down in the little spot they left for me. “I’ll have you know I was only bitching in my head.” I tap my temple for reference. “It’s supposed to be private in here.”
“Ha!” Patrick laughs. “No.”
I sigh, leaving that discussion for another fucking day.
“Bette.” Aeden’s voice drifts to me on a breeze.
My nerves flare as I stand to face the ancient sidhe that I damn near killed. “Aeden, I am so sorry.”
He holds up a hand. “It would take much more than that to kill me, but you knocked me out for a while. Your power has the potential to become a deadly weapon.” He glides into the clearing, wearing nothing but a robe that dances in his own breeze. “You will have much to master.”
I can feel the blush rising up my neck. “Yeah, I know.” I need to change this subject until this conversation no longer makes me want to fall into the earth. “I’m glad you came. Did you find those you were looking for?”
“I have a start, one I will be tending to after I keep my word.” He glances around. “I’m sorry to hear about Logan.”
“How?”
“The forest speaks to me, remember?” One of his lips lift, and for the first time I wonder if he is glamouring himself. For the briefest of moments, I swear his skin is actually green. “Are you sure you want to keep this to only us?”
Ember lands at that precise moment, huffing out smoke. Unable to resist, I pat her head with affection. “Don’t worry, I’ll feed you some fresh meat very soon.” With that, she settles to the ground, tucking her head in Casseus’s lap. I can’t help but wonder if the affection is because he fed her first or if she sees him as a father figure. Perhaps a bit of both. Either way, it warms my icy heart.
Turning back to Aeden, I finally answer,“Just us. I don’t want to fuck up more than I already have, and I don’t want any more deaths on my hands.” My hands rise of their own accord and I glance down, turning them over and over. Though it is invisible to everyone around me, I swear I see the blood of those I’ve killed, even if no blood was shed.
“That is either very brave or very stupid,” Aeden replies. “I’ll let you know which at the end of the day.”
“I feel like I may get that a lot today.” I huff out a breath. “You know what to do?”
“Bind them.” He raises a brow as if to question my wishes.
“I want to know if they can be healed.” I bite my lip, believing this to be a fool’s errand.
“Bette,” Aeden murmurs softly, before giving the guys a dirty look. “Their minds cannot be healed.”
“Look, I know the humans used all kinds of meds to help others from going insane. There has to be some kind of anecdote or charm or potion they can drink.” I rub a hand down my face. “They can’t all be crazy.”
“The royalty?” Aeden gives me a patronizing smile. “They are all too old and completely insane.”
“Don’t be so quick to judge, sidhe.” I wince at the voice, my head jerking to the side where women walk from the forest, their bodies completely covered in grey cloaks. The hood drawn low over their faces.
Balor and the others stand, while Patrick whips out his ax. “Banshee,” Balor states simply.
“Demon.” I hear a hint of amusement in her voice, before her eerie presence turns to me. “Bette.”
I only know of banshees in passing, so to have one standing before me is honestly terrifying. Their entire presence is like nails on a chalkboard. My spine burns, but I still turn and greet the hidden woman. “Hello, I didn’t quite catch your name.”
“Ellesandra. We saw what you did.” I swallow my pride and jut my chin, not to defend my actions but to face them. “It was intriguing. Your power is delicious.”
Balor rests a heavy hand on my shoulder, pulling me into him. “Why are you here?”
“I told you that you would need our help before the week was out. Here we are.” Her hands lift to encompass the clearing, hands that are ashen and damn near demonic looking. I repress the urge to shudder. “Did you ask the others?”
“Here? No,” Balor rumbles.
“Fool. You will need them all.”
�
�The Fae do nothing more than send farmers and maids to slaughter. I will not slaughter the innocent.”
“Yet Bette isn’t afraid to slaughter the innocent,” she argues in her grating voice.
“No, look here. I’ll have you know that supernatural hangry is a thing and you should never let yourself get there.” I point my finger in her direction.
“Fucking female squabbles.” Patrick steps between us all. “Ya here to help? Good, what the fuck do ya know?”
“Leprechaun. I thought you were all extinct.”
“We are now, witch!” I wince, remembering Patrick’s cousin Arnold that tried to kill me. “Help or no?”
“Help.” She shrugs a boney shoulder. I’m partially glad she is covered in a cloak.
Which reminds me. “Casseus, where’s my cloak?” I frown, missing the magical fabric that wrapped around me like a second skin.
He snaps his fingers, jogging over to a hammock and pulling two out from under in. “Here.”
I hold my hand out, squinting my eyes at him. “You had that the whole night? I could have slept in that.”
“What, and have you cover up that body? Yeah, no.” That fucking devious little shit, he’s smiling too. I’ll get back at him. Later, of course.
“You sure your friend will be watching the Fae?” Aeden brings us all back to the purpose of the day.
“She wants to make sure I follow through. She’ll be making sure that happens.” Mac winces with those words. His voice hoarse and strained from that fucking magical noose. The less he speaks, the more I want to put one over Kelsie’s neck. But then heal her too.
This is all so fucked up.
“I’ve brought help,” Ellesandra states. We all go ridged, unsure what she might spring on us next.
Until a woman breaks free of the tree line, with only a few at her wake. My entire body tenses as Kelsie’s mom stares at me, her eyes full of emotion that I can’t place. I get the feeling she’d rather be anywhere else but here.
I don’t call her Mom. That title belongs to a woman I buried a long fucking time ago. Instead, I say fucking nothing.
“We will bind Kelsie.” Her voice warbles, not at all confident in her words.