by Katie Zaber
With her hands on her hips, she rolls her eyes. “You’re sorry for having feelings for an old lover who broke your heart countless times, but continued to lead you on for years?” Her eyes roll again. “You don’t have to be sorry. There’s a guy or two that stole my heart, not under the same circumstances, but it would still pain me to see them. I would act the same way, awkward. Seeing them would bring back memories. Some pleasant, some painful. You’re a human being. Stop acting as if you need to be more. You’re amazing, caring, and a sexy man who protects the people he cares about, and you cared about her for a while.” Her eyes squint as she studies me. “You didn’t kiss her or anything, right?”
“No.” The thought terrifies me. To lose Dana and gain nothing from Lilly, to throw away love for envy. “No. I can’t lose you.”
“Then there’s no need for an apology. She was part of your life, she always will be. Now, get those filthy clothes off. Come here and into bed. I’m tired and I want to cuddle.”
***
Knock, knock, knock.
Who the hell can that be? We aren’t expecting any deliveries. Anyone who knows us uses the back door through the courtyard—we’ve never opened the front door.
Knock, knock, knock.
I don’t want to talk to anyone. I just got up. Ciara woke up first, but I don’t think she can sleep past sunrise. She couldn’t have gotten more than an hour of sleep. Xander and Sarah haven’t emerged yet. Dana only manipulated me out of bed five minutes ago. I’m not sure where Tristan and Ciara went, but she made breakfast before leaving. Brynjar hasn’t come back.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The knocks grow more frantic, louder.
What the hell happened now?
Before I open the door, I grab an ax from the woodpile. Better be prepared in case something else unexpected happens. I don’t want another surprise.
“Who is it?” I say, opening the door slowly, one hand on the doorknob, the other on the ax. I trust no one who doesn’t know to use the kitchen door.
“Um, name’s Bill. I work at CS. Lilly said, shit—I don’t know her name, but she was missing and you were looking for her last night. I wanted to make sure she was okay. She left late. I hate how she sneaks out.” Pausing, he grows concerned, as if suddenly thinking I might be her husband. “Are you her cousin?” he asks with a gulp.
So this is Megan’s fuck buddy. Medium build, smaller than me, but everyone is. Darting blue eyes, shaggy blond hair. It has to be him.
“Better come inside. Coffee?”
“Yeah, sure. Nice place.”
“Thanks. The girls just finished building it.”
“Lips built this?” His face turns red. “Sorry. That was the only name she gave me.”
I sigh. “Yeah, that’s my cousin. She calls you Blue. Megan and her friends built it. We moved in two days ago. Take a seat.”
“Kevin, who’s that?” Dana comes out of the kitchen, holding a cup of coffee for me. “Oh, you must be Blue.”
“Can you grab another cup for him?”
“Sure. I’ll grab bread and see if there’s any bacon left.” Dana leaves me alone with a man who may have put Megan in danger.
“What happened last night?” I try my hardest not to look intimidating, but when you’re the size of a wall and cranky from lack of sleep, even a smile can instill fear.
His brows furrow together. “What do you mean? We drank two bottles of wine and fell asleep by the fireplace. I woke up this morning and found her note in the ash. I went to work and Lilly asked me if you found us. I got worried, so she gave me your address. Is she okay? What happened?”
He’s confused and concerned. It’s clear he had nothing to do with her attack.
“Do you know what time she left?”
“Honestly no. After midnight, but before sunrise. Last time I saw her, she was asleep in my arms. Where is she?”
“A group of men attacked her last night. She made it across the street. We heard her scream and found her unconscious. The attackers fled, and she didn’t see their faces.”
“Attackers? What did they do to Lips?” He stands, his face a darker shade of red. He’s fuming, ready to fight or kill whoever hurt her. “Is she at the hospital? Can I see her? I know she wants privacy but… where is she?”
“She’s upstairs resting. I’ll have Dana go check to see if she’s awake.”
“I can’t believe this happened. If she only listened to me.” He paces back and forth, running his fingers through his hair. “I asked her to stay until morning. I told her I would walk her home.”
I better get his coffee and give him a minute to digest the news. I didn’t even tell him about her temporary loss of vision—it had better be temporary. I try hard not to think of the worst and be optimistic. Give her a couple days to heal before making plans.
Sarah comes down the stairs, her face aglow. “Megan’s up, and she smelled bacon. She wants to know when breakfast is. Her sight improved. She can tell I’m a woman, but we’re still blobs.”
She doesn’t notice our company in the den under the stairs.
“Her sight! What did they do?” Bill rushes from the den, racing to the bottom of the stairs in a panic.
Sarah sucks in a deep breath as she turns to face him. “You. You let her leave in the middle of the night. It’s your fault!”
Now an inch from his face, Sarah looks like an angry Snow White. Thank God Xander is next to her. At least he can defuse that situation. I retreat to the kitchen. It’s too early to deal with all this shit and I haven’t finished my first cup of coffee or eaten. Dana meets me at the threshold with a tray of coffee, bacon, toast, and butter. She watches with a mild level of amusement as Sarah berates poor Bill.
“How’d he take the news?”
“He blames himself. Overall, he seems like a good guy. I didn’t mention anything about the light. I don’t want him to know that it involves Fae.”
“Damn, he’s a good guy? Shit, she will break his heart. I’ll tell her he’s here.” She walks over to the table, passing the feud on the stairs, and places the tray on the table in the den.
“You have to believe I tried to get her to stay,” Bill pleads. “She sneaked out after I fell asleep. I told her to stay until morning. That I would walk her home, but she said there was something she needed to do. She wouldn’t say what. I tried.”
He begs with Sarah as she hits his chest. Neither Bill nor Xander stop her. They both know she needs to hit something and Xander isn’t stupid enough to interfere. At least Sarah isn’t taking full swings at Bill or going for his face. Deep down, she must realize he had nothing to do with Megan’s attack, but she still needs someone to take her anger out on. Glad I’m not on her bad side.
“What if Brynjar’s wrong and she’s blind forever? It’s bad enough being trapped here, but being blind too…” Sarah’s eyes water, but she doesn’t cry. She turns to bury her head in Xander’s chest. Xander nods an apology to Bill as he walks her out of the room and into the kitchen.
“Lips said you’re allowed to come up.” Dana stands at the top of the stairs with hands on her hips.
He’s paler, the anger has flushed from his face. Bill follows Dana up the stairs, looking like a ghost.
Chapter Twelve - Megan
“Lips?”
“Blue.”
“Lilly, my boss, said your cousin was looking for you last night. He told her you were missing. She gave me your address. I wanted to check and make sure you were okay, and then Kevin told me what happened. Those assholes blinded you. What else did they do? Did they… I’ll find them and kill them.” His smooth fingers interlock with mine. “I know you want your privacy. I respect that, but when Lilly said something might be wrong and I found out they attacked you… I couldn’t leave without seeing you.”
“Don’t worry, I’m fine. I’ve got my cousin Kevin and friends. They’re taking care of me.”
“Yeah they are. That one woman is fierce.”
I can o
nly assume he met Sarah. “My sight is coming back slowly. It shouldn’t be permanent. I should be fine in a week.”
“Good,” he says, giving my hand a squeeze. “I’ve never met a woman like you.”
“That’s because I’m not normal.”
“I think that’s what I like about you. You’re different.”
“You shouldn’t. It doesn’t matter. It’s not safe. We shouldn’t see each other anymore. It would be better if I left for everyone’s safety.” I try to keep my voice steady, trying not to cry.
“Your friends won’t let you leave. Your cousin Kevin will stop anyone from attacking you. That man is huge. Honestly, I got nervous when he opened the door. I’ll stay too, if you want. I’ll take care of you and protect you.”
“You don’t understand. There is no relationship. There’s only one thing you get with me. Sex. That’s it. I don’t need a bedside nurse or protection. I worry and care about too many people and I can’t handle any more people. It’s too much. My mind can’t handle it. I’m not strong enough. I can’t.”
Tears flow freely. Before letting him upstairs, I asked Dana to put an extra layer or two of bandages to soak up tears—just in case. She didn’t pester me with any questions, thank God. I didn’t want to have that conversation with her right now. She has to realize it is better not to invite him into chaos. Yes, he is a man I could picture myself with, but not when under attack. He knows nothing. Hell, we don’t know what happened. It’s not fair to him. It’s better to end it now before he is hurt or killed.
“You’re the strongest woman I know. I’m not looking for a relationship, but I care enough to make sure you’re safe. If you want to leave in the middle of the night, wake me first. I’ll walk you home. I really don’t want that woman hitting me again. And there’s no reason for me not to visit. I won’t spend the night if that’s what you want.”
“You won’t talk about love, kids, family, past, or future?”
“If that’s what you want. I don’t plan to have a family and my past is behind me while my future is uncertain. What I know is I like you. You’re fun. Until it’s not, we should keep having fun.”
“You make ending this impossible.”
“I’m not giving you a choice. Anyway, we can’t end our relationship. We aren’t a couple, remember. However,” he slides his hand from mine up my bare arm. His touch excites and soothes me, and I’m still not sure if that’s a good thing. “If you feel up to it, I’ll stop by on my way home.” He plants a soft kiss on my check.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. If they kill you, it’s not my fault.”
“Do you know who or why they’re after you?”
“No.”
“We’ll figure it out. Kevin won’t let anything happen to you, and neither will I.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
He laughs. “Rest up. I’ll see you tonight.”
I can feel his smile radiate off him as he tucks the blankets back around me, then leaves the room.
Well, if they attack him, it’s his own fault, his own risk. Truthfully, I don’t think I’m worth it. We don’t know each other—he doesn’t even know my name. I don’t know his or anything about him. Where he grew up, how he got his lean, muscular physique. There’s not too much that I know. He is a blue-eyed, blond-haired, sexy bartender. That’s it. His place didn’t give too much information beyond he’s a bachelor. I can’t understand why he would risk sacrificing his life for someone he only spent two nights with.
It makes no rational sense.
Damn it. I need my sight back. Granted, it’s better than last night, but everything still is a tie-dye mess. Lightning shoots around, but it’s not as frequent. I can see shapes instead of blobs. I could tell the difference between Sarah and Xander, but if it were all the girls, I’d have a harder time. As soon as my vision returns, I need to leave. I have to run away. They aren’t safe with me here. They shouldn’t die because some Fae have me confused with someone.
The bigger question is who do they think I am?
They called me a myth, a legend. They said they searched for me, but I’ve been here less than a month. It can’t be me. How can I be involved with Fae if I never met one?
“Megan?” Brynjar knocks on the door. I considered him more inclined to barge in.
“Come in.”
“Brought medicine. It will speed up the healing. Your vision will be normal tomorrow. It helps with pain.” He passes me a tiny metal cup.
“What is it?”
“Medicine that doesn’t exist in your world. Drink it if you want to heal faster. It’s your choice.”
Gross, slimy, and metallic tasting, it is only a little, maybe a tablespoon, but it’s the nastiest thing to enter my mouth. It takes everything for me to swallow it. My gag reflexes don’t handle it well. I’m going to taste that for the next couple of days.
“Here.” He gives me a cup that smells like tea. It helps, but it isn’t the best chaser. I really could use a shot of bicki. “Remember anything else?”
“No, but I didn’t go into detail. I didn’t want the men searching for them.”
“What else?”
“They must have had me confused with someone else. They said they have been waiting a long time for me. They called me—”
“What did they call you?”
“A legend, a myth. The leader seemed surprised to find me. As if he wasn’t sure if I existed. Their voices were weird. They were singing but weren’t.”
“Thank you, Megan. That helps.”
I grab his arm. I meant to find his hand. “Who are you?”
He can’t possibly have this much knowledge of Fae and be a simple retired blacksmith. Kevin said he fought in the last war but didn’t go into details.
“A man.”
“Stop with the dramatic riddles. What was your rank during the war?”
“I wasn’t part of the army.”
“Kevin said you fought in the last Fae war.”
“He misspoke. I know men, high-ranking soldiers. They might know why the Fae attacked.”
His voice sounds different; it echoes. He sounds far away. I feel like I’m on a rollercoaster ride with my eyes closed. It feels like the room is flying, doing loop-de-loops. What did he give me? “You’re lying…”
“No, I never lie. Rest, Me…”
***
Late again. I’m always late. Mom and Chelsea will bitch. Oh well. At least I didn’t forget the beer. It’s hot, too hot for khakis and a tank. I can’t wait to swim in the pool. Whenever I pull up to my parents’ house, it feels bittersweet. I missed how all the yards in the neighborhood are covered with rocks and pebbles instead of grass. The community has a relaxed beachy aesthetic. It makes the area feel tropical rather than South New Jersey. Barbecues fill the air with a heavenly aroma. Everyone on the block must be having one. It’s a beautiful day to spend outside with the family in the pool.
“You’re late, like always. Grow up and be on time for once.”
Chelsea rolls her eyes, her designer sunglasses resting on the tip of her nose—she’s always dramatic. The way her eyes roll into her head irritates the hell out of me. She looks so smug in her banana peel sundress, hiding herself not only behind those dark sunglasses but also behind a large, wide-brimmed sun hat. It must suck to be Little Miss Perfect Model.
“Stop bothering your sister.” Dad runs up to take the beer out of my hands, giving me a hug, then messes my hair. “You’re just in time for steaks. Five more minutes. Enough time for you to take a quick dip and cool off.”
Dad is incredible. He’s always smiling, always happy, and always tranquil. He’s a constant source of love and support with never ending patience. Even when mad, he is quiet and calm. You know you’re in trouble when he speaks above a whisper.
“How was the drive? Any traffic?” Mom sips on her Long Island Iced Tea and tosses her chocolate curls back. She floats on her Margaritaville pool lounge wearing a white bikini covered in
fuchsia flowers and a straw-colored sun hat that matches my sister’s. They go shopping together—they have matching everything.
“Eh, a little summer traffic. I wish I left fifteen minutes earlier.” I take off my shorts and tank on the way to the pool. It’s too hot and Chelsea looks dry and comfortable in her overpriced banana dress. “Cannonball!”
“Stop splashing! Augh, Dad!”
“Stop bothering your sister.”
The go-to phrase. Stop doing this, stop doing that. We’ve never gotten along. She thinks she’s so much better than I am. Bitch.
I splash some more before doing a backstroke and swim off to the other end. It feels so relaxing to float in the cool water. The birds sing in the trees, the smell of steaks on the grill mixes with the perfume of lilacs and sea wafts in the breeze—this is heaven. Everything’s so peaceful. I miss the pool and my family, even Chelsea. I have fun driving her crazy. What else is a younger sister good for besides torturing?
“All right, all right, dinner’s ready. Help me grab plates.” Dad takes off his Grill Master apron and then carries two plates of food to the patio table and sits down, waiting for everyone.
“Who wants a drink?” I ask, drying off and heading to the coolers, thirsty for a beer.
Mom smiles. “Beers and waters for everyone. Thanks, love.”
Wow, there’s a ton of ice in the cooler; they really packed it. The birds move from one tree to another. Something must be hunting them to make them chirp so loudly and be so agitated. It has to be the neighbor’s cat.
Digging through the ice, finally I find a beer, three more beers, and four more waters. How deep is the cooler? My hands are turning red from the cold ice.
Two more waters and beers. The birds are loud as hell. My hands are burning from the ice. It sounds like the birds are screaming in the trees. While I rearrange the drinks in my arms, the world goes silent. Heat blasts me, scalding my skin and setting it ablaze. I drop everything and fall into a crouch, a feeble attempt to shield my face from the blast. The smell of burnt hair and flesh overwhelms my senses and my stomach twists.