Finding fae, p.4
Finding Fae, page 4
part #1 of Lost In Fae Series
“I have fears,” she responded with narrowed eyes, “you just can’t read them. That is on purpose.” The venom practically dripped off her tongue.
His eyebrows shot up as authentic surprise flickered around his expression. An impressive feat. As he stepped closer a growl built in my throat protectively. Without prelude, her misty magic surrounded her and Valerio stopped right in his tracks.
“What are you?” he whispered.
“Fae,” she spoke evenly.
“You can’t touch her, Valerio,” I stated, my commander shot me an incredulous look.
“My skin and wings, if I don’t control them, are poisonous,” she explained with an almost lazy indifferent gaze. I could feel the intensity and energy under her skin though.
“Really?” Philip asked intrigued.
“Don’t worry, I wasn’t defensive around you.” Her eyes warmed on my friend before sliding back to our leader. Yep, there was the jealousy again. Fuck my life.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Valerio said and I could hear a bit of hurt. Ah, shit. See, this was what you got when you put a bunch of forgotten boys together that grew into brothers. I could literally see what was going through each of their heads, and if the three of us were having this reaction, it spelled so much trouble for the others.
She met his gaze and nodded after a moment, “I know, well I hope at least. Still, you can’t blame me for being cautious when you just tried to pick apart my brain a minute ago.”
Valerio fucking blushed as his ears heated.
“Sorry,” he grunted under his breath. Was this a joke? Did the man actually apologize?
“No worries.” She let her magic fade and backed up to sit on the windowsill. All of us were silent for a singular moment. I knew it wouldn’t last though and I had a feeling more members of our team would be here soon.
She finally spoke, “So it was great to meet all four of you…”
“Four?” Philip chuckled, “You may need glasses sweetheart, but they would look cute…”
She pinned him with a small narrowed eyed look, amusement flickering on her soft lips, and snapped as the air rippled, a soft chuckle sounding as Chait materialized from his phantom form. Motherfucker.
“Mi Cheri,” he lamented dramatically, “how am I supposed to get away with anything now?”
“How long have you been there?” I demanded.
He rose a shoulder and Maize smiled at him with a warmness that was very obvious. I watched as Chait walked around and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his head against her neck. And see? I thought I was the first to meet her. My wolf growled possessively as I tried to breathe through it. Chait, noticing how tense I was, grinned antagonistically at me.
“Why the hell are we all in here?” Our fifth, sixth, and seventh team members were coming and, as if she knew, Maize twirled easily out of Chait’s arms, a ridiculous pout slipping onto his lips as he slid to the floor. The man was a cat. A goddamn house cat. How can someone be comfortable laying on the floor like that?
“Because of Maize,” Valerio answered quietly, sounding far too clinical, which let me know he was hiding shit.
I went to go prepare her as Zed stepped into the room. Too late.
The Horde, nearly a year after the war, had become far more accepting of everyone and anyone that had wanted to live here permanently. Even my brother who was a blood mage and part demon, specifically an incubus. He’d lived here before, but until people started hating the Dark Fae so avidly, each community had been somewhat biased against the others. Zed had often dealt with others trying to make fun of his heritage…and he had usually snapped their neck or ripped their throat out, resulting in all of us getting in trouble. Asshole.
My heart stopped as his eyes snapped to her and turned black. She must have seen it as well. His sharp movement, in less than a second, to reach her was stopped by her hand. I shook my head as she kept the blood mage away from her massive wings and beautiful face with just a finger. Her control was statue perfection, clearly practiced and despite her words seemed somewhat perfected.
Zed was extremely tense and he tilted his head to study her intently. I had no bloody idea what the hell was going on anymore and that was the honest truth of it.
“May I?” he asked in a voice I’d never heard before. I’d also never heard him ask for anything.
Maize spoke softly in warning, “No funny shit.”
Zed nodded eagerly as if the prospect of getting hurt, which he no doubt gathered from her power, was hot. She pulled her wings behind her as he stepped closer, his nose buried against her neck as she turned bright pink. He let out a pathetic and totally understandable groan before stepping back. Then again, I could barely hear it because my wolf was livid that a predator’s teeth were that close to her neck. Unless it was ours of course. Because somehow that was okay...
“Fucking shit,” he muttered before storming out. A small amused smile lit her lips momentarily.
“What the fuck did you do?” Charm, eloquent as ever, demanded.
Her wings expanded out again fully as she narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m sorry, what was that?”
Charm stepped forward and Chait let out a warning sound as he sat up. The defensive bastard spoke again, “I said, what the fuck did you do to him?” What the hell was she doing to any of us, I mean really. It was true though. Zed was acting weird as hell.
Something dark lit in her eyes as she spoke softly, “I did nothing, however, if you would like a sample of what I could do -- please step on up.” Alright, frankly I found that pretty fucking funny since Charm was considered rather terrifying. She didn’t seem phased by that which only upset me more because it meant she had dealt with scarier. I didn’t like that.
Charm hesitated and his jaw clenched. “Don’t think you’re any better than us just because you’re blocking our magic.”
Temperamental fool. Also, fascinating that his powers don’t work on her either.
“I don’t think anything.” She tilted her chin up showing a strength I’d assumed she had, “But with how you’re acting I’m starting to believe you may be right.” I really had to try to not laugh at that shit.
Charm went to stalk forward but Maddox was there in front of him, his eyes intense and a bit unhinged. Not unusual in the least. What was unusual? The bastard’s protective stance in front of her because the man was almost never interested or not lazy.
“Maddox, move,” Charm stated, his temper getting ahead of himself.
“No,” Maddox stated softly, “how about you leave to cool down?” He flashed a smile, “I really had no intention of going through this with you again. Don’t force me to make you leave.” What the hell? It was true though, the two of them may be brothers but they fought. Often. I think he was the only one that could get Maddox pissed and worked up.
“Fuck you,” Charm hissed. He left through the door and Maddox turned towards Maize.
“Je suis désolé amour, ne vous inquiétez pas pour ce salaud.”
My eyebrows hiked at the fluent French that spilled from his mouth. Her lips formed a sweet smile as mirth filled her eyes. He stepped closer and pressed a kiss to her cheekbone before he was gone to probably go yell at Charm. We had officially entered a new realm. A few moments of silence followed because Maddox never acted like that. Ever.
“I think we should all leave Maize to get settled, you will join us for dinner,” Valerio said softly in a command looking a bit freaked out. Her wings bristled at his directive, showing just how dominant her magic was, but she nodded.
Everyone began exiting the room in a dazed way as I walked forward.
“Are you alright?” I asked her.
Those eyes lit up into silver orbs as she nodded with an amused smile, “Containment doesn’t seem like it will be boring, at least.”
No. No, it did not.
Chapter 4
Maize
I stood under the hot water, loving that the academy had showers instead of baths, as my long fingers traced the inside of my wrists, frowning at the burn marks. Bastards. A fluttering sensation in my chest had me thinking about a less painful thought, the one from only a few minutes ago. I didn’t want to be thinking about them though. The group of men that had my wings fluttering for a far different reason than what was normal. If I thought it had been overwhelming being around Maddox and Chait, it was nothing like being around all of them at the same time. Nothing.
I pressed my forehead to the shower tile as I ran a warm cloth across my sore eyelids from lack of sleep. At least I hadn’t had nightmares or waking terrors. No, instead I literally hadn’t slept, being freaked out that I was in a new place. In an odd way though, I also felt hyper.
My wings kept wanting to break out and if it wasn’t for the serious control I’d mastered it would be a problem. A problem I didn’t want to consider, a problem that I wouldn’t consider. Besides being defensive, a fae’s wings expanding out meant they were usually in the presence of their mate. I couldn’t be anyone's mate though. I didn’t deserve that and my possible mate or mates didn’t deserve that.
I was finally free and I had no urge to be trapped under a cruel male’s hand again. That was what mating was. I knew that. I’m sure my mother thought the same with Mario. As nice as these men were, I would never be trapped. Contained. The only man I would ever want by my side was one that could keep up with me. Not one that tried to control me.
I had been raised my entire life knowing what I was. How powerful I was. How lethal I was.
A group of women had banded together to protect me because of it. The Obsidian Butterflies slowly created over my entire lifetime. When Mario had realized I was gathering power, nearly eighteen, and ready to fight for his demise, he’d lost his shit. He had locked me up, he’d slaughtered three women who he had known were helping me, and I had warned the others to go into hiding. It wasn’t worth it yet. It wasn’t time yet.
Little did I know, he would start trying to drain my magic. Not that it worked, but instead prolonged how long he kept me trapped. I knew the Obsidian Butterflies weren’t happy with me leaving the Dark Fae lands. I couldn’t be what they wanted though. I couldn’t lead a group in the lands that I hated so much.
Plus, now that there was a true Dark Heir, I was free. I had no responsibility. I felt guilty for lying to the men, despite it being partly true. I was pure fae and poisonous. I was also the Obsidian Butterfly. I was lethal, and not because of any fucking birthright. No. I had spent my entire life under attack. The Obsidian Butterflies had been named after me because of the black butterflies, like death itself, following me around.
My back twitched as I rolled my shoulders, my wings melding again into their tattoo-like state. One of my familiars, imprinted at the base of my neck, came to life and crawled over my shoulder and down my arm. The black widow peered up at me as I rose my brow at the sassy creature.
Couldn’t Laurena have given me a bit more…I don’t know, less bitchy familiars?
“How am I supposed to relax with you rambling on about those men? You like them. So why are you so torn up about it?” She jumped onto the shower shelf. I muttered a curse at how nosy she was.
“Like them? I barely know them,” I stated evenly, “plus…you know how I feel about that.”
Her small dark eyes flashed back and forth across my face. “You have only tried once, maybe this time…”
My skin broke out into shivers as I shook my head. I had tried being intimate once. I thought I had control. How wrong I was! The emotional and physical extremes had my poison flaring. Instantly, he was dead. Do you know what the hell it does to a young girl when her first sexual experience ends up dying underneath her during sex? Let me tell you, it fucks you up.
“Stop it, Sy,” a lisped voice spoke as the tattoo wrapped around my thigh came to life and slithered up to rest on my neck. My spider narrowed her beady eyes at my snake.
“Lu,” I sighed as he flicked his tongue on my cheek. “She’s not wrong, but I’m just not ready. For any of that. Maybe never.” It was accurate, though since then I hadn’t been able to get past kissing someone and I sure as hell wasn’t dating while imprisoned.
Before either familiar could respond, a knock sounded on my bedroom door. What now? I hadn’t been lying to Cannon. Containment would be interesting but I wasn’t positive it would benefit me. Sy crawled over my shoulder and melded into the back of my neck, hidden except for the ends of her legs that wrapped around my throat slightly. I could hide the tattoos if I wanted but I was proud of my familiars. Lu offered a huff, his black shiny scales rippling as he wrapped himself back around my thigh. I turned off the water and patted myself down before slipping on a plush robe. I would never take these luxuries for granted. Not after those horrible three years.
“Maddox?” I asked curiously, smiling as his startling lime green eyes examined my face.
“Teacup,” he offered his seldom-used nickname for me that was actually pretty cute and began searching my room. I watched him, entertained because despite being odd, he was my odd friend…friend still felt like an odd word to describe them. Mostly because Chait and Maddox felt like so much more than that. They comforted me. They protected me despite never admitting to it.
I mean I totally kicked ass during training and if anyone gave me shit I fought back. Still, what did we think the chances were that every asshole I complained about ended up in the medical wing a day or two later. To be fair, I didn’t complain as much as answer them as to why I had black eyes and bruised ribs…also sometimes a sword or two would catch me. Okay, I got really bruised up during SE Training, but there were also times where I kicked total ass, just saying. I blinked my eyes trying to not feel more exhausted than I was.
“Maddox?” I asked again as the man turned to meet my gaze.
I must have looked more confused than normal because in a flash he was in my space, suddenly and overwhelming, as I breathed in his familiar scent of caramel and sea salt. I swallowed, feeling nervous as I always did when the man was in my space. He didn’t ask to be there either, neither of them really did. Instead, they were just there and I loved it. I leaned forward slightly as he brushed a hand over my cheekbone and my magic wrapped around his. The misty texture of my magic meeting the almost staticky white noise of his. I wanted to let my walls down to see fully what it would feel like on my tongue, but I had kept the two of them at a distance while trying to deny what I already knew.
It was so damn hard though, with all of this change and more of them added to the equation? I wanted to run, it was my instinct. I wasn’t positive the mating bond was going to let me, my wings twitching to unravel. I just had to keep it a secret. From the others. From these two. It had been quite some time now, maybe Chait and Maddox didn’t feel it. Plus, if they didn’t know, we couldn’t really bond.
Still, I had hated when he had left so soon earlier and I was glad he was back. I had thought maybe he had been ashamed to have me meet everyone but when Chait showed up early this morning, like normal, I knew I was overthinking things. I did want to punch him a bit for standing up for me when it came to Charm. I could totally take the guy.
“Sorry,” he spoke softly, “I just was looking for--”
“Me,” Chait chuckled, appearing in the door. Mirth tilted his lips as he narrowed his eyes at Maddox. “But don’t believe him, Maize. He just missed you and wanted to come see you.”
I looked up at Maddox who didn’t disagree but instead wrapped an arm around me so I was between the two of them comfortably. “Is that true? Did you miss me?” I teased as the large man offered a rare smile.
“Always,” he muttered, “besides I wanted to make sure you were okay after…well, all of that shit.”
“I knew it was going to be bad but that…” Chait shook his head, “that was insane.”
“They don’t normally act like that?” I arched a brow. Alright. Good to know. Not ashamed, just worried about their friends embarrassing them essentially.
“No,” Maddox scoffed.
Chait sighed, “This is going to be a mess.” What was going to be a mess?
“I'm going to get ready real quick--”
“Just take this hallway to the main room and down the large set of stairs,” Maddox instructed with a lazy grin, kissing my head before wandering off.
Chait offered me his dangerous, sexy smile. I shook my head smiling despite myself because they were just so damn perfect.
Way too perfect for someone like you.
I began singing a soft french song under my breath as I realized I’d picked that up from Maddox at some point in the last year. Except he had a far better singing voice than myself. I wondered where he had learned it? I mean, I had learned it from the two of them, but they seemed to speak it fluently. Sometimes I wondered if it was their first language but I knew that wasn’t the case.
In fact, I honestly felt like I knew these men way more than I realized or maybe I hadn’t been thinking about it as much as I should have. It didn’t surprise me that they had come to check up on me.
I closed the door going to the large chest of clothing I had from Gray’s castle. I figured I would get dressed because I had no doubt someone would come knocking eventually.
Except it wasn’t a knock.
I slid on a pair of deep sapphire-colored undergarments, the material hugging my hips and bottom and my breasts covered by a lace cup. It was stunning and I caught my reflection in the mirror, my hair drying in a slightly wavy tone because I hadn’t brushed it yet. My hair and eyes were odd like that, changing on how I felt. My entire body changed far too often for my liking. I was distracted enough that I didn’t hear the door open as I slid up a pair of dark leggings and searched for a shirt. I heard a strangled cough but didn’t bother turning around knowing exactly who it was.
Valerio.
Now, he was a problem. I had gathered that these men had complex magic that didn’t run the norm for even the Horde.
Chait had expressed along with his elven heritage he had the ability to move in and out of the spirit realm, more spirit than man half the time. He was essentially a ghost is what I was saying but still very much alive. A realm traveler of sorts. Not a necromancer fully but a different level of that same tree.
