Forbidden Fae
Bennett Clan
J. S. Striker
Copyright 2022 by J. S. Striker - All rights reserved.
In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher.
All rights reserved.
Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
Contents
Chapter 1
Naya Basco had never felt more stupid than she did at this moment —and that was saying something, considering all of the idiotic things she had done in her lifetime. Sure, twenty-five years was nothing compared to the hundreds that others lived—particularly Fae, vampires, and those witches who were craftier than most—but those older ones probably hadn’t just accidentally revealed a secret that could jeopardize an entire species.
“Shit. Shit on a silver platter!” The curse rang in her head, then was huffed out as she ran like the wind. Ironically, there was no wind tonight, the stifling heat indicating that summer was about to coat Maple Hills. She sweated as she sprinted, tried to ignore the discomfort as she looked around for avenues of escape. All the while, her mind swam with memories of earlier.
“Thanks for letting me drive you home. I had a great time tonight.”
“Ihadagreattime,too.”
Theboyishgrin on ArchiePembroke’s face haddelightedher thoroughly, as most of her dates usually involved aggressive jerks who pushed too hard or boasted too much. Archie had been a gentleman in the movie theater , stealing only a kiss on the cheek andsomecandiesfromherhand.
“Areyousureyoudon’twantmetocomein?”
Shegiggled,a soundthathadhimlookingathermouth—but also, adistractionsoshewouldn’tneedtoexplainthatshedidn’tlive in the apartment she had asked him tostop the car in front of. No one needed to know that she lived in the Spring Court, where creatures were hungry for blood and power, and humans were cluelessaboutit.
“It’s not a good idea, unfortunately.” She shook her head. “ThisisourfirstdateandIjustwantittobespecial.”
“Iunderstand.Ithoughtitwasspecial,too.”Anotherbashful grin,hiseyestwinkling.
Archie was cute. He was human and sincere, and perhaps that was why she threw caution to the wind and leanedin,closing the distance between them a bit. She watched through hooded lashes as he gripped the stirring wheel tighter , mesmerized by the wayshelickedherlips.
“Butitdoesn’tmeanwecan’tkissgoodnight.”
Hegulped.Shefound it delightful.Sheconnected theinches andpressedher mouthtohis,waitingfor thesparkoftheirdateto translateintothekiss.Frustration rose slightlywhenit didn’tcome, so she kissed him more openly, amused at the sound he made beforehishandcuppedhercheek.Hetiltedherheadandkissedher harder .
Ahumofpleasantnesscame andmadeherthink,“Finally.”It didn’tescalate,giving her a sense that she would be safe with this man and she could trust him with her heart because he wouldn’t breakit.
“Youtastesogood,”hewhispered,stillinawe.
“You kiss good,” she returned, wishing she could feel more. Butthiswasanicestart.
They grew hot and heavy, fleeting touches and teasing caresses, cocooning her and the car with a nice dose of heat. His breathing became heavier as his tongue delved out, seeking entrance and clouding her brain a bit as she anticipated more. He murmuredsomething,shroudedatfirstbeforeitbecameclear .
“You’reamazing.”Thecroonwashusky,encouraging.
“Soareyou.”
“Tellmeallyoursecrets.”
She sighed. The lack of demand had her encased in contentment.
“Ihaven’tconnectedwithaman, not sinceIfellinlove with theFaeprince.”
“He must be somethingspecial.” His hand cruised under her shirt,pressing.Shearched,wantingmoretingles.Whyweren’tthere alotoftingles?
“He’s just so handsome and kind, so above my league. But he’smyfriendandthere’senoughtrustforhimtogivemeagift.”
“Whatgift?”
“His essence. The key. I accidentally swallowed his essence andheletmekeepit.Hedidn’tkillmeforit.”
“Whatisthiskey?”
Hesuckedonherneck,hadherarchingagain.Stillnotingles, butitfeltpleasantlywarm. “It’s a treasure. It’s a ballofenergy that holdspower, andit’s crucialto theoverallpower theCourtholds.It makes them invincible no matter how many losses they take, how manytrialstheyface.Butinthewronghands…”
Thenextkisswasonhermouth,stillsowarmandcozy.
“It’sdeadly. Idon’tknowhowitworksbutit’ssaidthatinthe hands of enemies, the key I hold will unlock my people’s secrets, those they have kept hidden for years. Their weaknesses. It’s why theytrytokeepmesafeallthetime.”
“Andhowdotheothersunlockthekey?”
Thenigglingcame. It was faintandbrief, disappearingwhen his tongue invaded her mouth and tapped with hers. A sinking awareness flooded her , had her drowning in a thrum of sensations shecouldn’tquitecomprehend.
“Howdoesthekeyunlock,Naya?”
The answer rested at thetip of hertongue—and then it hit, tangling with a warning that screamed until reality crashed. Horror followed, had her finally comprehending the reason for the warm,
pleasantfeelingandthelackoffilter . Shehadbeenduped.Shehad justrevealedherpeople’sgreatestweakness.
Andshewasabouttotelltheenemyhowtoexploitit.
“Naya, you feel so good.” What had once been a bashful encouragement became a tactic to distract her . His energy was subtle, barelycomprehensible as it entered through her mouth and chippedatherrationality. Itfeltsogood…butitwas a lie.Abig,fat lie,givingwaytopanic.“TellmeyoursecretsandIpromiseI’llmake youfeelsogood.”
Nayabithistongueuntilshetastedblood.
Thenshescrambledout ofthecar andaway from hisangry, painedscream…
“Hey! Watch where you’re going.”
The warning shout jarred her back to the present, where Naya forced herself to shove down the rest of her musings. She sidestepped just in time to avoid the body about to slam into hers, had her holding up her hands.
“Sorry. I’m sorry about that. I was distracted.”
“Girls walking alone on isolated streets at night shouldn’t be distracted,” he grumbled. The man was tall, broad, and looked like he could kill her with his bare hands, but there was a fatherly concern to his scowl that had her staying. She deduced this man was headed in the direction where she had come from—a bad idea, considering what had to be after her.
“I’m meeting up with a friend a few blocks ahead. Would you like to accompany me?” she asked.
Ahead meant crowds and the nightlife, closer to the town center and park where humans and supernatural creatures mingled unknowingly. Ahead also meant safety for this man, so she smiled winningly until he shook his head.
“Young people these days…never careful, always looking for trouble…”
She hung her head and let him mutter, tried to appear as chagrined as possible as she kept glancing behind her. There was no hint of magic or sparks, which was a good thing. Maybe she had escaped the wily bastard for good. Maybe he wasn’t part of any organization and was just out to play pranks, and the knowledge he now possessed wouldn’t do much to harm the Spring Court. Hope surged as they walked faster. The corner they turned had her swiveling her head.
“This isn’t the park,” she blurted out, checking out her surroundings. Three blocks away, but they were on another isolated street, the streetlamps broken at intervals.
“You said ahead.”
“This isn’t ahead.”
He whirled to face her. For a second, she assumed he was going to lecture her again and was ready to counter every word. The words died in her throat when his scowl was absent and his eyes… they glittered, the annoyance from earlier gone.
“I told you. Girls like you shouldn’t be distracted.”
Claws gleamed from opening hands, his mouth baring to reveal sharp teeth. Fur sprouted and muscles braced, had her freezing as she ogled. Her insides trembled, but she called on willpower.
“Please, don’t harm me. If you’re looking for blood, I promise mine’s not fresh. If you’re looking for fresh, I know a few secret shops that sell them at a low price. Now, if you would just let me go and give me an address, I can drop some off…”
His essence. The key. I accidentally swallowed his essence andheletmekeepit…
The words died as her blood ran cold. The recording stopped, then started, the man’s thumbs playing with the button in his
pocket, his gaze gleaming with purpose. Trap, her mind acknowledged. Humans and shifters working together, not alone, instantly bringing so much clarity. She stomped down the instinct to run and stepped forward, then locked her quivering knees in place.
“A year’s supply,” she announced. “All the meat and blood you could want. Safe sources. You won’t starve anymore. You don’t even have to hunt anymore. You can relax, do other things. If you want more, we can work a deal out. Something ironclad to prove I’m being sincere.”
He tilted his head, considering it. There was so much fur on him now that only his eyes were visible.
“Where’s the fun in a plate of meat when I can hunt in these ripe forests all I want?”
Hunger filled his voice. She fought the urge to flee and grinned, fluttering her lashes.
“You have a point and I respect that. I even admire it. You’re so powerful, anyone would want you by their side. I have a proposition greater than whatever that man offered.”
“Greater than getting free reign in the Fae world and vengeance on the bastards?”
Bitterness fueled his words. Her smile stilled but didn’t fade as she took the last risk—a few more steps forward until she was within reaching distance. She placed her hands on his chest to show her trust, let her expression soften as she pouted up at him. She let her body relax, wiling all tension away.
“Greater. So much greater. I don’t know if you heard, but a Fae can offer power through a union. And here’s how.”
She whirled without warning, relied so much on her wings as they petered out and smacked him on the face. Her hair stood on end when he howled, then she was sprinting off at the first whiff of blood. Using delicate Fae wings like that would have damaged them irreversibly.
Luckily, hers were already damaged as they flayed about at her speed, her ears ringing at the man’s enraged bellow.
“You bitch! You will pay for that!”
She got rid of the blood. She skipped the town center and turned towards where her half-sister’s bar was located, hope resurging that Rowena Bennett’s mate and other comrades would be enough to dissuade a human with hypnosis and a shifter with anger issues. Dive Niles was a bar where supernatural creatures hung out in secret, letting go of prejudices for a drink or two—a sanctuary. She imagined Jason Niles, her sister’s husband, protecting her with his badass dragon persona. She anticipated Rowena’s warm embrace and promises to keep her safe.
Reality crashed when she spotted the entrance, where a pale man in dark clothes huddled and frowned, his phone pressed against his ear. More movement outside snagged her attention: a couple snuggling together as they strolled, the woman also listening to her phone. But their watchful gazes belied the relaxed stance.
“They lost her. Keep your eyes open.”
“Damn it all to starvation and the devil,” she let out, then clapped her hand over her mouth and backtracked before it was too late. Luckily, no one heard, allowing her to move away before her phone vibrated in her pocket. Her sister’s familiar voice flooded her senses.
“Rowena, hi.”
“Why am I hearing your name through the grapevine and why have you revealed your secret to everyone?”
Ice coated her skin. “Grapevine?”
“It’s all over the bar. The place is teeming with hearsay and gossip, but Jason found a recording that proves it’s not just hearsay.”
“My name?” She had to keep from yelling. “Are they saying my name? They know my name?”
“Well, not your fullname. The guy just kept calling you Naya.”
While they were making out and moaning down each other’s throats. She stifled a groan, mortification mounting before the more concerning issue overpowered it.
“I’m not the only Naya in town,” she replied weakly. “I can’t be. And I didn’t give him my last name. I never give out my last name during casual dates.”
“But you’re the only Naya with that situation.” And Rowena knew about it: the key, the prince, the works. “I don’t suppose anyone else has the same…unique situation?”
“No. No one else. It was a trap,” Naya said frantically, dazed. Horror swirled, had her leaning against a wall as she stopped for a second. “I was on a date and he put me into some type of hypnosis and got the secret out of me.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. We were kissing and he was talking, and suddenly I couldn’t think straight…Rowena?”
Rowena sucked in a breath, then was eerily quiet. When she spoke, urgency snapped in her tone. “Witch.”
“What?”
“Human with hypnosis is a witch.”
“There are no witches in town,” Naya argued, at a loss. “So why now?”
“I don’t know.” More silence, then, “But witches are vicious when they have an agenda, and this one has if he’s spreading your secret like wildfire. It’s a Wednesday but we’re suddenly getting more customers than we do on the weekends. They’re talking. Some don’t know who you are, but you have visited here enough times for
the regular patrons to figure it out—or at least speculate. To be fair, the regular patrons aren’t here, but if they are...”
It just kept getting worse.
“We’re pretending that it’s business as usual, but you can’t come here. We can come to get you and—”
“Don’t,” Naya protested a tad sharply. It became all too clear just how much she couldn’t involve Rowena in this, not when her sister had already been through so much. “I can handle it.”
“But Naya—”
“Business as usual,” Naya reminded. “Your bar is a haven for most creatures, and it should remain that. My politics shouldn’t get involved in it. I’ll handle it.”
“I can call Reagan, have him and Alessa go to you—”
“Bad idea.” The idea of her brother—long-lost, so troubled until he had fallen in love with her court’s only Fae princess— throwing himself headlong into trouble again to protect her hurt her heart. “Alessa caused a rift with her family for choosing to be with our brother, and they only have each other. I don’t need to add to that.”
“But—”
“I’ll be fine. My people will keep me safe, Rowena. You know how powerful they are. No key or essence is going to ruin our court.”
Silence. The line buzzed with tension.
“Where are you going?” Rowena finally asked.
“My court. There are deeper layers I can hide in where no one can find me.”
“Naya…”
“I promise it’s going to be fine. I’ll be hiding and can’t communicate, but I promise I’ll keep in touch once I’m out of court. Can you trust me to handle myself?”
There was another long silence before the reluctant agreement came.
“Yes. Of course. I’m just worried about you.”
“Don’t be,” Naya replied, an air of nonchalance and cheerfulness punctuating her assurance. “I’ll text you when I can.”
The moment she hung up, all cheerfulness vanished as she hurried off, then slowed down when she was close to Spring Fae territory. Here, she was more careful, flattening herself in between tree trunks where power was neutralized. The vulnerability singed in her skin but kept her undetected, allowing her to crouch and sweep the area.
The Fae guards were deeper in the forest, and silence encumbered the space…but not for long, as the first hint of footsteps caught her attention. She crouched lower at the shadowed figure that snuck in and scanned the area, red orbs glinting. Her stomach dropped when two more came. The vampire hid from view and watched the two figures argue in hushed tones. The cold had her shivering and staring as frost covered some parts of the ground, closer than before.
WinterFae.
Minutes passed. They retreated, seeming to have given up, but the vampire stayed in hiding. She clamped down the urge to make a run for it, opened her fist, and produced a thin, frail petal. Indecision warred before she hastily scribbled a note and let the petal float in the sky, knowing its destination.
Please,her mind called. Pleasecomefast.Ineedyou.
“Alistair will solve this,” she muttered to herself. Alistair always solved things. The man she admired would never let her down.
More minutes crawled by, left her restless and worried. When no help came, a resolution did as she stood straighter and readied herself to knock out the vampire before he caught sight of her. Sure, vampires were faster than Fae, but if she took him from behind—
“This isn’t a good hiding spot, you know, not when it opens you up to a physically stronger enemy. Haven’t you learned anything from all the training we had?”
The voice alarmed her into a soundless gasp before her hand slapped forward to cover the mouth and press the figure against the closest tree trunk. She glared.
Armand Violet didn’t glare back, looking entirely too gleeful for having successfully startled her. He also looked more regal than usual, with his lavender hair swept back, dark silk shirt shimmering slightly, and pale silver orbs examining her thoroughly. Most women would have swooned at the attention the youngest prince of the court paid them, but Naya wasn’t most women.
When he didn’t look like he would cause a commotion, she loosened her hold. Her hand lurched back when he took her fingers, playful and light. She broke the contact.
“Right,” he said, unfazed. “You were absent from most training.”
“So were you,” she hissed.
Armand fluttered his lashes, the same tactic she had used. This close, there was no denying how gorgeous he was, but growing up with him had sort of made her immune to that charm. It didn’t help that the man was a known sex fiend and spoiled brat who could probably seduce anyone he came in contact with.
“What are you doing here?”
“I should be asking you the same question,” she shot back.
“Sweetheart, isn’t it obvious? I came here to your rescue.”
“Very funny,” she snapped, then peered back outside. The figure still lurked in the far corner, out of hearing distance. “I don’t need rescuing. I already called for help…”
And he showed up.
“I know,” he said. “I’m the help.”
She stepped back, stunned. A hand snapped to capture her wrist, tugging her forward until she was sprawled all over him. Warmth spread over her skin, his brand of magic. Self-preservation kicked in as she pinched his side, understanding it was never a good idea to be this close to him.
“Ouch, Naya.”
“Stop showing off. You’re going to get us killed.” Before he could speak, she continued. “We have to get out of here. We have to knock that intruder down. I have to get back to the Spring Court and warn them—”
“You can’t. They’re all over the territory—and I have a feeling not just our territory.”
The ground kept getting snatched from under her feet, it seemed, at every bit of new information she received tonight.
“They?”
“Creatures,” he mused, wrinkling his nose. The haughty look showed what he thought.
“Alistair—”
“Is busy in the deeper court, but I received your message.”
“I can explain—”
“We already know. Or I already know.”
“What—”
“Naya?”
“I—”
“I suggest we stop arguing and get out of here before those goons realize what they’re looking for belongs in this court and it’s too late for us.”
That was when she spotted the vampire finally moving—and more shadows slithering in to move with the creature, a unit that came closer towards her.
Chapter 2
“Itseemsthatwehaveaproblem.”
The words coming from Alistair Violet set a tone of danger immediately, particularly with the Fae’s furrowed brows and stern looksentinhisdirection.
“Problem?”
“OthercreatureshavediscoveredNaya’ssecret.”
Justlikethat,hefeltthedanger,too.“Ididn’tdoit.”
“Iknowyou didn’t.Naya did. We mustkeep herfromgetting captured.”
“Wecanclosethecourtagain.Wecan—”
“No. Thatwillensureeveryoneknowsshe’soneofus,putting usinmoredanger.”Alistairhandedhimapetalnote,thehandwriting familiar . Alistair didn’t let him speak. “The court will be kept open until we figure out how to navigate this matter and shift all eyes away from us. But you will get her out of here—as far away as possibleifwhatIsuspectistrue.”
“Whatdoyoususpect?”
“That Maple Hills is no longer safe for her . Go. Get her out fast and make sure no one sees you leave while I do damage control. Make sure she stays by your side at all times and doesn’t becomea liability untilIcan findouthowtogettheessence back.” Apause.“AndArmand?”
“What?”
“Make sure she stays true to our court. Promise me you will do whatever’s necessary to keep her trust and loyalty, no matter howruthless.”
Silence, the wordsringing in the air—theconsequences of a promiseboundbyFaemagic,eternalandunbreakable.
“Ipromise.”
This wasn’t Armand Violet’s idea of a good night, not when all he had planned was a break from the missions his brothers had been sending him on lately, a visit to one of the local bars, and perhaps a few hours with a warm, willing woman. He had no doubt the latter was the easiest to catch, especially when he turned on the charm. That was just how it was when it came to them: a wink here and some carefully weaved words there, and he could have a baby offered to him if he wished to—not that he wished for babies or wanted to harm them.
The woman he was on the run with now was an exception, a farce. She and her sister were also the only ones to have shot him down—she when she had declared that Alistair was her soulmate at a young age, Rowena when she had fallen in love with Jason. It still galled.
“Did they spot us?”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so. Frankly, I expected the Gemma clan to pay us a visit after refusing to ally with us and our other allies.”
The way she lit up at the word ally clued him into her lightbulb moment, proven when she voiced it out. “Our allies. The Marzari clan—”
“Are still vampires and are loyal to my sister, not to our court.”
She frowned. “Then what about the other courts—”
“We run to them and we open our court up to threats from them—threats we have tried to put down for the longest time, only calmed now by mutual and very precarious deals of peace. It’s a thin line they can break when they find out who you are and what you hold inside you.”
Naya stopped mid-stride, her frustration clear.
“There has to be someone.”
“There’s no one,” he returned. “Not here.”
The realization that she was stuck shone in her features, had him plotting how to comfort her. But not a lot passed Naya’s notice when it came to him as she spared him a warning glance.
“Don’t you dare flirt right now.”
“I wasn’t.”
“Good.”
One minute, she was keeping him at arm’s length. The next, he was knocked back by the force of her push. Stunned, he absorbed her body pressed against his and wondered if she was playing the game with him. Then something else snagged in his senses, coiling his muscles as he tried to place it. Dark.Faint.
Power.
A brief sweep had him spotting two things: the man strolling alone and the costume shop nearby. Then he looked down at Naya, moss green orbs pleading and hands clutching his shirt. The man hadn’t spotted her yet, but the pink streaks in her hair would not be ignored indefinitely.
“That man. Lure him into the costume shop.”
She stared. He gestured.
“It’s the shop with bawdy clothes over there—”
“I know what a costume shop is. Armand, what are we doing?”
“You are going to get him in that shop by hook or crook. I’ll be on your tail.”
He nudged her back and ambled to the side, watched as she stayed rooted to the spot. Then she moved, walking forward, the very image of a woman frantically avoiding someone. The stop was abrupt and her gasp was loud—and deliberate, her head shaking
frantically. He read the body language of someone completely helpless as she stumbled sideways and back towards the shop.
Atta girl. Admiration sparked before he snuck to the back, where he took off his fancier clothes and tossed them aside. The black shirt and trousers underneath were a stark contrast to the fur and feathers around them. Naya’s voice flitted through the tiny space.
“Don’t hurt me. I didn’t mean to bite your tongue. I just panicked, okay? I didn’t know what you were. Now I do, and I know you broadcast the information to a lot of people. It’s underhanded of you, but perhaps we can bargain. I can give you more secrets and keep your bed warm.”
Armand frowned, not liking that she was offering her body so freely. He kept his head down, waiting for the response. The highpitched male voice echoed and pushed, his energy seeping.
“The biting was a mistake. So was the broadcast.” Regret filled the man’s tone. “You have access to the Fae in town—the best of the best when it comes to power. You know their power, and we will do anything to get it.”
We.Plural.
“Please. Don’t hurt me. Let’s bargain.”
“Where is your prince? What court?”
“Right here.”
Energy surged, then boomed out, a far cry from the subtle one Armand commonly weaved. It blasted across the shop and sent the man flying, then crashing into metal racks. A flick of his finger and he sent the rest zipping towards the fallen man. There was a scream somewhere from the counter before the owner scurried away.
“I’m flattered by your attention and how you seem to look up to my kind. It’s too bad you can’t ever be like me, but I’m one of a kind. Now…”
The words faded at the next hum of energy, not coming from him…or the man. Naya’s green orbs snapped to his, mirroring his unearthing before they were booking it out of there through the back. The thundering sound at the front had him cursing in his head.
“I could have interrogated him.”
She didn’t answer, focusing on escape. He followed her lead and shut his complaints down, frustration rising that he couldn’t use his petals, vines, or anything that could connect them to the Spring Court. But the turning off of energy was helpful as they left unscathed. Belatedly, he surmised that her silence was coupled with some ogling, too, so he smirked.
“You can’t take your eyes off me, can you? I knew it.”
“Where did you get your clothes?” she asked, ignoring his flirting.
“I always have them in handy for situations like this,” he said lightly, patting his head. Brown replaced the lavender. “It matches better with this boring hair.” There was no need to tell her he had black clothes under his glittery clothes so he could mingle with humans at night, studying their culture. Absorbing their world. “We should head to human territory while my disguise is in place. The original color will return soon. Not the park. There’s a theater nearby packed with people at night. There are also a few good restaurants a few blocks down. They’re the last places they would think to look for you.”
Silence. Her gaze narrowed in suspicion.
“How do you know about these places? Aren’t you supposedly above them all?”
“Never mind that.” Time to change tactic. “So, it was your boyfriend who fooled you.”
The effect was instantaneous: her body turning rigid and her stance growing defensive. “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s a witch.”
“Let me guess. He seduced you and you—who have never paid my charms any attention—gave in to him so quickly? How low of you, Naya.”
“His magic’s different,” she snapped. “He’s smarter than most.”
“And dumber if all that word vomit was an accident.” When she opened her mouth, he held up a finger. “But dumber doesn’t mean safer. He said we. He exposed you to supernatural creatures. They will be teeming all other magical avenues trying to look for this supposed key.”
“Fine. Lead the way.”
“Happy to.”
He ignored her scowl and slithered in and out of alleys, closing in on the theater area. At the last turn, he heaved her to the side, then blocked her body with his. Her hands automatically pushed against his chest, a barrier to keep him from pressing closer.
“Women,” he explained.
Her mouth dropped open. “Now’s not the time for women.”
“I meant there are veined women hanging out like it’s a regular night to be hanging out. Gorgeous, white-haired women with an elegance that matches mine.”
“You’re not that elegant,” she countered before her face fell. “And Winter Fae don’t just hang out.”
“I know. Your hair’s too pink for your good.”
“I’m sorry I can’t change it with a snap as you can,” she said, sarcasm brimming.
Amusement flickered. Teasing her had always been fun but getting a rise out of her was even more delightful.
“It’s a very useful skill.”
“Maybe they won’t know it’s me. We can still sneak in.”
“And if they do?”
“The restaurants, then,” she insisted. “Surely this is a coincidence.”
But the restaurants proved the same, figures too eerily familiar and out of place hanging out where they shouldn’t. They stayed in the shadows, observing. They looked at each other, coming to terms with the fact that there was no one to trust at this point.
“I would offer the court. Maybe our territory’s clear now but…”
“The man has a tail on me if he found me so easily,” was her prompt response, slumping. “I don’t know how much information he revealed and to how many people. I can’t stay in one place, least of all the court. You will end up fighting intruders left and right.”
He swallowed his protest, concluding she was right. So was Alistair. But the change from sassy Naya to sad Naya called at him, had his hand hovering beside her cheek. As usual, she rejected the move and sidestepped before he could touch, had him inwardly sighing before he latched on to playfulness.
“I always craved for blood after all that training Alistair made us do. It’s been a long time since I had someone screaming under my hand.”
Her sadness switched to reprimand. “Armand!”
“Not that kind of scream,” he countered, winking. Then he shrugged. “There’s no one I trust other than our court. Not even our allies. They’re fun to terrorize, though. You should see them quivering at my presence.”
“You’re impossible.” She rolled her eyes but didn’t say more, a sign of partial agreement. But the helpless look didn’t last long as her head snapped up. The widening green eyes and glow on her skin indicated an idea had formed, one that sent a sinking sensation in his stomach. “There is someone we can trust.”
“I know. The Spring Court.”
“Not just them.”
“There’s no one in Maple Hills.”
“I didn’t mean in town.”
Comprehension dawned. There was only one person she kept in contact with outside of Maple Hills. “Surely you don’t mean your cousin? Right now?”
“Not right now.” Excitement vibrated in her features. “I’m going to run around, lead the ones after me in circles. Cover the territories of all supernatural creatures until they don’t know which one I belong in. Hedidn’t. Rowena said some might and her bar isn’t safe, but I would bet anything that a few groups would keep the knowledge to themselves just to get leverage.”
“And then?”
“And then it’s time to leave town and visit my cousin.”
Angelo Bennett wasn’t truly her cousin, but more of an affiliation with the one person who linked him, her, and the other Bennetts: Dan Bennett, a bear shifter who had once ruled a powerful clan in the city. The man was dead, of course, after a coup from said Bennetts and Naya, eliminating the man’s thirst for power at the expense of harming everyone who wasn’t bear and shifter. Like Naya.
The man was also her father, appearing in her life at a late age and surmising what Armand had known all along: that the bastard was one of the highest order, abandoning then condemning her before rightfully laying in his grave.
“I don’t trust planes. They’re made of a bunch of weird materials, containing no magic to ensure they wouldn’t be dropping from the skies.”
His announcement had Naya gawking at him before she shook her head.
“You just don’t trust humans. For your information, planes have been around for over a century and work well enough. Crashes are few and far between.”
“Gee, that’s comforting.” At her exasperation, he shrugged. “I don’t trust the airport.”
“Good for you. You don’t have to go with me, you know.”
But he had to. The drive to New Orleans had been safe enough, but here they encountered another problem: supernatural creatures where they shouldn’t be, disguised as humans.
“And what, let you have your adventure on your own? Maple Hills is getting boring.”
“Armand, I swear to the heavens, if you’re with me because this is some kind of game…”
“You’re one of us. I’m your protector now and your only hope. I’m also not Armand here but Alaric. There’s someone suspicious on your left. Do you spot him?”
To her credit, Naya didn’t immediately turn. She bent to brush something off her shoe, then straightened.
“Yes. Man with a beard. New clothes, shiny shoes. Constantly glancing at his phone and looking around. Dirt under his nails which he couldn’t scrub off at the last minute. Shifter?”
“Most likely. Not a leader but a goon. Their leader must have sent him on this little errand.”
“Or he’s a loner and was curious about whatever news is spreading now. He wants the key to himself. It’s a good thing I have this cap on, isn’t it?”
“Clever. That’s my girl. Quick. Kiss me and pretend we’re a couple. They’re looking for one person.”
“I’m not your girl.” She groaned. “And I’m not going to kiss you…what are you doing?”
Perhaps fingering her cap wasn’t a good idea, but the way it hid her natural streaks annoyed him. Belatedly, he sniffed it and got a whiff of her hair underneath. A good dose of soap and something else wafted in his nostrils. She smelled like she did in his childhood, a beautiful girl who struck him blind with her once-frequent smiles. Warm. Happy.
“Maybe it’s your scent that he’s following. I don’t blame him.”
“Alaric?”
The strange name had him pausing, then focusing. “Yes?”
“Keep flirting with me and you will find your nuts wrinkled beyond recognition and coiled around your neck.”
“Kinky.” But the idea of her fingers anywhere near his sensitive regions sent a thickening rush in his blood, awareness ringing hard. He gulped it down, refusing to show weakness ever again. He stepped back, breaking the intimacy. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Or let’s avoid the man and head to check-in now—”
“No.”
“We can make it to the plane. We will be safer once we’re inside—”
“It’s a monstrosity in the skies. I’m not getting in that thing.”
A cold sweat broke, trickling down his forehead. He wiped it discreetly, but not quickly enough. Her mouth flapped like a fish.
“You’re scared of planes,” she blurted out. “Of flying.”
“I’m not,” he protested, glaring. Then he tried not to glare as he struggled for damage control. But it was too late, Naya latching on to the knowledge with glee and horror.
“The king of terrorizing creatures is scared of airplanes. How ironic.”
“Thank you for recognizing your future king.”
“You’re the youngest, the last in line.”
“I’m not scared of these silly things,” he continued, ignoring her jab. “I just trust my instinct.”
“And what does your instinct say?”
“That we already have bad luck as it is, and that thing dropping out of the sky seals it. I have a better idea…in fact, I have a brilliant one.”
Her arms crossed, disapproving and ready to argue. “And what is this brilliant idea?”
“It’s better to show you than tell you.”
An hour later, they were cramped tight in one of the bathroom stalls with her phone screen held out to him. He scrutinized the pictures and frowned.
“That’s New York? It looks crowded and dirty.”
“It’s a great city teeming with vibrant life.” She sighed. “Armand, what are we doing here?”
“Show me the place you want to go to. The exact place.”
She frowned but didn’t say a word. He braced for the next argument—because the woman was so revved for it—but she only scrolled through her phone, typed, and showed him another picture. Armand studied the body of water, the lush trees surrounding it.
“Not bad.”
He closed his eyes. He copied the picture in his mind, trying to remember the colors and every intricate detail he could identify. When it formed, he snatched her hands and leaned in.
“Armand?” Alarm rang. His gaze snapped open and took in her confused, vulnerable expression.
He smiled. “I’m not flirting. But you have to hold on tight.”
Without warning, he tugged her hard and hugged her tight, ignoring the way her body molded against him, then the way her hands clutched the back of his shirt—an inborn trust, just not with anything romantic.
Then he pushed her down at the vast orb opening behind her before it closed on them and hurtled them into the unknown.
“You can create portals?” The scandalized question was punctured with disbelief and a tinge of doubt, another sign that other than trusting him with her safety, she also knew him too well. “Since when?”
“Just that one. Remember how my brother was gifted with unbinding Reagan and Alessa? My gift was this. A one-time offer from the king. Congratulations. You’re the lucky winner.”
“I don’t feel very lucky right now.”
He fought back a grin, then inwardly agreed with the sentiment as the water clung to their clothes. The grin died when the smell finally got through.
“What the—”
He recoiled, then snapped his mouth shut at the possibility of the foulness entering it. So did she, glaring at him as she flapped around before he presented her with his back. She shook her head. He shrugged.
With a growl, she wrapped her hands around his neck and heaved herself up, half-choking him in the process.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean literally take us inthe river.”
“It’s not my fault you’re short. But this stinks. And it’s a swamp, not a river.”
“For someone who loathes humans, you sure know a lot about their bodies of water.”
“Ourbodies of water. They don’t own them. Stop tickling me. That’s not my kink, sweetheart.”
The growl intensified. “I didn’t tickle you.”
Her closeness was waylaid by the growing stink…then, the realization that she was speaking the truth. Immediately, all amusement fled as he slowly, quietly navigated her to his front. She still clung on and glowered, but it faded when she read his stillness.
Her stance adjusted, grew sharp. Her body remained soft, but the muscles underneath tightened, distracting him for a moment as he wondered if her orgasm brought about that same tightness. Snap outofit.She’sintoyourbrother .
The tickling renewed, trickling down his waist…his legs. Energy surged from his feet as he shot out of the water before they could wrap and trap him. He landed on slippery, muddy terrain, whirled at the slosh of water. That was even more slippery, sending him slamming on his butt and spluttering as the foulness splashed all over his face.
“Oh, my goodness gracious.”
“Your creative curses aren’t appreciated now.” He sniffed. He stared in disbelief at the tinkling laughter, then ogled some more at her glowing mirth. It took him aback, left him breathless and annoyed. The swamp bubbled, but no creature surfaced. “Unless…”
He grabbed her ankle and pulled. She slipped with a squeak, rolled around, and sent him a scathing look.
“Down and dirty,” he drawled.
“Asshole.”
“Wobbly.”
She launched herself at him to attack but ended up spraying them with more gob. At her next slip, she was sprawled on his lap,
