Page 33 of Filthy Fae

“If your mate is the alpha of Six Rivers, it’s more than likely. These things are usually political.”

“And what happens if the incubus seduces his target?” I asked.

“A devastating feeding that could lead to her death or enslavement.” Rick held the card out toward me again. “You’ll need this. Nancy is, well, she’s something else, but you’ll be in good hands with her. I’ll do what I can on my end and be sure to reach out to this new alpha next Tuesday. Monday is a Union holiday, and it sounds like you guys will have your hands full.”

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I willed my wolf back. Breathing deeply, in and out, I pulled my fangs and claws into my skin. The phone went to voicemail, and I reached for the business card. When I looked at the cardboard, all I saw was the name Necro-Nancy and a local phone number scrawled in a messy hand.

“Tell her this has to do with the union necromancer. Nancy will help. And next time you come in, just head to the office on your right and ask for Rick.” He patted his belly. “I’ll walk you to your bike. You ever thought about weather resistant tires?”

“I don’t trust magic.” I started to follow the man, but my phone rang again. Thanking Rick for his help, I sent him ahead while I took the call. Seeing that it was Lance, I cut the shit and answered with, “We have a major fucking problem.”

“We have a bigger one. I can guarantee you that.” My brother’s tone was cold as a freezer full of corpses, the kind of tone he used when he was thinking of filling that freezer to the brim with our enemies. “Jane and I were waylaid by Queen Titania’s crew at the crime scene. Apparently, Aaron and Scarlet decided to sneak into the Hawthorn property while Mack made a scene to cover them. This all became clear when a stampede of fae ran to the front of the house, grabbed Mack, accused him of being Scarlet’s accomplice, and the whole group disappeared through the floor in the kitchen.”

I swore quietly, my chest thudding. “Did you follow?”

“We couldn’t. Whatever portal they had, it’s closed now. And we’re in the crime scene, which has been scrubbed clean, sanded down, and repainted. There’s not a fucking clue as to where they’ve taken her!” Lance roared the last words so loud that my ear rang for a moment afterward.

“Fuck,” I said, my head spinning with all this fae garbage on top of the incubus news.

Lance’s voice quieted to a hoarse whisper. “She’s gone. Aaron and Mack are gone, too. The queen has thousands of scattered properties through the north coast and inland…”

“We’ll find them,” I said, the certainty in my own voice not betraying the churning in my stomach or the hammering in my brain. “We will find them.”

Chapter Fourteen

Scarlet

The fae held silver blades to our throats as they led us through the giant doorway in the tree and into what could only be called a country-style palace. The pleasant rapport that Aaron had developed with the guards had clearly ended, and more than once, Aaron hissed in pain as their blades touched his skin.

My blood boiled, my wolf riding me hard. An image flooded my brain. Aaron lay dead on the floor, a knife protruding from his chest, and I crouched over him, my hand wrapped around the handle. I missed a step, stumbling, and pain seared through my shoulder as the injured fae’s silver sword pressed against my skin.

“Keep up,” he demanded.

Aaron reached for me but drew back as the other two fae pressed their silver blades against his neck.

I didn’t stumble again. As I’d suspected, the tree was attached to a portal into a much bigger space. The fae soldiers led us up sweeping stairways and past windows with views of endless pine forest. They deposited us in a room and backed out, pulling the door closed behind them.

The moment we were inside, I spun to inspect Aaron’s neck where angry silver lines bubbled around his collarbone.

“I knew Queen Titania was a sadistic bitch, but this takes the cake,” Aaron growled as his fingers traced over my skin around where I probably had marks. “She’s going to hunt us like fucking deer.”

“I’m so sorry, Aaron,” I whispered, taking his face in my hands. “This is my fault. You told me to turn back, and I should have listened to you. I’m such an idiot.”

He cupped my cheeks. “Scarlet, I’m here with you because I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. This is her fault and only her fault, okay?”

That might be what he was saying, but I knew better. I leaned against him and admitted something that had been weighing on me a while now. “I’m not doing right by you, Aaron.”

“Now that’s just silly.” He laid his forehead against mine. We backed into the wall, and my arms went around his shoulders. “You’ve done nothing but do right by me, baby.”

A hot tear splashed onto my cheek. “No, I’m not. I’m being an asshole to you. With Darrel, it was easy to fall into a relationship because he was ready. With Lance, it’s impossible because he’s not even close to ready.” I cupped Aaron’s cheek. “You’re ready, and you keep doing such incredible things for me, and I’ve been having sex with you all the time but pushing you away emotionally. It’s fucked. Now, I’ve led you to your death because I fucking disregarded your opinions when you told me that we had to retreat.”

“Scarlet.” Aaron growled low in his throat, and when I met his citrine eyes, they were glowing. “It’s okay to go at different paces with us. You don’t owe me full commitment now or ever, okay? I’ve told you from the very beginning, you and I need to work out our dominance issues because we’re about the same in dominance, so we have more to work out. I’ve always been okay with the fact that I’m falling for you before you’re open to falling for me.” Leaning down, he kissed me. “I would take being here with you over where Darrel and Lance are right now any day of the week. We’re going to escape this together. All right?”

When I nodded, he leaned in closer to kiss me again, and I smashed my lips against his. He met me with equal ferocity, scooping me up and pushing me into the wall. I plunged my tongue into his mouth as his cock hardened between us. The image my wolf pushed at me kept flashing in my mind, and I needed proof, physical proof that I hadn’t killed my mate.

Breaking away to come up for air, I whispered onto his lips, “When that fae put his silver blade to your throat, I thought we were going to die, Aaron. I thought I killed you. I don’t want to lose you—ever.”

“You’re not going to.” He pulled away as his hands slid under my ass. “We need a shower before I fuck you. And then we’re going to fuck. I don’t care if Queen Titania herself is listening in. I need to be inside you.”