Page 17 of Unwanted
Fen:I’ve never thought about it, but I don’t know where they live. Is it in Faerie?
Kyrie:Yes and no. They have a house in town for appearance’s sake, but there’s more house than humans can see.
Fen:Can we actually go inside Faerie?
Kyrie:I can. Therefore, you can. She and her husband are the only people in town who have always known about me. Fairies can see a person’s inner glow. Mine is apparently too bright to hide from them.
Fen:That’s fascinating. I can’t wait to check out the place.
Fen:Some nights, guard duty feels very empty and long.
Kyrie:I can come hang out with you.
Fen:I’d love that.
The way Fen walked on clouds all the time really justified all his years of yearning for a mate. Kyrie was amazing twenty-four-seven.
“It’s probably a good thing Leif left, with all the smiling you do these days.”
At just the mention of being happy, Fen wanted to smile even brighter. Bringing Leif into the matter shoved him in between his joy and Leif’s pain. He didn’t like being in the middle. It was honestly kind of a shitty thing for Stone to say. But Stone had always been a slight ass when it came to relationships. The guy was bitter and lashed out behind the guise of flirting.
“One has nae to do with the other.”
Stone was a gorgeous vampire, and he knew it. He practically smoldered for no reason at all. They had known each other for too many centuries for Fen to fall for any of his bullshit.
“Where is your sexy other half?”
Fen was more than happy to talk about Kyrie. “He’s working.”
Stone snorted. “You make your mate work? You’ve lived for as long as I have. The world has always been at your mercy. I know damn well you can more than afford to support your man.”
The subject was actually a bit of a sore one for him. He had yet to convince Kyrie to quit. Sometimes, he swore Stone was some sort of enhanced super psychic, seeing even the oldest minds. But they had been turned by the same vampire. Their ages were too similar for Stone to have an advantage. “Kyrie likes to work.”
Another loud snort cut through the air. “No one enjoys working, especially such a low-paying peasant job.”
Fen’s hackles rose a little more. He couldn’t show it, though. Fen wouldn’t expose his own insecurities about Kyrie’s choices. He wouldn’t give Stone ammunition to use against him. “I enjoy my position.”
Stone clasped his hands behind his back and kept in step with Fen as they patrolled. “That’s different. We’re warriors for our Goddess. It is an honor to serve.”
Fen changed tactics. “Why are you so concerned with my mate?”
A chuckle so low, it was nearly carried away by the wind fell from a mouth that tempted even saints. Not Fen, of course. The strawberry-blond, blue-eyed warrior was too familiar to Fen. “Maybe I find your mate fascinating.” Before Fen had time to rip Stone’s head from his shoulders, Stone moved on. “Or maybe such a rare pairing should look happier.” The statement punched Fen in the chest, undermining the peace he had found. Stone kept talking, oblivious to the inner havoc he wreaked. “All eyes are on you two, studying why you two were chosen. With Waylon, he’s a pack leader. It’s easier to understand receiving such a blessing. So, why Kyrie? What makes him special?”
Fen tried to stay calm. The last thing he needed to do was give Stone any reason to stay this path. He forced out a laugh. “What? Why would you think there’s any crazy explanation? Maybe Odin and Celeste have struck some sort of bargain. Perhaps they are running an experiment. Nae one knows why the deities do anything. We are their creations to do with as they please. It’s nae as if any of have any control.”
Stone stopped walking and faced Fen.
Fen paused too as the air turned heavier.
The carefree seducer became the hardened and callous warrior. His accent made a rare appearance. “Does that nae enrage you? Are you nae furious about being treated as a toy? All of this,” he waved his arm wide, “is nae more than a game and we are the pieces. Just because you currently have what you thinkyou want, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t change tomorrow on someone else’s whim.” His stare bored into Fen. “What if this dream life you have isn’t real? You’re only the second pairing of this experiment, or whatever it is. Maybe the wind will change tomorrow. What will happen then?”
Fen didn’t even hesitate. “I’ll still sit at Celeste’s feet, grateful for having got to taste this. Now I know what it is to have this blessing. Any amount of Kyrie is better than never knowing this happiness exists. I had given up on the dream. You have no idea how close I truly was to choosing the fire.” That was a hard admission to make. Vampires were nigh impossible to destroy, but they could choose a warrior's death of walking into the fire. No doubt it was a horrible way to go, but the loneliness had nearly beaten him.
Stone’s gaze moved over Fen’s face for a second before he dipped his chin and walked away.
Fen didn’t move. The conversation bothered him in a way he couldn’t explain. It was almost as if Stone knew something he didn’t and Fen fucking hated that. A hand landed on Fen’s shoulder, startling him. He spun.
Gemini waited, looking calm and not the least bit as if he intended to scare Fen. “You good?”
