Deception (Facets of Feyrie Book 3), page 5
At least now, I have an answer to one problem and have probably added more, but we’ll work on those when they happen. I know how to sort out some of my anger issues when it comes to the heat, I need to eat lots of food and beat something up. That seems always to help the anger, hitting things—even if it’s a wall. Maybe I can get Phobe to—
The pain that pulls my chest tight and makes me feel like I’m falling off a cliff drops me against the wall. I know what that feeling means now. Someone else is dead, the thread that once held their presence, their vitality is empty and cold. This time there’s one glaring difference, Rido’s—a dragon— death was violent. The force of it traveled through the web before his heart stopped I can still feel the echoes of it. I can’t see what he saw before he died like you know—his killer, but the Magiks are still whispering, and the Sidhe is singing to me.
Fuck.
Pushing myself to my feet, I run towards the source of that ache burrowing into my heart. Not stopping to tell anyone, I bolt past without explanation. There’s no time and no point, them coming along changes nothing. When Adriem appears out of the shadows ahead of me and falls in behind me, I’m a bit surprised. He’s a lurker that one, but normally it’s his mother and father who are right up my ass in situations like this.
No, wait… normally it’s someone else, but I told that person to fuck off. Grimacing at my stupid decision to do that, I move faster. The sense of urgency pulls me towards the lake, which is a shimmery blur as I run by it, but I still see how the moonlight is reflecting off it and find myself a little sad that on such a beautiful night a good person like Rido died. He’s kind of…no. He was kind of a simple person. Sweet, liked to smile a lot—not a violent bone in his body. The other dragons from the enclave teased him for his nature. I admired it because he was the type of person I’ll never be.
Pushing against the sadness of it all, I make myself think of other things. I can grieve later. Right now, is not the time to mourn the loss, because it is a grave one, but it’s time to see what I can find out about who killed him. Maybe even why, because there needs to be a why, Rido wasn’t one of the Feyrie who got sick before.
The first thing I need to do is see the body because this time the intent behind the death felt different than before. Anger was present this time. There was so much of it involved that I can almost smell it. As far as I can tell, none of it was coming from Rido—at least not in the beginning, he got angry eventually. Gentle or not, he was still a dragon. It came too late to do much, but he didn’t go down gently. It’s why I’m hoping that maybe there are some clues to the identity of the attacker. Something blocked me from knowing anything else, and that something is incredibly strong maybe even stronger than Phobe.
That possibility worries me because if whatever is working against me is stronger than Phobe, we’ve lost before we even began. I can run my mouth all I want, and I’ll not back down, but I know without one shred of doubt that Phobe can hand my ass to me without breaking a sweat.
Someone stronger than him? Yeah, I’m fucked, we all are.
P hobe
THROUGH HER, I feel it, another death, a rather nasty one this time. Iza is shocked about it, but it does not surprise me. I was expecting more. This is the beginning of a war, and in war there are casualties. But, for her sake, it concerns me, when normally it wouldn’t. This second death strays from continuing on the same path of Val’s death, which I know was a result of the initial attack.
This one is different, related but not at the same time. There is no doubt in my mind. That there will be more, probably many—at least, all the ones who were ill before. Rido was not one of the sick ones. Usually, a death like this is because they saw something, that is a reason I would kill someone unprovoked.
This attacker, because I think it is the same person, has no particular reverence for anyone. No one is safe, several children were ill in the initial wave, and if Rido’s death is hitting her this hard, I cannot even imagine a child’s. I suspect she is starting to realize it, too, but right now she is angry with me, and considering this I will wait to comment. Once she is ready to speak with me again, without being emotionally overwrought, then we will discuss it.
Keeping my distance, I follow her, not caring if she knows. Adriem is following her as well. The fact that I am sure she is aware of it, I saw her tense when he fell into step behind her. I am not sure he realizes she is awake yet, however, and with many, he would be the invisible presence he is aiming to be. Not with someone like her or me.
Her body language is not giving her away either. She is better at controlling her expressions than she realizes. Her emotions, not so much. Anger, cold and biting with fangs of ice, are dug in and seething in the bond between us. The realization of why she is having it is… entertaining to eavesdrop on. The options she is not considering, are as well.
The smell of her anger mixed with pheromones, wafting through the air towards me—even at this distance, touches the monster I am at heart. Touches it and arouses it. For now, I have control, but it is not something I can guarantee. Iza manages to pull me to places I cannot always stop going. Fraying my control like no other creature in existence, especially right now. The exception this time is that the result will be incredibly pleasurable. I will not mourn losing control in that regard.
Her little love bite is only the beginning, and she has no one to blame but herself.
The smell of blood hits me first and pulls me out of my thoughts. Those more pleasant thoughts, I will revisit later. This situation needs my full attention, or Iza needs me to pay attention. Currently, her emotions are getting the better of her. Something that frustrates and amuses me. She zigzags all over the place like a blind hummingbird.
Moving close enough to get a whiff of her shampoo, but distant enough to remain unseen, I watch her through the bushes. As Iza looks around her, her eyes turn pitch black, shining with the Magiks fueling her rage. Stepping carefully, she circles the torn-up area, the air and ground still smell of death. Kneeling, she touches a dark, wet spot—which I know is blood—and looks around at the rest of the small puddles of blood strung throughout the mess, while absently rubbing it between her fingers. With a frown, she scrubs her hand down her pant leg, and then stands and walks towards a tree that is bent and broken from the violence that happened here.
The victim fought, hard, but his opponent was not beatable.
Unfortunately, there is no body. Bizarre that they took it, but perhaps it is part of their stupid game. I know from the smells around us that the dead Feyrie was a male, one of the dragons to be precise, Rido, she called him. The bloody green scales strewn on the ground are evidence that he managed to take on his natural form. The damage is another. There are claw marks on the trees and large gouges on the ground.
Walking around the clearing, just out of sight, I study the path of destruction. I have no idea why he was out here, perhaps taking a nightly walk or he was tricked out here. Whomever it was he trusted, initially. The violence starts in the center of the clearing, which leads me to believe that he was surprised after encountering the person. The trees towards the center are torn from their roots and overturned then trod upon. Fire scars the ground and broken trees. His opponent somehow escaped injury, the only blood in the clearing is the dragon’s. The only claw marks are the dragon’s.
In fact, there is no sign of the other attacker at all. No smells, no footprints, no claw marks, nothing. How odd. Turning towards Iza, I attempt to enter her mind again and find myself blocked. Frustrated, I start to whittle down her shields. She knows I am trying to get in and will eventually. I have once already since she tried to shut me out. I think she likes to make me work for it.
“Are you okay?” Adriem’s voice breaks the silence of the clearing.
I skim over his active thoughts and catch myself torn between amusement and annoyance. I think Iza would call this a case of, “bad timing.” Adriem has a crush on her. Everyone is aware of it—even Iza. The extent of it is something I do not think anyone is aware of.
Iza already has a mate, and I do not share well with others. However, if anyone else were to appeal to her, it might indeed be the rebellious nightmare. My eyes sharpen on him, taking in his entire person. He is young—for a Nightmare—and she likes the grungy types, this is something she has told me before, but… I do not think that she reciprocates his feelings.
Iza is angry and—what is the human word? Pondering the various words that come to mind, I settle on, hormonal. That is the most common term they use to describe women during their period. At least, the humans I have consumed called it that. I suspect that term might piss her off, which is enough to keep me from saying it. The last thing I want to do right now is upset her further. I am… uncomfortable with her being distant like this. The anger I can handle, and I enjoy inciting it to her at times, but her anger usually burns hot and fast.
Not this cold shit that makes me feel… weird.
At some point, very soon, she will hit the peak of her woman’s time and the hint that her scent is giving me will be a full-blown invitation. Finally, something else will take the place of the anger. I am not sure whether I am looking more forward to it or dreading it a little. It is not the violence, I love that about her, it is not the unadulterated lust—that is a perk. Quite simply it is the timing. Right now, there are other factors in play that can harm her. Ones that I cannot see cannot stop… . I will find a way because I refuse to allow them to take her away from me.
“What do you want, Adriem?” Iza asks, her gaze remaining on the ground instead of turning to him. Although her voice is not harsh, it is not welcoming either.
“I’m concerned for you, Iza.” He is not lying, he is concerned, but he is worried more about her anger and outbursts than the people dying. That is not something I fault him for. He steps closer to her, and I fight the urge to make my presence known. The emotion—jealousy, I know now—is short and sharp and fades as quickly as it came. When it comes to Iza, I have to learn to navigate the emotional minefield that accompanies her.
“Be concerned for the dragon that died here. I don’t need or want it.” Her tone has softened slightly, but it does not completely hide her irritation.
“I can’t help it,” Adriem mutters.
Iza turns to him, and the familiar smirk appears on her face. It is the one she gets right before she bites, I love that smirk. But in this case, I do not think the intent is the same—or at least the result.
When she speaks, I am proven right. “You realize that whatever weird shit that’s in your brain about you and I isn’t going to happen, right?” Adriem looks up from the ground, meeting her glittering black gaze.
“Because of Phobe? We know what he is, Iza, and he’s trouble for you. A creature like him doesn’t care about us.” She tenses at his impassioned speech.
“He cares about me, and that’s enough.” She says it quietly, but I hear it. I hear it, and my nails dig into my palms to fight the urge to go to her. She sighs and continues, “Adriem, I’m flattered that you wanna see me naked but as tough as you are, I’d still tear you to itty bitty pieces.” Her smirk turns into a slightly sad smile that makes me dig my claws further into my hand.
“I’d enjoy every minute of it.” Adriem counters, smiling in that self-satisfied way that only someone who is ignorant of something can pull off. Iza turns her head to the side and the sad part of her smile vanishes, the sharp teeth replacing it again.
“You say that, now. Would you say that while I’m fucking you and digging my claws in so deep, I almost gut you? Or when I bite too hard, and my teeth go all the way to the bone, only to have me chew on it and like it? You’re a monster, we all are here, but can you survive that?” Her tone is soft, coaxing.
Sexy.
She continues, “can you survive it and like it?”
A short, completely unexpected laugh burns my throat… leave it to her to surprise me. Not that her refusing him is at all shocking, and I freely admit that I enjoy being proven right in this circumstance, but her description of one of our many, highly satisfying encounters is accurate and erotic at the same time.
Her eyes are on me now. She heard my laugh, Adriem did not.
“Is sex with you really like that?” Adriem asks, disbelief thickening his voice.
Scoffing she says, “I have no idea why you’re so surprised about it. You eat people… most Feyrie do. Why is having rough sex any worse than that?”
“Iza, that is… the most incredible thing I’ve ever heard.” His mind fills with various fantasies of him and Iza, some of which I have lived with her.
His response is not the one she was expecting, and she says so. “That’s not the answer I was expecting.” Sighing, she turns back to the mess on the ground in front of her. “You’re cute and all, but I like my monsters to have bigger teeth.” It is a dismissal and Adriem realizes it.
The emotions crossing Adriem’s face in those first few seconds are bizarrely rewarding. The final one that remains for a split second before his face goes stoic, one I know well, is defeat. I like it, especially since it is now replacing that look of interest he was wearing moments before. The Nightmare is not giving up entirely. Now he is going to recoup and think about these new things he learned about Iza.
I am not sure how I feel about it.
He nods his head at her and turns to walk off, but he does not go far. The Nightmares take their guard duties seriously and will not leave her alone, powerful and angry or not. I am starting to believe that this encounter between Iza and Adriem is the main reason Licar and Auryn are not here. They know Adriem’s feelings and perhaps knew his intentions today.
‘I’m surprised you’re not rubbing this in.’ Her voice in my head is unexpected but as always, a welcome intrusion.
‘It is amusing.’
‘Well, I won’t lie to you… if you didn’t exist, he’d be my first choice, but since you do he will always be the second one. That’s not fair to him.’ Her honesty is something I appreciate about her. So many creatures deceive me among them, but not her. She tells things exactly how they are, whether one wants to hear it or not.
This time though… her honesty hits me in a soft place that she created.
‘What if I no longer existed?’ I am not sure what makes me ask but the question now exists, and I find I want to know the answer.
She pauses mid-step and then turns her head to look over her shoulder, directly at me. “You will always be the first choice.” Her softly spoken words hit me like a fist to my gut. Pride, love, lust all intertwine and make the urge to cross to her and take her in my arms almost unbearable. Watching her begin to walk around the clearing again, her shoulders tense like she is ready to throw a punch at any second makes the decision for me.
Appearing behind her, I pull her into my arms and rest my chin on the top of her head. The strands of her hair are happy to see me and tickle my chin and cheeks. They are a good indicator of her actual emotions. With a deep sigh, she relaxes back against me.
“I’m in the first day of my five-day heat cycle,” she whispers.
“I know.”
“How exactly?” she asks, but already the answers are forming in her mind.
“I can smell it.” It is not super strong yet, but the call of her scent is growing by the hour.
“Do you have any idea how we’re going to be when I hit it full throttle? Which will be soon, I need to add.” The tone of worry in her voice makes me want to reassure her, but I think it would be a falsehood. Instead, I opt to be as honest as she was.
“I will keep control as long as I can, but with you that never goes as planned.” Her snort of laughter makes me fight to keep a smile off my face.
“It came at a really bad time,” she says.
“Is there a good time for this type of thing?”
“I’m worried that it’s all tying together into whatever bad thing Life is on about,” she muses, all amusement gone from her voice. My answer is to pull her against me tighter because I have the same concerns. Now is not the time to let her mood go back onto the dark path.
“You think Adriem’s cute?” I ask instead.
J ameson
FOR YEARS I worked to avoid ending up like this. I kissed countless asses, doing everything I was told. I betrayed so many people, including the only one that can save me. Now I’m in the very position I put many of them in. I’m such an asshole. The guilt hurts almost as much as the random shit they’re doing to me to entertain themselves. So far, I’ve lost all my fingernails on my right hand, compliments of the vampire slut and her fancy toolbox— which I still think has a nice… you idiot get your head out of her vagina. She thought my screaming was fun, and it turned her on, too, I could smell it.
The big idiot broke my right foot, and I’m relatively sure he shattered my knee too. Scarily enough he did it with his hands. I’m also sure that I have a skull fracture and a few holes in my skull. They poked me with the random tools from the toolbox that she left open on the floor at my feet. Every single injury, every ounce of pain is less than what I’ve seen inflicted on others.
How the hell did Iza survive this shit?
The guilt threatens to drown me, and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to rid myself of it, because there’s so damn much. At this point, I’m not sure I’m going to survive this, but I have this feeling that Iza is looking—that she’s coming—and I need to hold on until she gets here. I don’t think my faith is misplaced. Whether she likes me or not, she’s part dragon, and they don’t like to part with what they consider theirs.
Which would be every Feyrie there, including me.
