Cute to the Bone

by Zenina Masters

She set down her glass and extended her hand. “My name is Sireno. I am pleased to meet you finally.”

  He blinked and blushed, taking her hand and lightly brushing his lips over the back of her knuckles. “I am Aeric. You saved my butt.”

  She chuckled and didn’t rub at the tingling spot on her hand. Casually, she resumed sipping her drink and ignoring the shock to her knees that the light touch had sparked. “How is your sibling?”

  “He’s an asshole, but very healthy for all of that.”

  She chuckled. “I am glad you are both doing well. Bormil’s wards were a pain in the spectral arse.”

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Still a little tired but glad to finally be going on with the business of finding a mate.”

  “It’s business?”

  She nodded. “And a family obligation.”

  “Really? And you came here?” He looked around. “I thought that folks sought out pure love here.”

  “No, they find it here. They are seeking out whatever drove them to the Crossroads. Love is what happens when they let themselves find it.”

  He smiled slightly, and she finished her whisky, paying with a swipe of her charm before smiling brightly at him. “Well, I have to get a feel for the place. I missed a lot in my first few days.”

  He smiled. “I can accompany you if you wouldn’t mind. I have a ton of questions for you.”

  She inclined her head toward the door and slowly made her way out of the building. “The answers to your questions might cost you.”

  “I am willing to pay the price. I owe you a lot more.”

  Sireno grinned and couldn’t argue with him. “Why are you here at the Crossroads?”

  “I thought I was the one asking the questions.”

  “We never agreed to exclusivity.” She smiled at him, noting that his head was slightly above hers. He was a tall fella.

  He grinned. “No, we did not. Right. I am here to get a mate. The near-death experience I just had was enough to let me know that I need to focus on family a bit more.”

  She nodded. She had had a few of those in her life.

  “What makes you different from the dark fey? When I asked about it with some high elves, I know they just snorted and walked away.”

  Sireno smiled. “Ah, well, we are... we need... I suppose we come more on the monster side of things than the elegant fey side.”

  He paused. “Monsters?”

  “We are the fey that the humans dealt with throughout their history on a daily basis. We are the yokai, the djinn, the underfey. There are other names, but they get less flattering. Imps. That is what we would be in the larger scheme of things.”

  “I would never consider you a monster.”

  She paused and laughed so hard that she had to hold her sides. When she finally stabilized, she gripped his shoulders and tilted her head up to look into his eyes. “You saw me that first night. I walked into the room, but I wasn’t there. I took back what was stolen, but I was untouchable. You saw me in court, calm and amused because there was nothing that the court could do to me, even if they wanted to charge me with theft. I am outside the guild, though I do contract for them. I sent my shadow to get you, pulled you through space, and a number of wards that could have shredded you, then ripped you out of my body to cast you to the floor. By both mage and underfey standards, my family is monsters. The mix in our genes woke up everything.”

  He blinked. “That does sound terrifying, but your eyes are so lovely.”

  She stared into his dark chocolate eyes, and there was no trepidation there. He had made a decision, and the calm that was staring out at her shook her slightly. She knew that look. Her father had the same look when he saw her mother, except with him, there was a smugness in his expression.

  She released his shoulders and turned to continue their walk. “Um, thank you. So, are you close with your family?”

  “Well, you saved my brother when you saved me, so... pretty close.”

  “Your parents are still alive?”

  “Yes. I am one of three sons. My brothers and I work security.”

  “Is that what you were doing with Bormil?”

  “We were carrying out our contract and the contract of the guild all at once, and to the letter without betraying either of them. That was tricky.”

  She chuckled. “Ah, I do love a good technicality.”

  It was all that needed to be said as they got closer together with each shop and facility. It was strange, but the attraction she felt to him appeared to be mutual. So, what was she supposed to do next?

  Chapter Six

  Sireno parted from Aeric with a promise to meet him for dinner in two hours.

  She had a date.

  Sireno was on her way back to the Grotto when she heard a sneer from the shadows near the bar. “Oh, aren’t we fancy now, under-mage?”

  She knew that voice. She had dated that voice. “I am actually. Nice to see that you are still a revolting creature, Limak. Elegant but revolting.”

  The stunning pale blonde stepped out of the shadows, and he chuckled. “So, fishing for shifters now?”

  “Looking for a mate. The Crossroads was the option presented to me.”

  He snorted. “You? With a mate? Your kind is better left to the shadows that spawned you.”

  “That is no way to talk to a lady,” Aeric’s voice snapped out.

  Limak looked at him and snorted. “Ah, the shifter to the rescue. Did she pick you up in an alley?”

  “No, out of a mage’s trap, actually.” Aeric was looking at the elf and had his head cocked.

  “What would she want with a pathetic little mortal beast like you?”

  Aeric grinned. “Apparently, I have nice eyes.”

  Limak’s expression flared with rage, and he struck Aeric with an exposure spell.

  Sireno stepped forward and was about to lay Limak out, but she paused when she saw Aeric’s beast. “Good gods.”

  The magnetic pull of the golden, chortling, and adorable creature was unmistakable. Sireno watched as Limak smiled softly and took a few steps toward Aeric. That is when the fluffy creature struck.

  The beast got taller with incredible speed and slammed his now-human fist into Limak’s jaw, knocking him on his ass.

  The rest of the attack was a flurry of strikes, and Sireno simply stood by and watched the technique. He was precise in his attacks, and every bit of contact had an impact on Limak’s ability to remain conscious.

  When the elf was finally laying flat, Aeric looked at her and cleared his throat. “I can explain that.”

  “It is the—” She tried to remember the name.

  “Quokka. Considered to be cute and useless at the best of times, but it is resilient to magical attacks.”

  Tony walked up and looked at the elf on the ground. “What happened here?”

  Sireno smiled. “Limak threw a spell to expose Aeric’s beast, and Aeric retaliated.”

  “Ah. Thank you for that concise recitation. I have got this.” Tony leaned down and picked up the elf, tossing him over one shoulder with ease. It was so casual that Sireno made a mental note not to tick off either of the guardians.

  Aeric looked at his knuckles and flexed his hands. “His head was harder than it looked. What will happen to him?”

  “He will be fixed up, ejected from the Crossroads, and his immediate family banned for a decade.”

  Aeric blinked in surprise. “Really?”

  “Yes, it was in that contract that we signed when we arrived. Didn’t you read it?”

  He cleared his throat. “Um, no.”

  She looked into his features and blinked. “You just signed your future away without reading it?”

  “I didn’t want you to leave without me. I felt something more than just the magic between us.”

  She looked at his hands. “Come with me. We will get you patched up.”

  “The first aid station
is back the other way.”

  “Yes, but Selari is a brownie, and they are experts at healing. It is just another type of construction for them.” She tugged at him, and they walked down the path toward the Grotto with a comfortable and companionable silence between them.

  Selari was so excited to have another visitor that she had the Grotto making another meal while she worked on what turned out to be two broken knuckles along with the abrasions.

  “You must have hit something harder than concrete to do this damage.”

  Sireno brought over a tray of snacks and poured drinks for all of them. “He did. A high court elf’s head. Jackass.”

  “So, you did know him.” Aeric nodded as if it confirmed his suspicions.

  “I did. I dated him when I was eighteen. He was thirty years older than me, condescending, and I kicked him to the curb before we managed more than a simple meal in a restaurant. My shadow picked his pocket so that I could pay when he stomped out.” She smirked. “He hasn’t aged well, but I am guessing his family is putting on pressure for him to reproduce with an advantageous match. If he is here, he is desperate.”

  Selari murmured, “Why?” She was focused on the bone breaks.

  “Because he thought he should only be matched to one of his own kind, but he is such a jerk, no one would have them.”

  “And he came here...”

  “My guess is that his family ordered him to find a mate and get in the king’s good graces. The king is giving grants of land and riches to fey who make a match with a human or shifter.”

  Sireno smiled. “All he needed to do was offer himself to a wealthy mage. They pay to have their daughters knocked up with fey contributions. A half-fey is a desirable commodity, and trained properly, they can be tremendously powerful.”

  “That is how you were born?”

  She laughed. “Oh, no. My mom met my father at some kind of event. She clapped eyes on him and lured him into a torrid affair that he fought off with all the dignity he could muster. I was the end result, and that is when the mage guilds and the court stepped in to levy restrictions on my parents and myself. They are not allowed to cohabit until I find a mate. So, I am really looking for one. Are you up for the audition?”

  “What will that entail?” he smiled his thanks at Selari and grinned.

  “Well, my family dances, fights, engages in magical practice for defense and offense. You would have to be willing to do it all.”

  He smiled. “If we balance, I will be willing and eager to do everything.”

  “So, what would your life entail that you think I might not be ready for.”

  He shrugged. “I have loud brothers, and my parents are from Australia, and the angrier they get, the more that is apparent. Their language becomes incomprehensible to the untrained ear.”

  “That is one continent that I don’t often find myself on.”

  “Is the sun too bright?”

  She snorted. “No, there just isn’t much call for my personal interference with mage or fey matters around there. They take care of their issues themselves.”

  “Ah. Yes. For good or ill, we do it with all of our focus.” He spoke with a sudden accent that caught her by surprise, one handheld over his heart.

  “Wow. That was magic in and of itself, but if you crave marmite, I am out of here. How are your hands?”

  “Much better. And it is vegemite, not marmite.” He winked.

  “Oh. That could get me staked out in some regions, I am sure.”

  “Over an anthill, no less.”

  She chuckled. “Ah, that reminds me of spring break when my sister was sixteen.”

  He didn’t ask what she was referring to, and that was probably for the best.

  “You have siblings as well?”

  “A younger sister and a brother.”

  He frowned. “I thought you said that your parents couldn’t mate until you did.”

  “They can still have sex, Aeric. That does result in children on occasion, or so I have been told.”

  His eyes took on a slightly hooded look. “You don’t say.”

  “Yeah, it works the same for mages and underfey as it does for shifters and everybody else.” She turned to Selari. “Thank you so much for your assistance.”

  Selari smiled. “Thank you for bringing me such interesting challenges in my first week. It is definitely helping me settle in quickly.”

  Aeric nodded politely. “I am grateful for your assistance.”

  “It was my pleasure.”

  Sireno conjured a pitcher of milk and another of honey. “Will this suffice for thanks?”

  Selari’s eyes glowed happily. “It is far more than I need. My contract here provides me with what I require, but I am very thankful for the gifts.”

  Aeric frowned. “What am I missing?”

  Sireno shrugged. “Nothing. The underfey have a sweet tooth. Honey is more popular than gold in the hands of the domestic fey.”

  “Oh.”

  Sireno chuckled. “Yes. Underfey all have their favourite foods. It is usually sweet.”

  Selari picked up the jugs and cradled them. “We also accept bread.”

  She bobbed a curtsy and walked off, humming to her new acquisitions.

  Aeric looked at Sireno. “Why is it milk or honey?”

  “Brownies rarely get along with cows or bees. So, they know where to get it... they just can’t. It’s simple.”

  “Right, so what should I never do to one of her kind?”

  “Never give her the gift of clothing. That has a banishing effect.”

  He cocked his head. “What works on you?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I think that we can discuss it over dinner. You make a reservation, and I will be appropriately dressed.”

  He grinned. “So, I am being dismissed?”

  “You have tasks to attend to, and I need to work with my hair.” She leaned toward him and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. “I can tell you one weakness. Your other form is adorable. It took everything I had not to sweep you up and cuddle you.”

  His smile was slow. “You know, I think for the first time, I am at peace with my beast.”

  She grinned, and he left the Grotto, heading out to make arrangements.

  She had to get dressed, and her hair wanted to wrap her in nothing but shadows. She was going to need all the time she had to convince her hair that she was not Godiva.

  Chapter Seven

  Aeric was a pretty good dancer, and as they moved around the dance floor, he got better. Or, she got better. Either way, they were matching the fey couples move for move.

  Aeric finally sighed and asked her. “What are you thinking about?”

  She spun out and then smacked into him with a light grunt. “Nothing.”

  “There is obviously something.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “It is rather embarrassing.”

  “What?”

  “What does your fur feel like?”

  He paused and moved them to the outer edge of the dancers. “My fur?”

  “Yes. I had a bobcat when I was a child, and the fur was rather coarse. You looked like you would feel soft and fluffy.” She kept her tone low so her voice wouldn’t carry.

  “You have been thinking about that all night?”

  She shrugged. “I fixate on details.”

  He chuckled. “Fine. Come with me.”

  They moved off the dance floor, and he led her toward the Grotto.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Somewhere comfortable. I don’t like exposing myself like that in public places.”

  “You don’t like people seeing it?”

  He looked at her with an amused expression. “My brothers and parents are all big, tough kangaroos. I get to be one of the most useless creatures since koalas got chlamydia.”

  “Useless? You do realize that fey lock up when they see you.” She nudged him with her hip.

&
nbsp; “What?”

  “Fey can’t attack you in that form. We just can’t. Our minds just see something small and adorable. I think it goes back to decreasing birth rates. The neoteny that I experienced was intense. I just wanted to pick you up and squeeze you.”

  He grinned. “You don’t say.”

  “It wasn’t my finest moment, but yeah. Your little beast is just so darned cute.”

  He opened his mouth and then closed it with a snap. “Anything I can say here will just get me slapped.”

  She laughed. “So, since you are about to let me cuddle your quokka, do you have any of your own requests?”

  “Well, I have wondered, is this your complete form? I have heard that a lot of the fey use glamours.”

  “Well, we aren’t allowed to use them here, but I do have another seeming. That is the polite phrase for it. It is not usually recommended for a first date.”

  He chuckled. “This is technically our fourth meeting if you think of it in those terms.”

  They approached the Grotto. “So, you really want to see what I look like with the shadows front and center?”

  “I do. It is best to see the worst of you right at the beginning so that I know what it looks like when you are mad at me.”

  Sireno paused for a moment and then laughed. “I am guessing you are thinking it will happen often.”

  “I know my impulse control, and around you, it will be in short supply.”

  It seemed that somewhere in their second tango, they had decided on each other. That was when their bodies had begun moving together, and their senses tuned to each other. Her dad had told her about the strange feeling of his body aligning with her mother’s, but Sireno hadn’t considered it as something she would experience, but now, she got it. Aeric felt right. It wasn’t love; it wasn’t fascination; it was just that he was right.

  “Okay. If you show me yours, I will show you mine.” Sireno winced. “Just don’t freak out.”

  “I promise not to freak out if you promise not to squeeze me to death.”

  “I promise.” She smiled. He was so going to freak out.

  Alone in her room, they faced each other. They didn’t need to do it naked, but it added an element of fun to the semi-serious moment.