More of the small fey milled among the crowd, but he noticed Mullein and the newcomers weren’t there. Clover sat off to himself, glaring daggers at Dandy’s back.
He stopped and frowned at Clover thoughtfully. Dandy was right. Clover was acting more and more hostile. Never the most pleasant of men, he had become downright nasty in the last month or two.
Foster joined him a moment later. “What’s wrong?”
“Have you seen Rienne?” Shiloh asked as he strode toward the house. He’d corner Clover later.
“Not for a while now,” Foster replied. He reached back and tied his hair into a long tail. “What’s the deal with Clover? He could spit vinegar, he’s become so sour.”
“I don’t know. I’m going to talk to him a bit. He’s managed to alienate half the island this month alone. Do you think losing Rose has knocked him off his rocker?”
Declan staggered out of the woods looking like a war victim. His usually neat clothing was crumpled and stained, and Shiloh thought he caught sight of a few bloody scratches. He wobbled up to them and swayed. Shiloh hurriedly put a hand on his friend’s shoulder to steady him. “Are you all right?” he asked with some concern. What had Sophie done to the man?
Declan blinked owlishly. “I now know how a ravished maiden feels. I’m going home now. I need a bath.” The dwarf started to wander off. “And some bandages. That is one wild woman! I may have to go back for another round.”
Foster gaped. “What the hell happened to him?”
“Not what,” Shiloh replied drily. “Who.” He nodded to Sophie who was back to dancing, pink cheeks glowing with good health.
Foster goggled at her. “Whoa.”
“Yeah.”
They entered the house, mutually deciding nothing else needed to be said about Rienne’s great-aunt’s sexual conquest. Because, Shiloh thought sourly, they would have to imagine Declan naked and getting mauled by a woman who looked like she should be knitting and making cookies for her grandchildren.
Shiloh was heading for the kitchen when he heard a horrible gagging sound from the downstairs bathroom. After a moment the toilet flushed. Remembering Foxglove mentioning Rienne’s easily upset stomach, he knocked lightly on the door, sharing a concerned look with Foster. “Rienne? Are you in there?”
“I’ll be out in a minute,” came the weak reply.
Deciding not to wait, he opened the door.
She was kneeling in front of the toilet, looking green. A mortified expression crossed her face when she realized he was inside with Foster right behind him.
Worried, he started to scoop her up but let go when she lurched over the bowl. Both men winced as she emptied her belly again.
Shiloh held her hair back as the heaves passed. He nodded his thanks as Foster handed him a dampened cloth. Pulling her back against him gently, he bathed her face.
Foster knelt and held a glass of water to her lips.
She rinsed her mouth and spit into the toilet before leaning weakly against Shiloh again. “I must have eaten something that didn’t agree with me.”
Foster pressed his hand against her stomach. After a moment he frowned. Eyes blank he moved his hand a few inches lower. A smile spread slowly across his face. “It wasn’t something you ate, dear heart. You’re pregnant.”
Shiloh felt his whole body flash ice-cold followed by sweating hot. He blinked several times as Foster’s announcement sank in.
Rienne gasped. “What? I can’t be. I just had a period…” She went white. “Oh God. A little over two weeks ago. But that doesn’t make sense!”
Foster shrugged, sinking back onto his heels. “Sex is for making babies, sweetheart.”
Shiloh noted his friend still hadn’t removed his hand from where it rested over Rienne’s womb. “What doesn’t make sense, love?” he asked, feeling like someone hit him in the back of the head with a board.
“It’s too soon to tell!”
Foster shook his head as he lightly rubbed her belly again. “We aren’t human, sweetness. It’s magic. You are definitely pregnant. I count five babies in there. Hmm… Just what have been you up to the last few days? Never mind, it’s fairly obvious.”
Shiloh fell on his ass with a thump. A slow smile spread across his face.
“Five?” Rienne lunged for the toilet again.
Apple flew into the room. “What’s wrong? Is she sick?” The tiny woman looked distraught, wringing her hands as she watched Rienne worriedly.
Shiloh shook his head to clear it. “She’ll be fine, little one.”
Foster was staring at Apple in astonishment. “Where did you come from, sweetheart?” His eyes began to glow with magic. The curls in his ash-brown ponytail lifted on a nonexistent wind. A delighted expression grew over his handsome features.
“L-lord F-foster?” The young woman stuttered out.
Foster nodded, a furtive smile curling the corners of his mouth.
Shiloh was surprised the small fey recognized Foster, but his attention quickly went back to Rienne. He wiped her face again and helped her sip some more water. Gently helping her up when it appeared the heaves were not going to come back, he held her steady while she brushed her teeth with a spare toothbrush. Then he picked her up and carried her into the living room. Once there he settled onto a couch with her on his lap.
Apple and Foster followed them. Apple, flying backward, couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Foster. “We arrived last night,” she finally blurted out in an excited voice. “But, we came here this morning. Mullein found us and brought us to Rienne. She’s going to let us live with her.”
Foster held his hand out to her, and the small fey quickly settled on it. She knelt, looking up at the forest guardian worshipfully. “That’s wonderful, my dear. We are so happy you have come. Who is ‘we’? Has your whole family joined us?” Foster took them to the other side of the living room, tactfully giving Shiloh some semblance of privacy with Rienne.
Shiloh tuned them out. He tilted Rienne’s face up and kissed her softly. His hand found her belly and rested there. A smile stretched across his face when her hands cupped over his and an expression of wonder filled her precious face.
“You’re happy about this,” she stated softly.
He nodded and kissed her again. “There are no words for this gift.”
She smiled slowly, and he found it as beautiful as the breaking dawn. “Five, Shiloh! We will never sleep again!” Then she giggled. A moment later, her face fell.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” His heart pounded in sudden alarm. Did she not want the babies?
“We don’t know who the fathers are,” she whispered, obviously hoping Foster wouldn’t hear her. “And there is no way I can breastfeed five babies.”
She looked so disappointed he had to kiss her again.
“God, Shiloh, we haven’t been together long enough to be parents. Foxglove is going to freak out.” She cuddled against his chest, her thumbs rubbing small, nervous circles across the back of his hand. “I don’t understand. How can I already be nauseated? I mean, I had to get pregnant sometime in the last two days.” She blushed and hid her face in his neck.
He chuckled, knowing she was embarrassed by the sexual excesses they had indulged in last night and this morning. Well, make that twice this morning, since he and Foxglove had come in for a second helping after Rienne’s family left. “Magic, my love. This is a priceless gift, and no matter who the fathers are, we will all be beside you for this. Children are rare and cherished here. Our races are not very fertile. It seems, however, your family is.”
She laughed. “You have no idea. Some of us, apparently me, have litters. But, five is a bit much even for my family. Are you sure there are five?”
“If Foster says five, then there are five. He’s never wrong.” He cupped the back of her head and shared another joyous kiss with her. There were no words for how he felt. “We need to tell the others.”
Foster joined them. Apple flew off his hand and perched on the ar
m of the couch. “I’ll go get Foxglove. Anyone else I should fetch?” he asked after a delicate pause.
Her cheeks turned crimson. “Dandy and Thistle,” she mumbled, avoiding everyone’s eyes.
Foster’s eyebrows rose, and Shiloh grinned. “Busy girl,” Foster said with a chuckle. He bent and brushed a tender kiss across her brow. “Congratulations, Rienne, my heart is too full for words right now.” Then he brushed another kiss across Shiloh’s cheek. “And you as well, my good friend. You have waited so long for this.”
Shiloh caught his oldest friend’s hand, trying to convey with his eyes all the emotions swirling in him.
Foster squeezed his hand and nodded. He left quietly.
A few minutes later he returned, the other men in tow. Bramble, Thorn, and Clover trailed after them, obviously curious about why Foster had summoned the other men.
Foxglove knelt by Shiloh’s knee. “Foster said you need to speak with us?” He brushed a finger over Rienne’s cheek, concern for her pasty complexion clear on his face. “Have you been sick again?”
Dandy and Thistle moved closer with worried expressions.
Shiloh caught Foxglove’s hand and kissed his knuckles. “Congratulations, gentlemen, we’re going to be fathers.”
In the stunned silence that followed Thistle’s eyes rolled back, and he fell over in a dead faint.
Dandy stared down at his lover in shock. His mouth worked a little as he stared from Thistle to Rienne and back again, confusion plain on his handsome face.
“Wait, what?” he finally said dumbly.
Foxglove stared at Rienne, looking dazed. Shiloh knew just how he felt.
Thorn and Bramble whooped and hugged each other before bending to drag Thistle off the floor. They babbled congratulations, hugging and kissing the stunned parents.
FOSTER STEPPED BACK, grinning as he watched the impromptu celebration. Within minutes Mullein and another small fey woman with the most amazing purple hair appeared to find out what the ruckus was.
Mullein grabbed Foxglove and pulled his astounded friend around the room in a waltz when he heard the news. Tears brimmed in both men’s eyes. Foxglove finally drew his exuberant friend to a halt and buried his face in Mullein’s shoulder.
Mullein went still in the embrace and wrapped his arms around Foxglove tightly, whispering in his ear. Creamy yellow hair tangled in Foxglove’s fiery curls as they held each other, heads bent together. Foxglove’s shoulders began to shake with suppressed emotion.
Rienne, still huddled in Shiloh’s lap, appeared completely overwhelmed and just a little bewildered.
Thistle was slouched next to them, still deep in his swoon. Apple sat on his chest, anxiously patting his cheek with a tiny hand as she tried to rouse him.
A tender smile graced Foster’s lips as Dandy pulled away from Thorn. He fell to his knees before Rienne and pressed his cheek against her belly.
She stroked Dandy’s bright hair with shaking fingers. An uncertain smile started to curve her mouth as she finally appeared to realize how happy everyone was about the pregnancy. Foster noted the subtle relaxing of her muscles as she listened to whatever Dandy was whispering against her abdomen.
His attention was drawn to the only person who didn’t appear to be happy with the news. The growing rage on Clover’s face made him frown, and he slowly began to edge his way around the crowd, closer to the other man. Clover glared at Rienne and Dandy, fierce hatred distorting his handsome face into something ugly. “Should have been my baby,” he muttered, running his hands through his hair and pulling handfuls sharply. Then he froze as he seemed to notice Apple. His mouth worked. “Filthy whore!” he screamed. “It should be my baby! Not Dandy’s!”
Everything seemed to slow down as Clover began to move.
Clover took two long steps and snatched Apple up in a punishing grip.
The tiny woman screamed, struggling to break free of the too tight fingers. Her face contorted into a mask of agony as Clover squeezed and shook her violently.
“You’re dead! You can’t come back, Rose,” he screamed at her. “I killed you and Dandy’s baby! You don’t get to come back!”
Foster lunged for the small fey, slapping his hand around Clover’s wrist. He squeezed the nerves until the man lost his grip on Apple. She fell to the floor and writhed, arms around her stomach.
Clover lifted his foot and slammed it down, barely missing the woman.
Violet screamed and rushed to drag her sister away from the struggling men.
Foster saw Shiloh shove Rienne into a startled Dandy’s arms as he leaped off the couch.
Bramble scooped up the two small fey women and cradled them against his chest as he backed away. Thorn moved in front of his lover, crowding him protectively into a corner.
The rest of the men closed ranks around Rienne, hiding her from Clover’s view. Thistle had awakened with the first scream. He crouched in front of the men hiding Rienne and flared his huge wings, further obscuring the pregnant woman.
Dandy joined him and hissed, baring sharply pointed fangs at Clover, his eyes wild.
Shiloh and Foster wrestled Clover to his knees and held him there.
“I killed you! You can’t come back,” Clover sobbed. “It should have been my baby! I was your husband, Rose! I was the one who hoarded the scraps of magic so we could have a child! Not you, Dandy! Not you!” The last words rose to a scream, and people started pouring in the door from outside.
Dandy hissed again, looking ready to attack.
Foster closed his eyes against the pain rolling off the man in near palpable waves. “What have you done, Clover?” he whispered.
“I killed the treacherous whore, but she came back,” the man snarled, staring into the corner where Bramble and Thorn were protecting the small fey women.
Foster met Shiloh’s eyes. The Green Man looked furious. No one had doubted Clover’s word when he had said Rose faded last year.
Shiloh released Clover, letting Foster hold him. He crouched and yanked Clover’s head up with a grip on the man’s hair.
Antlers sprouted slowly from Shiloh’s head. Green-gold irises spread to encompass the whole of each eye. “You will tell me all of it, Clover of the Small Fey,” he growled, looming over the smaller man. “Speak the sins that fester in your heart.”
Clover trembled against Foster’s restraining hold. “My Rose went a-hunting among the men,” he began in a choked voice. “She said if I was not man enough to give her a child, she’d find one who was. Started with Dandy, she did,” he accused, turning an evil glare onto Dandy.
“I never touched your woman,” Dandy snarled, his dragonfly wings buzzed angrily.
“Liar,” Clover shouted. “She came home bragging it was your child filling her belly!”
“Then she was the liar, Clover. I’d never stick my dick in that bitter bitch for fear it would fall off, so filled with acid she was!”
Shiloh’s brows rose nearly into his hairline at that blunt announcement.
Clover struggled briefly against Foster’s restraining hold, spitting curses at Dandy.
“If she was pregnant, then you can be sure it was yours, Clover. None of us would hurt our friend by touching his woman,” Thorn stated after glaring at Dandy briefly.
“What do you mean, none of you would touch her?” Clover asked suspiciously, going still against Foster.
“She approached several of us, Clover,” Bramble said from behind Thorn. “And we all turned her down. Even Dandy, for I saw it with my own eyes. She cornered him by the hot spring pool we bathe in, and neither knew I was there.” He edged out from behind Thorn, freezing when anger filled Clover’s face again as he caught sight of Apple.
Apple trembled and hid behind her sister.
Thorn shifted, hiding her from view again.
“Little bitch,” Clover muttered, staring fixedly at Thorn’s chest. “Where have you been hiding, hmm? I’ll just have to put you in the ground again.”
Foster frowned a
s Carmen and Helja edged around him and went to Rienne. The strangers eyed Thistle and Dandy for a minute, glanced at each other, and shrugged. They eased Rienne out of the room. He returned his attention to Clover. He would have to deal with the strangers later.
Shiloh frowned. “That’s not Rose, Clover. Apple came to the island just this morning.”
Clover shook his head in disbelief.
“Where did you bury Rose, Clover?” Shiloh asked with false gentleness. He cupped the man’s face, forcing his attention back to him.
“Under the roses she so loved.” He peered back at Thorn. “That’s not my Rose?” Lucidity was creeping back into the man’s face.
Bramble moved back into view.
Apple scrambled up his chest and clung to his neck, staring at Clover fearfully. Violet followed her, curving her tiny body protectively around her sister. They both watched Clover like he was a snake.
Clover finally appeared to see her. Foster could almost see it as the man took in the differences in appearance. The only similarity the women shared was the pink streaking Apple’s hair. Rose had been heavier with a softer face and light yellow hair sharing space with the pink.
“Gods, what have I done?” Anguish filled his face. “I’m so sorry.” He sagged against Foster’s hold. “Swear, Bramble. Swear you saw him say no.”
“I swear, Clover,” Bramble stated solemnly.
Clover sucked in a sharp breath. He finally looked at Shiloh. “Gods, Shiloh, what have I done? My baby. My Rose. Why? Why did she lie to me?”
Foster eased his grip slightly as the smaller man began to weep. Sadness welled in his heart. Like the others he had not suspected anything other than what Clover had told them. He thought Rose faded when her bitterness and dissatisfaction had grown too great. Knowing how devastated Clover had to be, he fought the urge to comfort the man.
He had known all the small fey since the day of their birth, like every other child born on the island. That he could miss the resentment growing in one of them made him feel a failure even as he realized there was no way he could know the heart of every resident on the island.
Bee Stung Page 17
