by Kimbra Swain
“Talk to me about what?” Dylan said as he walked through the door.
Did he arrive exactly when I spoke his name? What were the chances of that? It caught me off guard. Thoughts swirled in my head. I couldn’t lock on to a single one of them to make a coherent sentence. Flashes of Malcolm’s lips almost touching mine. The pressure on my fingers as he sucked the tips.
Dylan. Dylan. Dylan.
“Shit. He got to her,” Nestor muttered.
Dylan saw my distress, rushing to my side. I felt his warm arms envelope me. His breath on my hair. “Grace Ann Bryant, talk to me,” he whispered in my ear. The confusion faded.
“Incubus,” I muttered.
“Who?” he growled. Apparently, he knew about the power of one.
“Doesn’t matter. It’s what he said that I can’t seem to grasp,” I replied.
Nestor and Levi watched us intently. “Come on,” he said dragging me back out the back door of the bar. Once the door closed behind us, he put his hands on his hips and waited. “Tell me.”
“He was in there,” I said, pointing to the shed. “He said that there were fairies in Shady Grove that would never trust me, because I didn’t choose a fairy mate. He said that I forgot what it was like to be with a fairy.” I saw the fury in his eyes burning blue, but his shoulders sagged indicating that he realized the importance of what Malcolm said to me.
“Who was it, Grace?” he said, his tone calm and steady.
“Malcolm,” I replied.
He stepped closer to me, putting his hand on my cheek. I leaned into it craving his touch in this deeply insecure moment. “How did you resist him? Because what I know of them, it’s impossible.”
“Levi interrupted him. He backed down,” I said. “I told him multiple times that I loved you.”
“Yes, your brain still says the right things, but your body does something completely different,” he said.
“You act like you’ve come across one before,” I replied.
“I have. There was one here before Malcolm. We made him leave Shady Grove. He was seducing every woman and fairy he could get his hands on. They were helpless to resist him,” he replied.
“When you were Sheriff?” I asked, leaving his hand to put my arms around his waist. He understood. He knew how awful it could have been for us. He embraced me. Fairy or not, no one on this earth could make me feel like Dylan. The tingle was nothing compared to the heat between us.
“Yes. You were living here, but I only saw you when you helped me with a few cases. It was very early on. I didn’t call you in on that one. I didn’t want to give him a reason to stay in Shady Grove,” he said. “Someone needs to be with you at all times to prevent him from taking advantage of you. I hate to think it’s true, but I know my ex-girlfriend. She probably sent Malcolm after you. She probably fucked him.”
“Seriously?” I asked.
“Look at it this way. What he did in there made you question the loyalty of the fairies in this town, right?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“Secondly, any further action on your part or his would have driven a wedge between us. I know that she hates the fact that we are together. It doesn’t matter if she is engaged or not. She wants every man she can get her hands on. That’s what they do,” he said.
“That’s what who does?” I asked.
“We have got to get you a fairy handbook,” he smiled.
“What is she?” I asked.
“Leanan sidhe,” he replied.
“Whore fairy,” I scowled. He laughed. “What’s so funny?”
“Never heard them called that,” he said.
“Yeah, well, all of us are whores to some extent, but it’s bad when even the whores call you a whore,” I replied.
“I love you, Grace,” he continued to laugh.
“You wouldn’t, if Malcolm would have had his way in there,” I said.
“I’ll admit that I’m not sure how I would have handled it, but it wouldn’t stop me from loving you,” he said.
He knew how to disarm me by being sweet. I had nothing to say in return. “I love you, too,” I muttered.
“Now let’s go wash some glasses, but seriously you can’t be alone. She won’t stop,” he said, still convinced that Stephanie sent Malcolm after me.
“I will be able to handle it next time. I’ve just got to be more aware of that kind of thing,” I said.
“Let me ask you something. I want you to be completely honest,” he said.
“Okay?”
“You used to be paranoid of everyone before you realized half the town was like you. Why do you suddenly trust everyone?” he asked.
I thought back over the times I hid myself away from the humans of this world. I cowered at the idea of another fairy finding me. He was right. I didn’t suspect anyone anymore. It was like my paranoia lessened when the rest of our little corner of the world became familiar. I shouldn’t have. If anything, I should have ramped it up. Not all fairies were nice. We were damn lucky to have some good people here. “I guess realizing that I wasn’t alone. But we aren’t all the same, are we? Exiles, yes. However, some of us are very bad and easily persuaded.”
“Grace, I know you want to see the good in the people here, but I’m begging you to just keep your wits about you. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he said.
I kissed him on the cheek, then on the mouth. “Too bad you are stuck with me.”
“Right where I want to be,” he replied. “Let’s go back inside.”
He followed me back into the bar to find Nestor and Levi staring at the door. “What?” I asked.
“Well?” Levi replied.
“Well, what? It was a private conversation,” I said.
“You guys are fine?” he asked looking at Dylan.
“We are like peas and carrots, Levi Rearden,” Dylan replied.
“God help us all in this box of chocolates,” I added.
“Huh?” Levi missed the reference. Dylan and Nestor laughed.
“It’s from Forrest Gump, Dublin,” I said snatching the wash rag from him.
“Oh, speaking of movies. Nestor, anyone ever tell you that you look like that guy from Roadhouse?” Levi asked.
We all cracked up. God bless Levi Rearden.
The rush had died down. I leaned on the bar talking to Dylan and Levi. Nestor picked up glasses from around the abandoned pool table. The last game died down about thirty minutes ago. The sound of shattered glass made us all pause.
“Fuck,” Nestor growled.
I walked over to him, stooping to help pick up the pieces. “What the hell is wrong with you? You better tell me,” I said.
“I can’t,” he replied.
“Are you sick?” I asked.
“No,” he said. “Don’t worry about it, Grace.” He walked over to the sink to begin to wash the remaining glasses.
“He dropped two last night,” Levi said.
“Thank you, tattletale,” Nestor said.
“Seriously, Nestor, what’s wrong?” I asked.
“Leave. It. Alone.”
I’d never heard Nestor use that tone, ever. Dylan’s eyes looked alarmed, but he made a motion with his hand trying to get me to back-off. I sucked in a deep breath, knowing that backing down was not one of my finer traits.
Walking back over to Dylan, I wanted to talk to him more about what Malcolm had said. It didn’t bother me that Levi was sitting there. The connection I had to him grew every day. I hadn’t had a servant in a very long time. I never intended to make Levi mine. Not in that way. I knew that I could separate the part of me that wanted to own him from the part of me that found such a thing disgusting.
“What Malcolm said,” I started.
“About?” Dylan asked looking up from his coffee.
“Do I need to leave?” Levi asked.
“Shut-up, Dublin,” I said back to him. Dylan laughed. “I’ll start this by saying there is no way in this world I’m breaking up with you for some
damn election, but what is the best way to make everyone feel more at ease? I don’t want people thinking I chose you because you weren’t a fairy. It’s such nonsense.”
Dylan’s brow furrowed. He looked down at the coffee rotating the cup around watching the magic swirl around in it. “I’m not sure, because I don’t know if anyone thinks that or not. It’s possible that they do. It’s possible that Stephanie is playing an angle.”
“Either way, it takes votes away from me. I don’t want to give Shady Grove up,” I said.
“We could tell everyone that Levi is more than just your Bard,” Dylan said.
“What?” Levi and I both said.
“Everyone has already seen you kiss him,” he said.
“I’m not the only one that kissed him,” I replied.
“If either of you think I’m getting into some polyromance bullshit, you’ve lost your minds,” Levi teased.
“What do you even know about that?” I asked.
“Internet,” he said.
“You realize the internet is controlled by a demon, right?” I asked.
“It is not,” he replied. “Is it?”
Dylan died laughing. Levi whacked him on the shoulder making Dylan laugh harder.
“We, Dylan, are non-negotiable. We have to figure out how to prove to everyone that it’s not a shun on anyone.” I turned the conversation back to the original issue.
“I just don’t think it’s a problem. I think it’s something she made up. Many people in this town have congratulated me on, well, I don’t know how to put it without sounding arrogant,” he said.
I groaned. “Just say it.”
“Nah, you know what I mean,” he said.
“But you want to say it,” I replied.
“They congratulate me on getting you,” he said with a devilish smile. “Now if I can just get you to set a date.”
“You haven’t set a date?” Levi asked. “Why not?”
“Been a little busy, Levi,” I said.
“Just name a day,” Levi said.
I scowled at Dylan. He started this shit just to get me fired up. “Dylan Riggs, if you think for one second that I’m going to get mad enough to fuck you angry, you’ve lost your damn mind.”
Levi fell off his barstool. “I gotta go,” he muttered climbing up off the floor.
“Levi, wait!” I yelled at him. “Look what you did!”
“He didn’t leave because of anything I said,” he laughed. “Let’s go home, Gracie.”
“Don’t you Gracie me,” I said, leaning back from the bar. He pushed up on the bar stool, grabbing me by the back of the head. He pulled my lips to his as I resisted, but the moment they touched mine. I gave into the heavenly warmth of my fiancé. “Damn, that’s good.”
“Let’s go home,” he repeated.
“I’ll go upstairs and get Winnie,” I said.
She was asleep on Nestor’s couch. Mable sat in the recliner watching television. She smiled as I picked her up. She was heavier than she used to be, which was fine with me. Finally, she was healthy. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, Dylan took her from me.
“Sorry, I didn’t think about her being asleep,” he said.
“Let’s go home,” I repeated with a smile.
After tucking her into bed, Dylan sat with me in our room. “I know we joked about it, but maybe if you stayed in the trailer during the election, it would help you win.”
“Dylan, if winning Queen means I have to give you up for one single moment, I don’t want the job,” I said. “And, I don’t want to hear anything else about it.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “That was kinda sweet, Grace. Are you feeling okay?”
“If you don’t shut up,” I warned him.
“What?” he asked. I knew then he was trying to rile me up again. “What are you going to do?”
“Ignore you,” I said, plopping down in the bed. I pulled the covers over my head. He was on top of me instantly trying to wrestle them off of me. Holding on tight, the only point of entry he found was along my side where he stuck his hands in to tickle me mercilessly.
Finally, I relented, but instead of pulling the covers off, he crawled under them with me.
In the middle of the night, Dylan’s phone rang. “Hello,” he muttered.
I heard Troy’s voice on the other side. Dylan handed me the phone as he climbed out of the bed. He started to get dressed as I answered, “Hello?”
“Hey, Grace, sorry to bother you so late, but we have a fairy problem. I think I need your help,” he said.
“Um, okay. I’ve got to find someone to look after Winnie,” I said.
“I’ll stay here. You go,” Dylan said. “Call Levi to meet you there.”
“Why doesn’t Levi just come here?” I asked. “Or we could take her to him?”
“I don’t want to wake her,” he said. “Send Levi here, but I’m not going to leave until he gets here.”
“Where are you?” I asked Troy.
“I’m out at Caleb Joiner’s place on Woodland Road past the water tower,” he said.
“I know the place. I’m on the way,” I said hanging up. “Are you upset?”
“Yes, I was enjoying a good sleep next to your fine body,” he grumbled.
I grabbed jeans sliding them over my hips. He tossed me a sweater that I pulled down over my head. Dylan’s warm hands wrapped around my waist before I got it on all the way. “Be careful until I get there. Stay away from Malcolm if he is there.”
“Why would he be there?”
“He and Colby get into trouble together. Plus, it may be Stephanie again,” he said.
“You’ve got to stop thinking everything is her!” I said, kissing the little pout on his lips.
He held me tight and groaned. Swaying us side to side, he leaned down breathing heavily in my ear. Shit, he had me turned on again. “She’s trying to ruin my life,” he muttered.
“Not going to happen. I’ll quit before that happens. Do you want me to stay?” I asked, knowing the answer.
“Hurry down there. I’ll call Levi. Take your phone,” he said, releasing me. “I love you.”
“Love you, too. I’ll have it taken care of by the time you get there,” I winked at him.
It was a short drive to Woodland Road. I wished Troy would have given me an idea of what the problem was considering I hated surprises.
Pulling up in the drive, I knew I was in the right place. There were three deputy cars sitting in the yard. I was pretty sure the department only had three cars, maybe four. Climbing out of the car, I was met by Sgt. Kwaski. I hadn’t seen him since my in-trailer confinement while I was accused of murdering two human children.
“Hello, Miss Bryant. Sheriff Maynard asked me to take you inside,” he said.
“Okay,” I nodded, following him into the ranch-style home. When I walked into the living room, I groaned. Troy held Caleb Joiner against one wall. Amanda Capps and another officer held Malcolm Taggert against the other wall. dar from Malcolm’s nose. His skin on his knuckles was split. Caleb didn’t look much better.
“Fuck,” I muttered as I walked in the door.
“See, I told you she wanted it,” Malcolm spouted at Caleb.
“You are an idiot,” Caleb screamed back at him.
“Hey, honey, I’m glad you are here,” Malcolm said to me. The sweet smell of spring time and sunshine rolled over me. Fucking Seelie Fairies. My eyes locked on his. I took my hand and rolled my engagement ring around my finger once. He flinched.
“That’s right. I’m ready for you this time, you bastard,” I spouted at him.
“He did come after you?” Troy asked.
“Yes,” I replied. “He failed.”
“Only because I walked away,” he said. “If I wanted you Grace, you’d be begging for my cock right now.” With that Amanda hauled back on his right arm that she had twisted behind him. He yowled in pain.
“Another vulgar word from your mouth, Taggert, and I break
this arm off. Hope you are left handed,” she said.
“His cock hopes he’s left handed,” I added.
Caleb died laughing. “You thought you could get her. You are so damn stupid. I told you that woman was no good.”
“What woman?” I asked.
“Stephanie Davis,” Caleb said. Dylan was right.
“We are going to have a civilized conversation. Troy let Caleb sit down in that chair,” I said. Troy let Caleb go. He sat down in the chair, crossing his ankle over his other knee. Looking to Malcolm, I unleashed power from my tattoo. The room turned colder. “Mal, sit down on the couch.” With unbridled power, the command struck Malcolm who instantly bent his knees to sit. Amanda and the other officer dragged him to the couch. I narrowed my gaze at him. He gulped.
“Amanda, you and Officer Tully go meet Riggs when he gets here,” Troy said. “I think we are fine here now.” They nodded, leaving Troy and I with the best friends.
“Now, Caleb, tell me what happened?” I asked.
“Why does he get to go first?” Malcolm whined. I threw my hand up at him without looking. He tried to speak, but he couldn’t open his mouth. He started mumbling something, then let out a long whine.
“Don’t fuck with me,” I growled at him. “You pushed your luck this morning. It won’t happen again. Sit there and be a good little incubus.” I could have done the same with him this morning had I expected his advances. He was powerful once he lured you in, but now he had nothing on the Queen of the Exiles.
“He told me what he did to you this morning. I told him when Stephanie came to talk to both of us about the election that she was trouble. I don’t know how she made him do it, but I guess he did it. He’s an idiot. Please don’t banish him. I hate him, but he’s my best friend,” Caleb said.
“I’m not banishing anyone. Tell me more about this visit from the fairy whore,” I said.
“Oh, you know what she is?” Caleb said.
“Yes,” I replied.
“She told us that you didn’t know what any of us were,” he said.
“I’ll admit that I don’t know what most of you are, but I’ve only been at this a few months. It’s been on-the-job training,” I replied as I heard the low rumble of a V-8 engine arrive outside. “I know what you are too, Caleb. I think my fiancé is here.” Malcolm whined behind his magical duct tape.
