Finding Faerie

by Laura Lee

  “Looks that way,” I sighed. “I don’t think I really have much of a choice.”

  “You think she’d hold you here against your will?”

  “No, not at all.” I took a moment to choose my words carefully. “After speaking with her, I think I actually want to stay. She made some valid points. This is my best chance at figuring out how to control my powers before everything blows up in my face. I don’t trust myself, Leo. I’m putting the people I love in jeopardy every damn day. My pride…or my stubbornness rather, isn’t worth the risk. I need to put on my big girl panties and do what needs to be done. She and Ty are offering me a crash course in Magic 101 and I plan on being the best student they’ve ever had. I need to do this for everyone’s best interest. After that, I plan on going home and taking my life back.”

  “And she said I could stay here with you, correct?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, but I can’t ask you to do that.”

  “You can’t? Or you don’t want to?”

  I took his hand. “Leo, I’d love it if you’d stay with me but what about your businesses? Can you truly afford to be away for so long?”

  “My companies have run themselves for many years. I trust the people that I have in charge of daily operations. I’d really like to stay here, my love, if you’ll have me.”

  “As my…companion?”

  He stared at my lips. “Yes.”

  “Friends don’t look at each other like they want to kiss them.”

  He smirked. “That’s too bad, because I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at you again without picturing you naked and ready to be devoured.”

  “Friends definitely don’t devour each other.”

  He leaned closer. “Then I was a bloody fool for suggesting it.”

  My lips parted as he hovered over them. “So are you saying you want to take it back?”

  “I’m saying that you need to kiss me.”

  “And if I don’t?” I gave him a saucy grin. “Will you take me over your knee and spank me?”

  His fangs lengthened. “If that’s what you wanted, my love. Any. Day. Of. The. Week.”

  Okay, I was totally joking, but his comment made my body shiver with want. “Uh…”

  “Karli?” he whispered.

  “Hmm?”

  “Stop talking.”

  The first hint of dawn peeked over the hill as our lips touched. “Leo, look!”

  He pulled back and stared as the blue slowly gave way to brilliant shades of pink, orange, and yellow. As the sun climbed higher and higher into the sky, Leo squinted, never once looking away from its magnificence. As the sun continued to rise, I became entranced by his beauty. Seeing him awestruck, being able to witness such a significant moment in his life, was humbling. He’d been deprived of this for over five hundred years and I’d been taking it for granted daily.

  He closed his eyes as the first rays warmed his face. As I watched him, a single tear inched down his cheek. I wasn’t sure he even realized it was there. Leo was normally so reserved…so controlled, but in that moment, he couldn’t have been more exposed. Every bit of his incredible soul was on display.

  He opened his eyes as I swiped my thumb across his cheek. “Breathtaking.”

  “It is,” I agreed.

  “I wasn’t talking about the sunrise.” He smiled as he lovingly stroked my jaw. “I’ve never regretted my decision to become a vampire until now. Seeing your skin glowing like this, I’ve never known anything more beautiful in my entire existence.”

  “Oh,” I breathed.

  Leo leaned in for a soft, sweet kiss that lingered. When I pulled away, I happened to glance down on the village. The front door belonging to the bungalow closest to us had opened. Naela stepped out, looking incredible even first thing in the morning, wearing a short robe. I felt like a peeping Tom because she was obviously saying goodbye to an overnight guest, but something inside me refused to look away. Right as I was internally chastising myself for being nosy, Vance stepped out behind her.

  I flinched; it felt like someone had just physically slapped me across the face. Vance was wearing the same clothes from yesterday and looked like he hadn’t slept a wink. It wasn’t hard to figure out what they’d been up to all night. He looked surprised when he spotted me up on the hill but then frowned when he saw Leo. There was a devilish glint in his eye as he pulled Naela into a hug before walking back towards the guest cottages with what appeared to be a little extra spring in his step.

  “Oh,” I repeated.

  Leo and I were standing in front of my cottage. “Are you sure you’re okay? I’m sure you weren’t prepared to see something like that.”

  I looked at Vance’s door out of the corner of my eye. “I’m fine,” I lied. “We’re all adults. Vance and I aren’t together anymore. I’ve moved on and now clearly so has he.”

  I was a complete train wreck inside and couldn’t hold it in much longer. I needed to get away from Leo fast before I started bawling hysterically.

  Leo frowned. “It’s okay to have regrets.”

  I could feel his hurt. “Oh, Leo, I don’t have any regrets about you. About what’s happened between us. I just…well, it’s complicated.”

  He placed a kiss on my cheek. “I understand.”

  “Do you?”

  “I do,” he said and nodded. “I don’t like it, but I do understand why you’re upset. I certainly don’t fault you for it.”

  A sob escaped my throat. “I just need time.”

  He pulled me into his arms. “We have all the time in the world, my love.”

  I woke to someone banging on my door. Loudly. I crawled out of bed ready to rip someone a new asshole when I yanked it open. Thylus stood there grinning like a loon.

  He swept a gaze from my head to my toes, taking in my rumpled appearance. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”

  “I was sleeping,” I yawned. “I was up really late.”

  He smiled. “By all means, crawl back under the covers. I’ll keep you company.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Did you have a reason for stopping by?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I’m here for our first lesson.”

  “We’re starting already, huh?”

  “Ornessa insisted on it.”

  “Oh, I’m sure she did,” I grumbled. I felt like she was pushing me towards Ty in a romantic sense despite her earlier assurances.

  “Do you need time to…change your clothes?”

  I stretched and didn’t miss the way his eyes lingered on my breasts. This guy was almost as bad as my horn dog ex-boyfriend, Chad. “What do I need to wear?”

  “Something dark and athletic. We’re working on earth magic today.” Well, that explained his outfit. He was wearing black running shorts that fell right below his knees and tennis shoes. Period. He clearly had no qualms about walking around without a shirt on. Not that I was complaining. I was a healthy woman, after all. The difference between us was that I chose to have a little decorum.

  I bit my lip. “Could you maybe…conjure something for me? I’m trying to avoid using magic until I get a leash on it. Well, unless it’s for the lesson at least.”

  He gave me another long once over. “As tempting as that is, there’s no need. Your closet is ensorcelled. Think of what you want before you open the door and it will be there.”

  “I have a magic closet? Are you shitting me?” Talk about every girl’s dream. Now the perfectly tailored clothing from last night made more sense.

  He scrunched his face. “I do not know this expression, ‘shitting me’.”

  I laughed. “You don’t get out much, do you?”

  He looked offended. “I have lived here my entire life. I am not ashamed of that.”

  I stopped laughing. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to offend you. Honestly. Your home is beautiful.”

  “It’s your home too, you know. The sooner you accept that, the better off we’ll all be.”

  “Yeah, and the sooner everyone acce
pts that Vegas is my home, the better off we’ll all be.”

  He looked irritated. “How much time do you need before you’re ready?”

  “Let me check with the guys.” I started walking outside to Vance’s hut.

  “He’s not there,” he said.

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I ran into him on my way over. He was on the other end of the village with Naela.”

  “Oh.” I will not cry. I repeated the mantra in my head several times. “Well, let me check with Leo then.”

  He shook his head. “He’s not there either. I saw him lying in a field just staring at the sun. How strange is that?”

  I placed my hand on my hip and glared. “Not strange at all considering he hasn’t been able to do so in half a century.”

  He didn’t even acknowledge my foul mood. “It’s just you and me, beautiful.”

  “Great,” I deadpanned.

  We were standing in an open field in the middle of the forest. My enchanted closet had provided a black tank top, black yoga pants, and black running shoes. Ty said to imagine dark and athletic and this is what my mind’s eye came up with. Good thing too, considering his warning on the walk over here that we would be getting dirty. Earth magic was apparently messy stuff.

  Ty widened his stance and clapped his hands together. “So, what do you know about the elemental part of your bloodline?”

  “I come from all four houses,” I began. “Those houses are earth, air, water, and fire. Each one gives you the ability to channel power from their specific element.”

  He smiled. “Very good. What abilities do you gain with the House of Earth?”

  I scrunched my face, trying to remember what I read. “Um…earthly abilities?”

  He laughed. “Close. The correct answer is geokinesis. Do you remember what that does?”

  I was starting to vaguely recall the passage. “The ability to manipulate the ground?”

  He nodded. “Correct. You can control, manipulate, or reshape the earth, in its various forms, at will.”

  I thought about that for a moment. “Okay…so how would that be useful?”

  “Lots of ways.”

  “Such as?” I inquired.

  “Well, for one, it comes in handy if you needed to defend yourself.” He used his fingers to tick off some examples. “You could create sink holes, barriers, avalanches, or earthquakes to name a few.”

  I gaped. “Seriously?”

  He nodded. “Seriously.”

  “That’s badass!” I started bouncing on the balls of my feet. “Okay, so what else could I do? Give me an example not related to defense magic.”

  “Gardening,” he said. “You can speed up or slow down the lifecycle of a plant, flower, vegetable, you name it. If it grows from the earth, you can control it.”

  “Really? I always wanted a backyard garden. Vegas weather is hell on plants though.”

  “All the more reason for you to stay here,” he pointed out.

  I laughed. “Yeah, except you just gave me a loophole! After you teach me how to use it, I could magically grow my own beautiful garden in any climate, couldn’t I?”

  He scowled. “Maybe we’ll skip that lesson.”

  I laughed and mirrored his posture. “What are we waiting for? Teach me something.”

  He looked down at my feet. “Take off your socks and shoes.”

  “Why?”

  “The energy flows from your body into the earth. It’s best if there aren’t any barriers. At least not while you’re learning.”

  Makes sense, I supposed. I unlaced my shoes and took them off, carefully stuffing my socks into them. My toes sank into the soil. “Now what?”

  He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my torso. “Now, comes the fun part.”

  “Wha—” I closed my mouth and tried again. Ty’s body was giving off a disturbing amount of energy. “What are you doing?”

  He chuckled softly against my neck. “What’s wrong, Karli? Do I make you nervous?”

  “No,” I said and shivered involuntarily, “but do you have to be so close?” I swear he purposely blew his warm breath into my ear. My ears were a big erogenous zone and I was having trouble focusing.

  “Yes, I do. It will help you concentrate.”

  Oh, I begged to differ but I wasn’t about to admit that. “So now what?”

  He slid his hands down my arms and laced our fingers together. “Close your eyes.”

  I complied. “What’s next?”

  He shifted behind me. “Firmly plant your feet into the ground and take deep, even breaths. Imagine that you’re growing roots of energy. Feel them burrowing through the soil, winding their way into the heart of the earth. Feel the massive energy that it contains. Tell me when you’re there.”

  I kept my eyes closed, trying to visualize everything. I pressed the balls of my feet into the ground, imagining thick roots extending from them into the soil. “I think I’ve got it.”

  “Good.” He squeezed my hands. “Keep focusing on your breathing…in through your nose, out through your mouth. Now, we need to bond your energy with the earth. Imagine that it is flowing through your veins like blood. You can’t live without it. It is part of your essential self.”

  Ty had a great way with words, making it quite easy to picture everything he was saying. “Got it.”

  He took our joined hands and crossed them over my chest. “Now, spread your toes to improve your balance. Once you’ve done that, focus on releasing your energy. I’m right here to catch you; don’t worry about anything else. Put everything you’ve got into the ground.”

  I squeezed my eyes in concentration. One of the first things I’d learned about Fae magic was that concentration was key. You had to completely block out any outside noise and focus solely on the task at hand. I could no longer hear birds chirping or leaves rustling in the warm breeze. Jasmine and gardenias no longer perfumed the air. My senses were now consumed by the smell of dirt, the sounds of insects beneath the ground, and the feel of ferns tickling my toes.

  Power was brewing inside of me. When I’d felt this twice before, it had circulated throughout my entire body. It could not be contained, it simply was there, ready to detonate. This time, I actually felt it flowing in a deliberate downward motion. The currents moved past my waist, down to my knees, then into my feet. I mentally pushed a little harder and felt them leaving my body. The crazy part was that I could still sense them as they traveled into the ground, burrowing through several layers of earth.

  Seconds later, the ground began to rumble. I opened my eyes and watched it shake. “Holy shit! Am I doing that?”

  “You are,” Ty confirmed. “Now make it stop.”

  “How do I do that?”

  “Recall your energy. Sever your tie to the earth.”

  “How do I do that?” The ground was shaking even harder.

  “Breathe, Karli; you’re panicking. Do everything you just did, but backwards. It will stop immediately.”

  I tried pulling it back but it wasn’t working. “I can’t!”

  He released his hold on me and closed his eyes for a moment. The ground immediately ceased all movement. “See? Simple.”

  “Yeah, if you’ve had a lifetime of practice.”

  He laughed. “You did great. It’s normal for the energy to become unbalanced at first. Nobody gets it on the first try. You’ll get the hang of it eventually.”

  “Promise?”

  He put his hands on my shoulders and squeezed. “I promise. How about we try something a little easier?”

  “Okay.”

  Thylus and I practiced for a while until I started getting a handle on some of the basics. Surprisingly, he was a really good mentor. I could see why Ornessa had paired me with him. Sure, he was arrogant, and he seemed to find every excuse possible to touch me, but he definitely knew what he was doing. He was also quite articulate, which helped me grasp the subject matter more easily.

  I was sweaty and dirty
and tired by mid-afternoon. I had just finished downing a bottle of water when I caught movement in the forest. Vance and Naela were walking along the path directly below. The ground exploded behind me, catching their attention, and raining dirt over my head.

  “Break time!” I yelled to Ty. I stormed over to Vance and glared at him. “We need to talk.”

  “No, we really don’t,” Vance argued.

  “Yes, we do.” Dirt sprayed like geysers all around us, punctuating my statement.

  Vance looked nervously at Naela. “Maybe it’s best if you head out?”

  She shook soil out of her hair. “Um, yeah…sure. Thylus, come on. Let’s give these two some alone time.”

  Ty brushed off his shoulders. “Karli, come find me when you’re ready to practice some more.”

  “Yeah…whatever.” I never stopped glaring at Vance.

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “What’d you want to talk about?”

  “I saw you coming out of Naela’s this morning.”

  “Yeah? I saw you too. Up on the hill with your boyfriend.”

  “He’s not my boyfriend.” I bit my lip. “I don’t know what he is.”

  “No?” he challenged. “Could’ve fooled me. You two looked pretty cozy up there.”

  “Did you have sex with her?”

  “Who? Naela?”

  “Who the fuck else would I be talking about?”

  His jaw ticked. “Yeah, I did. Why do you care?”

  “Don’t be an ass.”

  “Don’t be a bitch,” he retorted.

  The ground started to rumble again. “Excuse me?”

  He widened his stance to steady himself. He said something in Latin and the ground stopped moving entirely.

  “How—how did you do that?”

  “Parlor trick,” he replied smugly. “I’ve been nullifying since before you were born.”

  “Oh, don’t start throwing our age difference into this. That doesn’t matter and you know it!” Vance had been alive significantly longer than I had, but it wasn’t an issue. When you stopped aging in your twenties, everyone looked and acted relatively the same. Immortals didn’t have traditional generational gaps.

  “I’m not so sure, anymore. When I think about it, you really are just a baby. I think it’s time I sought out a real woman.”