A jolt shot through me and I trembled, fucking trembled. I hated that his crude words turned me on. I leant forward so that my mouth was nearly touching his and I stated firmly and very clearly, “Do not call me babe!” Then I turned on my heel and stalked off down the street.
Mitch’s loud, raucous laughter followed me in my wake. “Babe!” he called after me. You’re going in the wrong direction. Motel’s this way.”
Crap. That was just so typical. I turned around and glared at him.
Mitch grinned. “Okay, I get that this is important to you, although why it is, I don’t know ‘cause, you know, horse—bolted. But if you want to find a drugstore, we’ll find a drugstore.”
I stared at him for a long moment before asking, “Say again?”
Mitch’s gaze didn’t flinch. “I said if you wanna find a drugstore, we’ll find a drugstore.”
“You mean you’re giving in on this, just like that.” I narrowed my eyes and regarded him coolly, convinced it was some sort of ruse. “What’s the catch?”
His lips twitched. “Catch? Do I look like the kinda man who can be bothered to play those types of games?”
He didn’t, actually. “No, you don’t.”
“Good answer. Now do you wanna find a drugstore or not?”
We found a drugstore.
When we finally made it back to the motel, Mitch took hold of my arm and led me along the corridor to his room. I’d changed my mind about sleeping with him again at least a dozen times on the way, but if I’d told him I didn’t want to, that would have been a lie. The memory of our time together that afternoon was playing over and over in my mind and the truth was, I wanted to be with Mitch again ― even if it was for just one last time.
Once inside his room, Mitch pulled off his boots then sat me down and pulled off mine. Then he stretched out on the bed and positioned me against him. I’d protested throughout all this, albeit feebly, but Mitch hadn’t paid the slightest bit of attention. He pressed my head into his chest then began playing with my hair.
The strokes of his hand were soothing and I’d closed my eyes and begun to relax when Mitch said, “Tell me about the forest.”
I froze and my eyes sprang open, but Mitch didn’t stop the soothing strokes against my head and after a moment I began to relax again. The memory wasn’t nearly as painful as it had once been so after a short pause, I told him about the forest.
I didn’t tell people about my background generally. I figured it was ancient history and I never wanted anyone to feel sorry for me. It was what it was. But I wanted to tell Mitch. I wanted him to know me, really know me, even though I wasn’t sure why.
“And you were just six when it happened?” he asked after I’d finished telling him my story.
“Yeah. It was tough, but I got through it.”
“I reckon you could get through just about anything,” Mitch observed. “You’re one of the strongest people I know. So your godparents brought you up?”
“Yeah. They were wonderful—are wonderful. I couldn’t have asked for better people to raise me.”
“They have kids themselves?”
“A daughter. Mia’s just a year older than me so we grew up together.”
“You close?”
“We are, although hunting keeps us both busy, you know? We don’t see each other often, but we talk regularly. I spoke to her before I left for Fort Worth. She said the Council had asked her and her partner Drew to take a job out in Miami. We always try to let the other know where we are, just in case we’re close enough to meet up.”
“You know there’s a Fae sanctuary in Florida,” Mitch mused. “If everything works out tomorrow and we can convince Avery to go there, you could meet up with her when we’re there.”
It was a nice gesture—another example of how sweet Mitch could be, how thoughtful and considerate. A warm feeling unfurled in my belly. “That would be nice. It’s been nearly a year since I last saw her. I miss her.”
Mitch slid the hand that had been playing with my hair down around my shoulders, giving me a little squeeze and the warm feeling intensified.
“Do you have brothers and sisters?” I asked.
“A brother. He’s a couple’a years older than me, but we were never close growing up. Guess there was too much competition between us. He got married about three years back to his hunting partner and they have a daughter, Jess. She’s a ray of light. We get along better now, which is good. Say, how come you don’t hunt with a partner?”
I sighed heavily. “You remember the reaction you had when we first met and you realised I was a hunter?”
Mitch squirmed, looking uncomfortable. “Yeah, Ash, I’m sorry, I didn’t…”
I waved off his apology. “It’s been the same way my whole life. When I left the training school, I wanted to prove myself to the Council. Getting through the training was difficult for me. I took a lot of shit from a lot of the other hunters. They always made fun of my size, said I was too small and weak to fight vampires and that I’d end up getting myself killed. I guess I wanted to show them all that I could do the job not only as well as them, but without any help.”
“I was wrong about you,” Mitch said, surprising me. “And I don’t think you have anything to prove. I saw the way you fought those vamps last night. You’re good. You might be smaller than other hunters, but you’re fast and you have good instincts, know how to anticipate your opponents’ moves and react accordingly.”
“Thanks,” I murmured against his chest. Mitch’s praise caused a warm, melty sensation in my stomach. I was getting more and more of those the longer I spent in Mitch’s presence.
“Jenna and I paired up in training school and I got used to having her around. Got lonely going out hunting night after night alone.”
“Is that why you gave up hunting after she died?”
Mitch was silent for a while and I’d started to regret bringing the subject up when he replied quietly, “No. If I hadn’t quit when I did, the Council was going to can me.”
“What?” I lifted my head and stared at Mitch’s face. “Why would they do that?”
“I was becoming a liability. I was a wreck after what happened to Jenna. I was filled with all this anger and hate. I wanted revenge so badly, I could taste it. I moved back to Texas and started to take out my fury on every vampire who crossed my path. I thought I was channelling it in the right direction, but I’d stopped caring about the rules and started to get sloppy. I didn’t care if humans were around when I caught my prey. I didn’t care about anything.
“Went on like that for nearly a year. The Council was constantly cleaning up after my messes, covering for me. They had to send in mages to wipe the memories of the humans who’d seen something they shouldn’t have. And still I didn’t care. I just wanted them all dead. Nothing else mattered. I started to get worse. I was drinking heavily and I had no control over my temper. Someone only had to look at me the wrong way and I’d start a fight. Fae, shifters, didn’t matter who it was with.”
“You were in pain,” I reasoned. “You were—”
“It was more than that,” Mitch interrupted. “I was on a suicide mission. Didn’t give a shit about anything or anyone. One day my handler called me in, gave it to me straight. He said the Council was gunning for me. If I made one more mistake, I was gone.”
“So you quit.”
Mitch smiled sardonically. “No. I was so out of control that the threat of losing my job meant nothing to me. In fact, I wanted them to get rid of me because then I wouldn’t have to answer to anyone but myself.”
“So what happened? What made you finally decide to quit?”
Mitch paused and a wave of sadness washed over his face. “Evan caught up with me.”
I gasped. “Jenna’s partner? Oh, my God, did he come to—?”
“No.” Mitch cut me off. “He wasn’t there to fight, he just wanted to talk. He said my handler had called him, told him what I’d been up to.”
“It
must have been difficult to see him again.”
“Yeah, it was. Over a year had passed, but I could tell he was still grieving, still in so much pain.”
“So were you,” I whispered.
Mitch nodded. “I was and Evan could see that. He told me some home truths that night, things I didn’t want to hear, but needed to just the same. He said he forgave me for what happened and that I needed to let it go. I really didn’t want to hear that, but Evan said if I wouldn’t sort myself out for him then I should do it for Jenna. He said I was disrespecting her memory by behaving the way I was, told me if she was alive, she’d be ashamed of what I’d become. He was right.”
“Tough love, huh?”
Mitch snorted. “There was never any love lost between Evan and I, we were as opposite as night and day, but what he said sunk in. Jenna would have been disappointed in me—hell, she’d have been pissed. She’d have told me to pull my head outta my ass and sort my shit out. So I did. The very next morning I called my handler and I told him I was done. Said I was quitting and the Council wouldn’t hear from me again. And they didn’t, until last night.”
Mitch pulled me closer into his side and began playing with my hair again. I liked the intimacy of it maybe more than I should. “What made you help me?” I asked. “If you weren’t hunting anymore, why did you say yes when Raven called to ask for your help?”
“I wanted to say no, was going to, but then Raven told me you’d be going to the Fae Sanctuary alone and I didn’t like the idea. I’d had dealings with the Fae before and I knew how difficult they could be—how dangerous. But I think mostly I said yes because I missed it—hunting, I mean. I don’t think I’d realised how much until that very moment. I’d been getting on with my life. I’d travelled around the country, visited some places I’d always wanted to see, but it was like I’d just been going through the motions. I’d been alive, but I hadn’t been living. Guess that sounds lame.”
“No, not at all. I understand completely. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t hunt. Have you thought about coming back to it, for good? Maybe calling the Council and—”
“The Council would never take me back.”
“But if they would?”
“If they would, then yeah, I’d consider it.”
When I pursed my lips, thinking about what Mitch had said, he chuckled and pulled me up his body, planting a quick kiss on my lips.
“Get it out of your head, Ash. The Council couldn’t wait to get rid of me and they’re pissed that I’m here working with you on this job. I think that says it all.”
The protest was on the tip of my tongue when Mitch kissed me again. Any coherent thought in my mind was clouded by the fog of lust which settled there. I slid my arms around his neck and kissed him back, delighting in the taste of him and the sweep of his tongue inside my mouth. The kiss started out slow, but it soon built into something deeper, something more powerful. Mitch rolled us so that he was on top, the entire length of his body pressing against mine. I loved the weight and heat of him, loved how safe it made me feel. Mitch and I kissed for long moments, our bodies writhing together, the passion building. We undressed one another slowly. There was none of the urgency of the afternoon although it was just as intense—probably more so because this wasn’t just about a desperate need to get off.
When Mitch finally slid into me, his eyes locked on mine. There was something different about it, something infinitely more intimate. Unlike before, the sex wasn’t hard and fast. Mitch made love to me, kissing me as he rocked his hips in a languid motion, his hands gliding over my skin. I arched into him as he whispered endearments into my ear. He told me how beautiful I was, how good I felt. He told me I was made for him.
When I came, Mitch’s name was a whisper on my lips. Seconds later, he followed me into the blissful abyss, seating himself deep and moaning into my neck as he shuddered through a release I was sure was as powerful as my own. Later, he covered us with a sheet and curled into my back, his arm around my waist, his nose nestled into the curls at the back of my head. I fell asleep in that position, sated and happy, and didn’t allow even a modicum of doubt or worry to take up any space in my mind.
Chapter Seven
Just as Mitch had anticipated, Durin and Brokk were only too happy to take us to the Fairy realm when they learned we’d found a way to get Avery to leave the sanctuary. They were so eager to see the prince gone, in fact, that they wanted nothing in return for their help. What we didn’t do was tell them what business we had in the Seelie Court. We figured they wouldn’t be onboard with kidnapping someone whom the queen was essentially holding captive.
Mitch had called Avery before we left and told him to wait for us at the sanctuary. If we could get Donella out, they would have to leave Fort Worth quickly so that Mitch’s debt to Durin would be repaid. Then we just had to get the book from Avery and give it to Malaki.
Durin opened a portal into the sanctuary and Mitch and I followed him and Brokk inside. As soon as we were safely through, the doorway was sealed. I took a look around and realised we were in some sort of large, underground cavern. It was dark and oppressive, but I tried hard not to let any unease show on my face.
“What happens if we’re separated?” I asked. “Is there a way we can get out of here without your help?”
I was hopeful that we could get back through the doorway on our own, but Brokk stared at me as if I’d gone insane, killing what little optimism I’d had before he explained. “Only a Fae can help you enter and leave the Fae realm. There is no way for a human or hunter to open the portal. But you don’t have to worry. Humans are welcome in the Seelie Court and any Fae will give you safe passage home. Unless of course you committed an act of treason against our queen, then I’m afraid you’d find yourselves stuck here.”
Both dwarves chuckled merrily. I don’t think either noticed how much that last sentence made me bristle. Could helping Donella escape be considered an act of treason? Probably, and in the Fae Realm, highly likely. It was only after the dwarves had turned their backs that I shot a worried glance at Mitch. As I was beginning to learn, there was little that could ruffle his feathers and this was no exception. He shrugged, looking completely unconcerned.
“Besides,” Brokk continued. “It will only require one of us to show you the way to the palace. Durin will wait here for our return.”
Well, that was something, but it did little to alleviate the nervous flutters in my stomach. Mitch nodded for me to follow Brokk as he brought up the rear.
The cavern led into a series of tunnels and underground caves. The ceiling lowered in some places, so much so that Mitch and I had to crouch low to get through. The farther we walked, the wider the passageway became until I noticed a light at the end. I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Nearly there,” Brokk informed us as he navigated expertly along the path.
During our meeting, Avery had told us that the queen was holding Donella in a room on the upper floor of the Seelie Court palace. When she’d first been taken, Donella had been placed under guard to prevent Avery from getting to her. He was sure his mother wouldn’t keep her so heavily guarded after he’d been banished. Everyone in the Fairy realm was loyal to Orlaith so she’d have no fear of a Fae helping a prisoner to escape. Avery believed the very last thing the queen would expect was for a couple of hunters to try to rescue her. I hoped he was right, but the odds of us strolling into the palace then leaving with Donella without alerting the guards or the queen herself had to be pretty slim.
That morning before we’d left for the sanctuary, Mitch had given me one of two iron daggers he’d brought with him to Fort Worth. The Fae were highly allergic to the metal and even though they could tolerate being in its presence, if the iron were to pierce their skin, it would prove deadly. Mine was safely tucked into the waistband of my jeans, sitting against my hip. I hoped I wouldn’t need to use it. The Fae of the Seelie Court were supposedly benevolent, but we couldn’t afford to take any chances. If
we were discovered, I had no doubt that the consequences would be dire.
“Ah, here we are,” Brokk said as a light shone at the end of the tunnel. It became brighter as we neared.
We walked on for maybe another hundred yards before the entrance to the cave came fully into sight. I hadn’t had any preconceptions about what the Fairy realm would look like, so when we stepped out of the cave into the bright afternoon sun on the side of a hill which overlooked the palace and a wide expanse of lake beyond, I wasn’t surprised. The palace was magnificent. It was built in the style of a British medieval castle with turrets and a moat. There was a small wood at the bottom of the hill which would lead us to the palace, but it was nothing like the rainforest illusion of the sanctuary so my heart kept beating at a steady pace when we approached it.
Mitch had never visited the Fae realm before, but he smiled reassuringly at me, took my hand and gave it a squeeze as we entered through a gap in the trees. This wasn’t too bad. I’d begun to regain my hope that we were going to make it home safely when we were confronted with our first test of the day.
“Who enters the boundaries of the Seelie Court?” A low, booming voice sounded around us, making me flinch and stumble over a felled tree trunk that I could have sworn hadn’t been there before.
“We are friends of the queen,” Brokk answered calmly. “We seek an audience with Her Majesty.”
Crap. This wasn’t good. This really wasn’t good. Mitch and I had told the dwarves that we needed to go to the Fairy realm to speak with Orlaith, but we’d hoped we’d be able to lose the dwarves when we got to the palace so that we could rescue Donella without their knowledge and without having to see the queen. We were one dwarf down, but it appeared the rest of our plan was already shot to pieces.
A Fae in Fort Worth Page 8
