by E. A. Weston
Finding Alex is easy. She is the dangerous-looking chick standing in the corner with a perimeter of fifty feet around her that no one will enter.
“Hey, Alex.” My wary tone makes her eyes sharpen and she glares at me.
“Hey, you,” she says, hugging me. “Hi, Killian,” she says sweetly.
“Hello, Alex.” His politeness masks his sadness. She gives him a hug and a pat on the shoulder. I want to kill her. He excuses himself to get a drink, leaving Alex and I to talk.
“What the hell, Alex. Just tell him that I told you,” I complain and she just rolls her eyes at me. Dragging me by the hand, we hit the dance floor. I don’t feel like dancing, but I know she won’t talk to me unless I do. We dance for about three songs before she finally says anything.
“So he still loves you.” She smiles at me.
“Alex, stop fucking around and tell me what to do.” My mood is getting worse by the minute.
“I am telling you what I see, Reagan. Since we have been dancing, he has not taken his eyes off you.”
She spins me around to see Killian standing beside Ryder, both drinking beers and watching us. My heart jumps again as I catch his eye and he gives me a small smile. I can see a blur of red satin bound up to him. Savannah.
Alex and I watch as she talks his ear off. Ryder scratches his eyebrow as he listens to whatever she is saying to Killian. His eyes meet Alex’s across the dance floor and he frowns. We watch Savannah drag Killian to dance. My blood boils, but I turn my back to them. I can’t look. I don’t want to. Who the fuck am I trying to fool? Of course, I want to look.
“Mind if I steal my girl?” Ryder asks. Shaking my head, I leave the floor to grab a drink. I can’t help watching Killian as he dances. He is smiling and moving gracefully. The song changes to a slow one. Savannah grabs his neck and wraps herself around him. I have never been the jealous type before, but seeing her touching him is sending me into a blind rage.
I let her have this one dance. As soon as the song ends, I walk over to them.
“Mind if I take my boyfriend back?” I smile sweetly at her even though I am seething. She laughs at me, shaking her head like I said something funny.
“We’re dancing, Casper. Go find a corner a haunt,” she replies, rolling her eyes at me. “You really shouldn’t make up stories that you’re dating guys that you’re not,” she says again.
Killian begins to step away from her and she tells him to ignore me—that I’m crazy since my parents took off and left me, saying they didn’t want me. Her words become hazy and my hands shake. All I want to do is punch her face.
“Come on, princess,” Killian whispers, taking me with him to a dark corner. His arms are around my waist as he holds me close to him. “Do you want to go?” he asks.
“No, I want to commit a felony,” I say through gritted teeth. Killian laughs, pulling me closer to him and kissing my head.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “Not only for the way I’m acting now, but also for earlier today.” Killian winks at me. Taking me by the hand, he leads me back to the dance floor.
“Let’s dance, princess.” And we do.
We dance together for the rest of the night, laughing and joking. Alex and Ryder join us, but when I dance with him, though, it’s like the rest of the room falls away, leaving only us. Killian and I hold onto each other. I can’t seem to drag my eyes from his. I can see all his love for me pouring into my very soul.
Leaning in, I press my lips to his, trying to guard my heart in the process.
“Oh, get a room!” Alex barks at us, breaking the spell. Killian laughs as we pull apart. The noise of the room returns, hurting my ears.
“Yeah, I think we will,” I announce, winking at Alex. We say our goodbyes and leave the party. Killian and I walk hand in hand through campus towards the parking lot. The stars shine in the night sky and the full moon hangs low.
“You know when I was growing up, my mom used to tell me this story about fairies,” I tell him.
“What kind of story?” Killian stops walking and we sit on one of the benches that line the path.
“It is actually kind of like the one you told me when we were camping, but a few details are different. Like when the fairy and his true mate meet, they don’t fall in love straight away. It takes time.”
“How long?” he whispers, staring at the moon.
“I don’t know, but my mom says their love is the strongest love that has ever been seen in all of the fairy kingdom—even stronger than that of the King and Queen. Does Avalon have a King and Queen?” I ask as I make out the face of the moon. Killian shifts on the bench beside me.
“No, it doesn’t.”
Sighing, I lean my head against his shoulder. “Yeah, I guess they are called fairy tales for a reason.” Killian squeezes me close to him, pressing his lips to my hair for a few minutes.
“You know, it is said that a fairy lives on the moon.”
“Yes, princess. She is the fairy goddess of the moon,” he whispers against my hair.
“Do you believe in such things?” I ask.
“Of course, I do. Have you seen the wings I am packing?” he says, making me smile.
“Yeah, I have, and they are beautiful, just like you.”
Killian bends to kiss my lips, then taking my hand, he pulls me up off the bench, resuming our walk back to the car. Once we arrive home, he tells me he needs to go back out for a few minutes. “Okay.”
He leans down to kiss me softly. “I’ll be back in a little bit, princess.”
Lying in bed, I stare at the moon again. Wishing I had answers, wishing I had even a clue about my parents—about Killian. I know I have feelings for him, but is this feeling love? I am so confused. Climbing out of bed, I take a seat in the chair by the window. Wrapping a blanket around myself, I wonder what Killian is doing. Did he go back to meet Savannah? As soon as that thought sneaks into my head, I panic. What if he doesn’t want to wait for me? What if I just pissed him off and sent him running for the nearest skank?
Shit! Lifting up the wooden box, I run my fingers over the intricate carvings and begin to recite the poem.
* * *
“You are the light that guides me
That shows me the way.
You are the love
That shines through my heart.
You are everything I need
To keep me safe,
You are my moon.
* * *
And you are my stars
I take your love.
To hold with my own,
To give me strength when I am alone.
You keep me safe,
In all that I do.
* * *
You are my moon,
And you are my stars.”
As soon as I finish saying the words, the box begins to shake in my hands. Jumping off the chair, I stare wide-eyed as a small shape forms on the top of the box, just below the script. It takes a minute for it to appear. My legs are like jelly as I walk to the bed. My eyes are disbelieving. Staring at it for a long time, I realize it’s a shape of a fairy—one that looks like my necklace Claudia gave to me. Scrambling, I unclasp it from my neck, and with shaking hands, I press it into the shape on the wood. It fits, but nothing happens.
Grabbing my phone, I call Killian only to hear his phone ring in the kitchen. I don’t know what to do. I have a way to open this box, but something is missing. Pacing the room, I clutch the box so tight I leave indents on my palms.
“Come on, Killian. Where are you?” My voice sounds so loud to my own ears in the empty apartment. Checking the time, I sigh. It’s past one am. Where the hell is that guy? Walking back to the bedroom, I look out of the window, deciding now is a good a time as any to test this mental bond thing.
“Can you hear me?” Biting my lip, I scan the street below but don’t see anyone or anything. The trees in the woods stand still, seeming as if they too are waiting for him. “Killian, can you hear me?” I ask again, pressing my fore
head against the window. Closing my eyes, I sigh, wondering where the hell he is. Maybe he did take off back to Savannah. I wouldn’t blame him. I can’t even admit how I feel.
“Princess.”
My eyes spring open and I let out a scream when I see his face on the other side of the glass. My hands shake as I open the window.
“Are you trying to kill me?” I shout at him, my heart beating in my chest like a wild animal.
“I’m sorry, princess,” he says, swooping down to the ground. I hear the front door open and wait for him to come up. When he does, he is back in his glamor.
“Hi,” he says from the doorway.
“Hi.” I smile at him, shaking my head. Laughter bubbles in my throat as my heart calms down. He walks toward me, kneeling down and taking my hands in his.
“You called, princess?”
Nodding my head, I lean over to him, planting my lips on his and showing him with my lips what my voice can’t. After a few minutes, he pulls back, frowning at me.
“Reagan,” he says, pulling his lips into a tight line. “I can feel your emotions, Reagan,” he says, reminding me about this bond thing we have, or are supposed to have. “I can feel how scared you are. That’s why I had to leave you alone for a while. I understand why you are scared, but I cannot change how I feel, princess. I love you.”
He lets my hands go as he stands, retreating to the bed to lie down. He covers his eyes with his arm, letting out a deep sigh. I want to scream at him how much I care for him, but he is right. I am scared—scared that I will give him my heart and he will run away with it, killing me in the process.
“Killian, I sort of opened the box.” His arm lifts a little and he looks over at me. Grabbing it off the floor, I join him on the bed. “Look,” I say, thrusting it toward him. Taking it, he runs his fingers over the silver fairy then looks up at me.
“Where did you get this?” he asks, tapping it.
“My best friend in high school gave to me. She told me never to take it off, ever.”
I smile, remembering her tinkling laugh. Killian rubs his face with his hands before standing and pacing the room. Turning, he runs his hands over his hair. I have never seen him look stressed before and I have to say, it’s unnerving.
“I remember you telling me that.”
Chapter 22
I watch him war with his emotions as he sits beside me then stands again. His pacing continues for about five more minutes. “Killian, stop pacing and sit down. I thought this was going to be a good thing. Maybe I can get answers now.”
“Yes,” he says, but still paces, his hand reaching for his neck over and over. He abruptly stops and stares at me.
“What was your friend’s name?” His hand goes to his throat again.
“Claudia. Why?” I watch his face pale as he slowly sits on the chair by the window. “Are you okay?” I ask, worrying now.
“Did she have hair like yours—very pale, almost white? And was she about this high?” He holds his hand to his chest, measuring height. “Did she have the sweetest laugh you have ever heard?” He chokes on the last bit. My eyes tear up because that’s her. That is Claudia, my best friend. I nod yes to answer his question. Hanging his head, he lets out a sigh.
“Claudia. I knew she was more than what she led me to believe,” he says, still looking at the floor. I don’t know where he is going with this, but it sounds like he knew her—and as more than friends.
“How can you know her? She left here before you arrived.” My mind is racing with a hundred possibilities.
“She is a fairy,” he says, finally looking up at me. My heart stops—stops dead in my chest as I process this.
“She can’t be … she is my age,” I protest, not wanting to believe that Claudia of all people would keep something like that from me. Killian comes over to hold me as tears spill down my face.
“How? It’s not possible,” I mumble. Killian tightens his arms around me.
“I don’t know, princess. Something is not adding up here.”
No shit, Sherlock. Why would she lie? What if she has something to do with my parents going missing? Everything I thought I knew for the past two years has gone up in flames. Killian kisses my head as he rocks us back and forth. Pulling myself together, I wipe my eyes with the hem of my t-shirt and grab the box.
“I want answers, and this is going to give them to me—even if I have to take a blow torch to it,” I say, my anger now taking over. Killian smiles at me then retrieves something from the drawer beside his bed.
“I was told by a very short, very pretty fairy never to take this off, and that I would know what to do with it when the time was right,” he says. Walking back over to me, he holds out a leather strip with a small bluish-white pearl attached to it. He places it into my hand and kisses my fingers. “I think now is that time.”
“You think Claudia is pretty?” I ask, feeling a little dejected. I mean, come on. I am a plain, boring human, and she is a beautiful fairy. If it’s the same Claudia and she was using a glamor, then God only knows how amazingly beautiful she really is. Killian grips my waist and pulls me up into his arms.
“You are the only woman who I think is pretty. No one in this realm or the next has a beauty compared to yours.” His lips brush mine. “Now let us open this damn box before we both go insane.”
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kiss him back hard. “Thank you,” I whisper after we part. Killian lowers me to the floor, and we get to work. He opens the knot in the leather, allowing the pearl to slide down into my hand. It feels cold and smooth. I place it in the hands of the fairy on my necklace and wait. Killian rests his hand on my shoulder, and we both glance at each other.
“How did you get it to work before?”
“I said the poem,” I reply, immediately reciting the poem again. Nothing happens.
“Okay, we have to do exactly what you did before,” he says again.
“I’m trying; trust me.” My tone is sarcastic. “Sorry.” I sigh.
“I know. Now where were you standing; what were you doing?” He moves back from me. I walk towards the window and sit down.
“I was sitting here, watching the moon and wondering where you were. I said the poem.” His eyes soften as he looks at me. I recite the poem again, and the box starts to shake again. I watch as the fairy on the box turns in a full circle. I am in shock. The box clicks as she rests in the same place slowly. I lift the lid and almost cry when it opens.
“Oh, wow, Killian,” I whisper. We both look inside when I lift the lid all the way off. There is a letter and a photograph and something that stuns the life out of me—a large wad of cash. I hand it to Killian as I pull out the letter and picture. As soon as I turn the picture, we both gasp. Me, because there, smiling back at me, are my parents and I standing with a big ass castle behind us. I don’t remember going to a castle when I was younger, but clearly I did.
“Reagan.” Killian grabs the picture from my hands as he crashes to the floor in shock. Tears fall from his eyes.
“What, Killian? What is it?” Does he know my parents? Does he remember something?
“When was this taken?” he whispers.
“I don’t know. I don’t remember it, but I look about four or five,” I answer, my concern growing as pain fills his face. “You’re scaring me,” I say, taking his hand in mine. He looks up at me, smiling through his tears and shaking his head.
“This—” He points to the picture. “This is Avalon.” We both stare at each other then back at the photograph.
“It can’t be. I have never been there. I don’t remember this castle or even going on any type of vacation.” Killian grips my shoulders as he rises to his knees.
“I swear to you, Reagan, this is Avalon.” Fresh tears fill his eyes, and I can feel his pain; it washes over me like a tidal wave, knocking me back with such force. Killian takes a deep breath, closing his eyes. The anguish and pain leave me. I never knew he was holding his emotions from me. The amount
of heartache inside him floors me.
“Killian, what was that? Do you want to go home that badly?” I ask, but I already know the answer.
“Yes, princess, I do I want to return to where I belong. I miss my home so very much.” Dread pools in my stomach. I know I am going to lose him, and it kills me. But I am determined for him not to feel this way anymore. Making up my mind, I take the picture from his hand.
“I’ll find a way to get you back. I promise.” As the words leave my mouth, my heart shatters in my chest.
Exhausted, we both crash onto the bed. Sleep doesn’t find either of us, but we remain silent all night, both lost in our own thoughts.
The sun creeps over the horizon. My eyes are heavy from the little bits of sleep I got. Killian is watching me, lying on his side with his head resting on his hand.
“Morning, princess.”
“Hi.” Turning, I roll closer to him, needing to feel as much of him before I rip my own heart out. His hand travels from my thigh to my waist, his thumb rubbing circles just above my hipbone.
“How are you feeling?” he asks, his eyes deep and dark.
“I don’t know. Angry … sad.”
He looks at me, puzzled. “Why angry and sad, princess? I thought you would be happy.”
I do my best to keep my emotions behind the walls surrounding my heart. I don’t want him feeling my heartache on top of his own.
“I think we need to find a way for you to go home,” I tell him, shifting away from his eyes. Climbing out of bed, I grab my jeans and boots. “I’m going for a coffee run. Would you like something?” I ask, keeping my back to him.
I feel the bed shake as he moves closer to me. His lips trace a line from my ear to my collarbone. “Surprise me, princess.”
“Okay,” I answer. Only the surprise will be more than he could imagine. Turning, I kiss him quickly before getting ready. After brushing my teeth and quickly running a brush through my hair, I grab the letter from the box, shoving it into my purse. I drive Killian’s car to Starbucks, hoping Alex is working so I can just have a minute of normal.
