by Ines Johnson
Cardi felt the weight of the coin in her pocket. It was her independence. She needed this job to prove that. She could stand on her own. And so she, Cardinal Ponzi, did the unthinkable. She did what was asked of her without protest.
"I'll be right back with the correct order." Cardi turned on her heel.
"Here's a tip." He slapped her ass.
She didn't think. She only reacted. She let go of the coin and cocked her fist.
No money was worth that humiliation. She swung around to launch her attack. But the troll was gone.
She looked over to see his body flat against the opposite wall. His bumpy nosed buddy looked on in horror. Not at the flattened troll. He looked over Cardi's shoulder and began whimpering.
Without turning she knew what she would find. Great, Kimber didn't think she could handle herself. But also great; Kimber had finally come to his senses and come to collect her. Now everyone would see that he did care about her.
"Grab your buddy. Leave. And don't forget a generous tip to your waitress for putting up with you."
That growl was not Kimber's. Cardi turned to find Izem standing over the other troll. His muscles bulging. His face turned into one of menace.
The troll dropped a generous amount of coins onto the table. Then he scurried out of the bar. Without his friend.
Chapter Ten
Kimber slunk back into the shadows outside the bar. He wiped the sweat off his brow from the exertion to keep put and not charge in there. Amidst the salty sweat of his efforts, he tasted the metallic note of iron. He hadn't got all of the blood off his hands.
Most fae were sap inside. But these two trolls were flesh and blood.
It had taken everything in him to not blast through the bar doors when they were simply annoying Cardi with their talk. But the moment one of them touched her, his gaze had iced over and gone diamond hard.
He'd been close to the threshold when that little cub had intervened. Kimber didn't know why he'd stopped his advance. Both man and beast had backpedaled, as though needing to see how the scene would play out.
He'd been so certain that this sudden interest between Cardi and Izem had been a farce to get under his skin. Standing in the light of the moon, with blood on his hands after tearing into the running trolls, he wasn't so sure anymore.
The lion grinned at Cardi. After a while, Kimber saw the tension release from her shoulders. She offered him a smile, a genuine one. Kimber knew the difference. It was all in the eyes.
Her eyes would crinkle as her brain calculated how to get what she wanted. Her lips would curl into a wide grin as she determined how much she could take. But her gaze softened in gratitude as she looked up at the lion. Her hands hung open at her sides.
Kimber took another step back. This wasn't a Cardi he was used to seeing. He didn’t know this girl. Hell, she looked like a different woman.
She motioned for the cub to take a seat. He did. And they talked another moment with Cardi scratching something down on a pad in her hand. Maybe she was taking his order. She was being nice to him as part of her job. That had to be it.
But there was another one of those grateful smiles. When she stood and turned away from him, Izem stared blatantly at her ass. So did most of the males assembled.
Her tight skirt left little to the imagination. Kimber wanted to storm in and cover her up. His dragon demanded they throw her over his back and fly her back home.
But that wasn't what she wanted. It’s clearly not what she needed.
He'd seen her before the excitement as she served her customers. She was good at this. Who would’ve thought Cardinal could be good at serving the needs of others. She looked proud. She clearly loved the job. He'd seen her fondle the first coin she'd earned. He'd given her a fortune in diamonds and she'd never once looked at one like that.
Because she'd earned these coins on her own. She was doing this all on her own. Without him.
"Looks like your sacrifice is now fair game."
Kimber turned at the sound of the wolf's low growl. Konan stood with his legs planted firm, the half-moon shone at his back. His eyes glowed silver and his incisors glistened. Like Kimber, the wolf was the eldest of his pack. The day the Valkyrie closed the Veil was the same night he would’ve gone to claim his fated mate on the other side. But a dragon had cockblocked him. Draco had cockblocked them all.
Except Kimber had lucked out with Cardi
"She's still under my protection,” said Kimber. “Say or do something she doesn't like and you will have me to deal with."
“So you two are having an open relationship? How twenty-first century. But you know I don’t share my food, much less my bed partners.”
Because human mates were beyond their reach, most shifters dallied with fairies. The willowy females and the red-blooded males weren’t compatible to produce any offspring. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t have fun trying.
“I hear you have a plan to reopen the border?”
Kimber nodded.
“My brothers are growing sick of having to nurse a sweet tooth. We need flesh and blood women.”
“If we work together, come to an accord, I do believe my plan will work.”
Konan rubbed at his chin as he stared at Kimber. “I’m listening.”
Kimber joined Konan and walked into the shadows of the night. But his mind was still thinking about Cardi. If she wanted her independence he'd give it to her. But only on his terms.
Chapter Eleven
Cardi slipped off her heels. She'd worn cute booty socks with the heels thinking they'd cushion her insteps. The frilly socks matched her waitress outfit. She’d gone for a 1960’s mini skirt and a 1980’s crop top.
But her belly was cold. Her legs had red stains from spilled condiments. Her feet ached at the end of her shift. Even her ears, which held a string of diamonds Kimber’s dragon had given her a few months ago, weighed her down.
Four whole hours.
"You did good today, kid."
Cardi preened at he compliment but winced at the endearment. So many of the beings in the Veil still saw her as a child here. But it was better than being seen as available. What had that trolls called her?
Shifter bait.
What did he mean by that? She wasn’t some kind of lure or trap for other shifters. Just one. And he continually avoided her snare.
She was sure Kimber knew where she was by now and what she was up to. But he hadn't stepped foot inside God’s Teet at all during her shift. None of the dragons had.
Wow, she was truly on her own.
"Done for the night?"
Cardi looked up to see Izem. He had come to her rescue, like something out of a John Hughes movie. He’d defended her with his massive paws instead of a boom box. Still, it was nice that someone was looking out for her and she wasn't totally on her own.
"Yeah, all done." She looked around the bar. It was empty. Just a few fae straggling out the door. No dragons or stern faces in sight.
"I really admire what you're doing,” said Izem as he leaned against one of the bar stools. “Striking out on your own, earning your own way."
"Thank you."
"Can I walk you home?"
"Home?"
"Back to the castle. Unless Kimber will have a problem with that.”
"Oh, I don't live in the castle anymore." And Kimber didn't even care enough to come check on her.
Izem's brows rose. "You moved out?"
"I did." No way was she going back to her old room. “Grimmald rented me the room over the bar."
"Is that safe?"
She humphed. "No one's going to bother me. I'm..."
But the words that she was Kimber’s died on her lips. She wasn’t anyone's anything anymore. That had been proven earlier when those two trolls had tried her.
"How about I walk you up?" said Izem, pushing off the bar stool.
Cardi turned to Izem. She warred with being strong and independent and a bit scared of her own shadow. "Okay, but jus
t to the door. It's late and I've had a long day and-"
"Cardi, it's me. I'm not one of those trolls. I wouldn't do anything against your will. You'd probably scratch my eyes out. I've seen your claws."
Cardi grinned, letting her guard down. She did like Izem. He gave her space when she needed independence. All while he moved in to show his interest in her.
"Thanks, Izem. I really appreciate your friendship."
"Ouch,” he grimaced, dropping the arm he’d been about to wrap around her shoulder. “Did you just put me in the friend zone?"
"No. I don't think so. I mean..."
Had she? This was the first time the zone had opened up around her. She could have guy friends. She could also have boyfriends.
"How about this,” said Izem. “We make time in our schedules for that date. After you have a fabulous time and are wowed by me, I can decide... if I want a second date with you."
Wait? What? That wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Then she looked over to see Izem’s wide-toothed grin.
Cardi punched him in the shoulder. He caught her fist. He held it gently, gazing down at her.
Was he going to kiss her? Did she want him to? And then he did.
He pressed a kiss to her knuckles. But for someone who had never been kissed, it felt amazing. That’s when she decided that she did want more.
"I'm available tomorrow after work for my trial date."
Izem grinned. "I have a feeling we’re going to do extremely well on the trial."
They’d reached the door to the upstairs lodging. With a wave, Cardi shut the door behind Izem feeling excited. She palmed the coins in her pocket. They'd gotten company since the start of her shift. This was a good decision after all.
She turned on the light and gasped as a figure moved into view.
Chapter Twelve
Kimber covered Cardi's mouth before her gasp could turn into a scream. Her deep inhale caused her back to arch. She pushed her ass into his groin. His cock sat bolt straight up. His member had been in a long, self-imposed slumber for years. Since she arrived and he'd taken responsibility for her. His cock was a bit wobbly as it was its first time standing in so long. It pulsed a few times before it remembered the drill quickly enough.
Then Kimber remembered who his dick was standing up for. But for the life of him, he couldn't make himself stand down.
Nothing was working. Not thinking of Cardi as a child, because honestly, she had been this round when she'd arrived.
His dragon put its nose in her hair and inhaled. His hands rubbed at the soft flesh between her shoulder and collar bone, right where his bite mark was.
Mine.
Cardi squealed. Fear acrid in her scent. That cooled his ardor. Kimber let her go immediately.
She swung around, throwing out her fists and feet. A red tornado intent on his destruction. Otherwise known as his everyday existence with her.
"Cardi, it's me."
She blinked a couple of times. Instead of relief, her features contorted into more anger. The red in her cheeks faded to pink. But the scowl remained.
"What the hell are you doing, you asshole."
"Language,” he tsked.
"Language? Oh, I'll give you some language. You scared the shit out of me."
"Watch your tongue, Cardinal."
"You're not the boss of me anymore, Kimber. And I like cursing. Fuck. Shit. Cocktease."
"What?"
"You heard me."
Kimber tilted his head and regarded her. She blew a strand of hair from her face. It landed back against her forehead. Kimber reached out his hand to swipe it away, but she ducked his touch. That made his dragon growl.
He lifted his fingers again. This time Cardi didn't budge. She held still but didn't take her eyes off him.
Kimber slipped the piece of hair away from her forehead and brought it to rest behind her ear. His fingers lingered at the cone of her ear.
“What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Checking on you."
"I'm not your responsibility anymore."
"You will always be my responsibility." You will always be mine.
"As you see, I can take care of myself." Cardi pulled coins from her pocket and held them out for Kimber to see. The diamonds hanging from her ears were worth ten times what she'd earned.
"Well done, you."
Cardi frowned. Closing the money in her hands. And then pulling her hand away from him.
Had he never complimented her before? He expected more of an argument, more defiance. But she only stared at him.
"Thank you," she said. There was tiredness in her tone, in her eyes. She moved slower, with less energy than she did just a few days ago when she moved around the castle with an anxious leisureliness.
Kimber reached for her again. She didn't flinch this time. Good, his dragon liked that. He put his hands on either side of her head and massaged her temples.
"What are you doing?" she said.
"The dragon's not used to being away from you for so long. He needs to make sure you're okay."
Cardi eyed Kimber suspiciously, but when he started massaging she closed her eyes and gave herself over to him.
Kimber cradled her to his chest as he massaged. He worked out the kinks and she sighed into him. He couldn't remember a time when she was this docile. Well, not while he was in male form.
Cardi and his dragon had always gotten along. He'd always felt left out of their little twosome. Was this the first time he’d handled her without a fight?
"You're not going to make me try to come home?" she asked.
Was that a note of disappointment in her voice?
"No,” he said. “But I do have rules."
"You can't give me rules. I'm an independent woman."
"Rule number one, you wear my diamonds at all times.”
"Why?"
"So others will think twice about touching you."
“Oh. You heard about those trolls?”
Kimber didn't answer.
"Well, Izem took care of them for me. I don't need something else to mark me as yours when I'm a single woman."
"It's not negotiable, Cardinal."
Kimber pulled the diamond necklace from his pocket. He slipped the gems around her throat, feeling instantly better after clasping her into the jewelry. His hands went back to her shoulders. They were tense. He began to knead them.
Cardi made a needy sound at the back of her throat. Kimber’s cock was still hard from the accidental brush of her ass. It was harder than a diamond after that sound. He inhaled the sweetness of her sweat. The salty sweetness of her hard work turned him on.
"Whether you hate me or not, your safety means everything to me."
"I don't hate you."
Kimber brushed at the puffiness under her eyes. Though he liked the sweat on her, he didn't like the exhaustion. Not when it came from serving others. She should only be serving him. On her knees. On her back.
He was millimeters from her lips. How had he gotten so close? How had he stayed so far for so long?
"I have a date with Izem,” she said.
He watched Cardi’s lips. The words she said made no sense. He brushed his thumb over her mouth. Her lips were softer than he expected.
"Do you want Izem to claim you?"
"I... I don't know. But I do want to be claimed. Someday. Soon."
He inhaled. There was a note of desire in the air. He wanted to stick his tongue out and swallow it down.
"That's not something you're interested in though,” she said. “Is it?"
Did he want her to date? No, but he'd allow it this once. She was his. She needed to know that. So why was she pulling away from him?
"I think you should go,” Cardi said.
She was standing with her lips pouting and her arms crossed over her chest. There was the Cardi he knew. So why did he still want her back in his arms?
She opened the door. "If it's okay with you that I date others then you truly don't wan
t me."
"Cardi, wait.”
She pointed out the door and stomped her foot. "Go."
"You misunderstood me."
"No. I heard you perfectly fine." She shoved him out the door. It was ineffectual. The only reason he even budged was because he saw that she was truly upset.
"And don't show up and let yourself in again,” she said. “This is my place, so it's my rules. Got it?"
He smiled at the fire in her. "I got it."
"Good." She slammed the door in his face.
Chapter Thirteen
Cardi pressed her fingers to her mouth. Kimber had almost kissed her. His lips had been within a breath of hers. She could feel the soft impression though they hadn't touched her lips. She'd tasted his breath and it was better than any sweet flower she'd ever had. Heck, it was even better than Ben and Jerry's ice cream and Dominos pizza all rolled into one.
How could she crave something that was out of her reach? The want of him was a physical ache. It had always been.
She had sworn she'd given up being sick when she came to this world. Yet every time Kimber turned away from her she felt a chill run through her body. Every time he raised his voice at her, she got a feverish ache between her thighs. Every time he denied her, she just wanted to pounce on him until he gave her her way.
She'd lost the illness that had confined her when she came here. She'd gained her health and was able to run, and breathe, and even fly. But every night she still went to bed sick that Kimber didn't want her.
No more. Tonight, that almost kiss was the final straw.
He could've had her right there. But once again he'd walked away. That was the last time. The for real last time. She was done with him.
"Hey."
She'd slammed the plate down to hard and some of the stew spilled on the burly fae seated in her section the next morning.
"Sorry," Cardi said using part of the linen table cloth to wipe up the spill.
"It's all right," said the male fairy. "It was my fault. I should've taken the bowl from you when I saw you coming."
