Chapter 5
five
CLEMENTINE
When I emerged from the bathroom, Kai mumbled for me not to leave the room before he fell back asleep. Since he needed to rest, I padded back to the tub and started the water again, biting my lip as I tried not to let myself hum.
He hadn’t mentioned having a pool, so that was probably a no-go, but I could soak in his gorgeous tub for at least half a day.
After I filled it with water and bubbles, I did exactly that.
He was still sleeping when I got out, so I snooped around his room. There was a bookshelf with a ton of old journals on it, but when I flipped through, I was pretty sure they weren’t Kai’s.
I was hoping to find something that would give me a peek into the king’s mind, but I didn’t find anything.
My stomach growled, so after one last peek at the sleeping giant, I slipped out of the room.
Orvin was sprawled over a chair beside the door, apparently keeping guard. There was a bottle of what looked like some kind of wine in his hand, which didn’t suggest he was the best of guards. But he was still better than nothing, I guess.
He glanced at the door behind me, as if waiting for Kai to follow me out.
“He’s still asleep,” I said, dragging my hand through the top of my damp hair. If I didn’t mess up the top while it dried, it would look flat and unappealing, and being appealing was my best chance of survival.
“You probably shouldn’t be out without him,” Orvin said.
“He needs to rest, and you’re not going to let anyone hurt me. Right?” I headed down the hallway in the direction the staff had come from with food.
“I guess.”
“That makes me feel safe,” I said cheerfully, though it was obviously a lie.
“It really shouldn’t.”
“Kai trusts you. That means you don’t want war. Letting someone force me to mate with them would lead to war. So, you’ll protect me. Even if you don’t want to.”
I opened doors as I passed them, trying to find food.
“What are you looking for?” He sounded a little curious.
“The kitchen.”
“Oh. Here.” He gestured for me to follow him. “Paul is actually in the kitchen right now. He’s been waiting for you to wake up.”
“One of the new suitors?” I checked.
“Yeah.”
“Is he less or more excited than Austin?” I checked.
“Less in some ways. More in others. He was surprisingly unopposed to the idea of mating with you to keep the peace, so give him a chance.”
“He just wants my magic, doesn’t he?”
“No. He doesn’t want your magic. I believe his exact words were, ‘I’m going to be fucking screwed when the next eclipse hits’.”
My face warmed. “Asshole.”
“Hey, I’d happily take a hit of your magic.” Orvin flashed me a grin. “It’s only the self-controlled bastards who are going to protest it.”
“Which would be…”
“King Kai and his buddies who help run the Fae Manor. We’re looser, here in the realm. Freer.”
“I remember how free you are. Can still hear your lover moaning your name,” I said with a feigned shiver.
“Mock me all you want. That woman was fucking full of my release.”
He led me into the kitchen, and my gaze immediately caught on a muscular fae man standing in front of a stove.
Fitted athletic clothes. Dark skin. Artfully-cut black hair.
Swoon.
If Kai was going to pair me up with men who looked like that, maybe I liked him after all.
“How adorable,” I tossed back, refocusing on my conversation with Orvin.
I’d seen hot guys before. I could handle hot guys.
But I usually had my sexy clothes to help with it. I’d just have to hope Kai’s button-down and boxer-briefs would do the trick.
“Most fae aren’t looking for adorable, which is why you’re struggling here,” Orvin put in.
I scowled at him, but the man in front of the stove turned and gave me a small smile, distracting me from the jerk beside me.
“Clementine?” he asked.
“Yes. Paul?” I smiled, stepping toward him and offering a hand.
He accepted it, squeezing my hand lightly as we shook. His fingers didn’t feel quite right in mine. Not warm enough. Maybe a little too… soft?
I was sure I could get used to that, though.
“Nice to meet you,” I said.
Orvin leaned past Paul and plucked a chunk of what looked like broccoli out of his pan.
Paul elbowed him, shooting me an exasperated look. “The realmside fae are assholes.”
“I noticed.”
“I’ll tell Kai you both said that,” Orvin said, popping the broccoli in his mouth. “Also, he’s still sleeping. He’ll probably come charging out when he wakes up and realizes she’s gone.”
“You were in his room?” Paul asked me, glancing my way.
I tried not to blush as the memories of his erection between my ass cheeks floated back to the surface. “The other rooms were contaminated.”
“Fucking eclipses,” Paul said, looking back at his pan.
“Eclipse fucking is the best kind,” Orvin agreed, reaching for more broccoli. Paul’s elbow collided with his side hard enough to make him back up, wincing and rubbing at it. “I don’t know why you all insist on holding back.”
“Some of us care more about keeping our people alive than having sex,” Paul said.
“Apparently.” Orvin walked around the massive kitchen and sat down at a small table off to the side. “Where’s the staff?”
“Sleeping, I’d guess.” Paul looked sideways at me again. “I hear you have questions for me.”
Shit, were we really doing this?
He seemed like he thought we were doing it.
My face warmed further. “You talked to Austin? He doesn’t like me.”
“He thinks you’re fine, but that we need to get you out of the fae realm before something or someone eats you.”
Kai had said almost the exact same thing.
It didn’t make me feel great, but I guess their concern was better than them just letting me get eaten.
“I’m stronger than I look,” I said anyway.
“He said that too. There was something about you almost getting yourself killed by sitting in the king’s throne after you forced him to kneel.”
Orvin choked. “What?”
“He deserved it,” I said, blushing harder.
“I can imagine. But you’re lucky you have powerful family.”
“Sometimes, it pays off,” I agreed, though I hadn’t noticed any violence toward me from Kai. “Has Hale threatened to kill anyone yet? He acts like a protective older brother these days.”
“Nah, you’ve only been gone about four hours Earthside. Rocky’s expecting to hear from both the wolves and vampires in another few hours, though.”
“Wow, that’s weird.”
“Yeah, it takes a while to wrap your head around the time difference.”
I nodded. “Makes sense.”
“So, how many questions are there?”
“A lot. I left the sheet back in my—er—Kai’s room, though.”
“We can just talk, then, if that works for you?”
I nodded, watching him mix something that looked like stir fry. The sauce was a weird shade, and the dish was mainly vegetables. Maybe he was vegetarian. A real vegetarian, unlike Kai. “How do you feel about spending most of your time on Earth?”
“I prefer it. The fae realm is beautiful, but all of my family stays Earthside as much as possible.”
“Do you have a lot of family?”
“I do. Two brothers and a sister. Both of my brothers have partners and kids. My parents are still kicking, too. They run Fae Manor’s humanitarian team. My sister is twelve, so she’s at that weird stage between kid and teenager.”
“That’s sweet.”
Aww.
Maybe I’d found Mr. Perfect after all. His parents were humanitarians . It didn’t get nicer than that.
Sure, his hand hadn’t felt great in mine, but I could get past that.
And he had a family.
I would love to join another family. It would be hard not to spend every holiday with my sisters, but I would survive. Probably.
Maybe.
Possibly.
“What about you?” His gaze was curious.
I wasn’t supposed to admit that I had any sisters other than Blair and Izzy, because they were mated and therefore safe.
I’d play along, until I actually decided to mate with someone.
“It’s just me, Blair, and Izzy,” I said with a small smile. “We lost our mothers about a decade ago, and most of our fathers were assholes. Being a siren doesn’t usually come with a lot of love, safety, or security. It’s been nice to live in Vamp Manor, though. I’ve had a lot of fun.”
“Not enough, considering the way you joined us at the lake.”
I shrugged. “I’ve wanted a mate for a long time. It was easier to ignore the desire before I saw my sisters with their kings. But the way they are with Hale and Porter… I want that.”
“So you’re looking for a love match?”
“Or something that can become one,” I agreed. “Neither of them were in love with their mates when they seal the bond, but love can grow.”
“Hmm.” Paul nodded slowly. “I?—”
The kitchen door slammed open, and a wild-haired Kai stormed in, his face creased with marks from his pillow. “What the fuck are you doing, Five?”
“Talking.” I folded my arms. “Is that okay with you, Seven?”
“Five and Seven?” Paul whispered.
“Long story,” I murmured back.
“Don’t fucking leave while I’m sleeping,” he growled, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he looked between me, Paul, and Orvin.
“Orvin said he’d protect me,” I offered.
“Don’t bring me into this,” he complained. “I told her to go back to your bed.”
“We weren’t sleeping together like that ,” I protested, though I couldn’t help but remember his cock getting friendly with my ass.
“I have to keep you alive to prevent a war. Don’t leave again,” he warned, stalking across the room and dropping into a chair beside Orvin’s. When he slumped over the table, clearly still tired, I felt a little bad.
“It’s fine,” I said, looking back at Paul.
There was something in his eyes, though.
Something curious.
His gaze flicked between me and Kai before refocusing on the food. “What’s the story?”
“What story?”
“Five and Seven.”
“Oh. That.” I looked down at the ends of my hair, fiddling with them a little. “I sort of fell out of a tree. Kai told me I was only four feet tall and was going to get myself killed. I told him I was five feet, and he started calling me that. I called him Seven in revenge, because of his height.”
“And he hasn’t killed you.”
It wasn’t a question. I was clearly alive.
“He can’t, remember? Powerful sisters and all.” I managed a smile.
“Right.” Paul didn’t look convinced.
He did still look curious.
When I glanced over at Kai, I found him watching us with narrowed eyes, and quickly looked back at Paul. “Does he usually kill people who annoy him?” I asked.
“Annoy? No. Challenge? Yes.”
“I haven’t challenged him.”
“Talking back to a king is challenging him, Clementine.”
“Most people call me Clem. And I don’t really talk back to him.”
He lifted an eyebrow at me.
That was a lie.
I talked back to Kai all the time.
And Paul already knew that I’d used my magic to make Kai kneel. And sat in his throne.
“Well, it’s a good thing my sisters are queens,” I finally said.
He chuckled.
Lowering my voice, I asked softly, “Have you and Kai been friends for a long time?”
“He doesn’t have friends. I’ve known him since we were kids, though.”
“Was he always this intense?”
“Yes. His father was the last king, and he wasn’t a kind man. Kai was always angry, and often bruised. He was fifteen when he emerged from the castle after a particularly long eclipse with a few broken bones and a crown on his head.”
My eyes widened. “Holy shit.”
He’d been abused as a kid?
Maybe that shouldn’t have changed how I saw the man, but it did.
“Yeah. No one fucks with him.” Paul looked sideways at me again. “Until now.”
“I’d better find a mate and get out of here quick, then,” I said with a nervous smile.
Paul looked back at the food without responding.
Something about his reaction made me think he wasn’t feeling a mate bond between us as much as he had been before Kai came barging in. Which didn’t bode well for me. I actually kind of liked Paul, so that was a bummer.
Paul turned off the stove, and slid the pan off the burner. I opened a few cupboards, looking for dishes, but he pulled them out before I found them.
After he dished up four massive bowls of the saucy vegetables and scooped some oversized rice on top, I took two of them and headed to the table. He clearly intended to eat with Kai and Orvin. There was still food left, so I figured whoever came down next would have something to eat.
I set the bowls down and slid them over to the seated men. Paul took the chair across from Orvin before I could, which gave me no choice but to sit across from Kai.
We all dug into our food, and I couldn’t help but notice Kai still watching Paul closely, with narrowed eyes.
“Stop glaring at him. He hasn’t done anything wrong,” I said, flashing Kai a warning look. Weaving my power into my words was natural, and automatic. It kept me safe.
It wasn’t until after I’d already spoken that I realized talking to the fae king like that was probably a bad call.
Kai scowled at me. “Do you always insert your magic into everything you say, or is that supposed to help you win a mate?”
I stiffened.
No one but my sisters had ever realized I was doing that. And I never did it with them—just with everyone else I met.
“As you so kindly pointed out, I’m out of my element here. It’s a matter of safety,” I said.
“That wasn’t an answer, Five.”
“It’s all you’re going to get.” I took another, angrier bite of my food.
Orvin cleared his throat. “I’d just like to offer my mating services once again. As you know, I’m very good at pleasuring women. I?—”
“How many times do I have to tell you no?” I asked sharply.
He lifted his hands. “Just thought I’d offer.”
The air in the kitchen shifted, and I looked over as another man appeared over by the food.
Austin.
He grabbed a bowl and dished up some more of the fae stir fry. When he walked over, he took the chair between Paul and Orvin.
“Seems awkward in here,” he said, focused on his food.
“It is,” Orvin said.
“Great.” Austin took a massive bite.
I took one of my own. A smaller one.
“So, what do you like to do for fun?” Orvin asked. It took a minute, but I realized he was talking to me.
After chewing and swallowing, I cleared my throat. “There are a lot of activities in Vamp Manor. Swimming. Movie nights. Games. Mini golf. I try to go pretty often, to meet people.”
“Why do you want to meet people?” Orvin asked bluntly.
My face warmed again. “I’ve been looking for a mate. Going on dates. It’s rough out there, as a siren, but I guess I won’t have to do that anymore after all of this is over.”
“Do you know anything about mating with a fae?” Austin asked.
“No. I assume it’s like mating with a vampire or a wolf. The vamps do the blood drinking, which is fun. And I know the wolves have knotting, which is… different.”
Austin, Paul, and Orvin exchanged looks that told me it was not like mating with a vampire or a wolf.
“How different can it be?” I asked, looking between them.
Paul rubbed the back of his neck with the hand that wasn’t holding his fork. “Most fae don’t even form mate bonds when they choose a partner to spend their life with. It’s… complicated.”
“I’m a siren, guys. I’m sure I can handle it.”
“Your mate will explain it to you when you get to that,” Orvin finally said.
Lovely.
That made me feel fabulous .
I looked at Paul and Austin, but they were both focused on their food.
When I looked at Kai, he was staring at me.
Great.
We all finished eating, and I cleared my throat. “I’m going to get my question sheet. We can talk again afterward, if you’re okay with it, Paul?”
He nodded, though he was still focused on his food.
“Perfect. I’ll be back in a minute.”
I expected Orvin or Austin to follow me when I stood up from the table, but it was Kai who caught up to me when I reached the door. He held it open for me, and I murmured a thanks as I slipped through.
“What are they talking about?” I asked him, fairly confident he wouldn’t hide shit from me the way they were.
“You felt my vines when you woke up.”
“Yeah.”
“They’re a permanent fixture among mated pairs. Male fae grow vines randomly. The more power you have, the worse it is. The mate bond makes them more uncontrollable. There’s always at least one vine connecting a mated pair, until one of them dies. It forces closeness.”
Wow.
So I’d never get away from my mate after we were bonded.
That was… different.
“Anything else?”
“The vines respond to intense feelings and emotions. When you’re horny, they meet your needs and take care of them even if your mate is already handling it.”
My eyes widened. “Like…”
“Unless you mate with someone very weak, you will be fucked by vines. Frequently. In every place you possibly can. Including in your bed, while you’re sleeping, and in other inopportune places. As you’ve undoubtedly realized, we’re not known for our lack of physical desire. Fae typically avoid taking mates for that reason alone.”
My eyes widened further. “Oh.”
“I don’t think your magic will make that any easier to deal with, either.”
“So all of the men who came here, offering to mate with me…”
“Realized that mating with you would mean a lifetime of very intense, frequent, incredible sex.”
“Oh.”
“You already said that.”
I ran a hand through the top of my hair, messing up the waves. But I didn’t give a shit about my hair. “Wow. So I really will be poison to whoever I mate with.”
“Particularly during an eclipse. I don’t think anyone has that much self-control.”
“Including you?”
“That’s debatable.”
I let out a shaky breath. “No wonder none of your friends want to mate with me.”
“I don’t have friends.”
Paul had said the same thing.
“The guys you trust, then. Paul, Austin, and Rocky.”
“Paul and Austin already told me they would take one for the team by mating with you.”
My throat swelled. “Right. That’s what I want. Someone to take one for the team when they agree to be my mate. Spending my whole life screwing someone who doesn’t care about me will be… perfect.”
We reached the bedroom, and he opened the door to let me in.
I found my question sheet on the desk, and dashed away a few escaped tears with the back of my hand.
“The bond will make them want you,” Kai said, and I could feel him watching me closely. There was something in his voice that almost sounded like hesitance.
“I should never have snuck out of Vamp Manor.”
“No. Sneaking away from the people protecting you isn’t ever a wise decision.”
“Fuck you, okay? Have you ever had to hide because of who you are?” I turned around to face him.
His expression grew a little grim. “No.”
“Did your mother tell you over and over again that you would have a chance to choose a mate who would love you the way the stars love the sky? Did you watch her sacrifice herself so you wouldn’t have to marry someone you didn’t like for your own protection as a teenager? Did she tell you with her last words that you would never have to suffer at your mate’s hands the way she did?”
“No.”
“Then fuck you, okay?”
“Alright.” He sat down on the edge of the bed, and I turned away from him again, focusing on my paper.
At least I could ask them questions. They didn’t really want me—and maybe they never really would. But I could figure out if our lives would be compatible. If arranged marriage was my only choice, I’d arrange myself the best possible outcome I could.
My mother had died so I could choose my own mate, after all.