Chapter Four
Dashiel
This has been a mistake. The thought settled coldly through me as I stood in the shadows near the back of the bar, my gaze fixed entirely on Landon.
On my beloved.
Music drifted through the crowded room while laughter and conversation tangled together too. The scent of alcohol, sweat, perfume, and smoke hung thick in the air, clinging to every surface and human packed inside.
Ordinarily, I would have avoided a place like this.
Not because it offended me, but simply because I had no need for it.
A lot of the humans gathered in establishments such as these went there to forget. To distract themselves from loneliness, exhaustion, heartbreak, or to give in to their desires.
Had Landon come here to execute the last?
My stomach churned, and my chest burned.
He sat alone at the counter with a half-empty drink in front of him and confusion written plainly across his face.
I had followed him here after listening to his half-mutterings on the walk from work to home.
I had wanted to approach him, but I also wanted to respect what he had spoken about when it came to wanting time to work through things.
Besides, I had very much liked listening to him.
Until he had said I probably would not have liked his idea.
He had been correct.
But what I had gathered from that last thing he had said was that he wanted to come here to test himself.
So, it would probably be wise if I left, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
While I had promised Landon time, every instinct within me rejected the idea of him moving through the world unwatched.
Especially after Fate had revealed him to me.
My gaze drifted slowly over him again.
He looked tired. His dark blond hair, which contained gray at the temples and back, was slightly messy, like he had dragged frustrated fingers through it repeatedly. The sleeves of his shirt remained rolled down despite the warmth inside the bar, no doubt hiding the mark we shared.
My mark.
A dangerous surge of possessiveness curled through me.
Landon shifted slightly on the stool, broad shoulders tense beneath his shirt, as he took another sip of his drink.
Then, when the female beside him touched his arm, everything inside me went still.
She was attractive by human standards with her dark hair, bright eyes, and a smile practiced enough to suggest confidence.
I clenched my fists as she leaned closer toward him, fingers resting lightly against his forearm as she spoke.
As Landon responded politely with an easy smile, a cold fury surged through me with enough force that the glamour wrapped around my body flickered.
The lights overhead dimmed.
Several humans glanced upward in confusion before dismissing it.
I barely noticed, though, because the female laughed softly and allowed her hand to slide higher.
Mine.
The thought crashed through me violently.
The magic beneath my skin stirred restlessly in response, heat gathering rapidly in my palms.
I could destroy this place with one thought. One moment of lost control.
The alcohol lining the shelves behind the counter would ignite instantly. Flames would climb the walls before any human inside understood what was happening.
And all because a female dared touch what Fate had given me.
Revulsion hit me almost as quickly as the fury.
Not at Landon.
Never him.
But it was for myself.
I closed my eyes briefly and forced a measured breath through my lungs and grasped at the control I knew I held. I had spent many centuries mastering my emotions, my magic, and instincts.
Yet this human male—this kind, stubborn, confused accountant—had unraveled more restraint from me in mere days than most beings managed in decades.
It was both terrifying and exhilarating.
When I opened my eyes again, Landon was rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly while the female continued speaking.
It was then I realized he looked uncomfortable. There was no interest in his gaze, which meant he was merely being polite.
Relief swept through me so abruptly, it nearly weakened my knees.
Still… the female touched him again, which had my jaw tightening.
“You are handling this poorly,” I muttered under my breath.
A passing human glanced vaguely in my direction before immediately looking away again, the glamour ensuring nothing about me lingered in their thoughts.
Humans fascinated me.
Fragile creatures, physically weaker than most supernatural beings, yet remarkably adaptable. Their minds constantly sought comfort and familiarity.
The glamour used that instinct.
No human here saw my pointed ears.
None recognized the dangerous amount of power standing quietly in the shadows among them.
They saw only another tall man. A human. Someone who was safe.
The irony of that nearly made me laugh because I had never felt less safe in my life.
This fury was so much more powerful than what I had felt when rival courts attempted assassinations against my father, or during my first century, when I had struggled to control my element ability that was stronger than most elves possessed.
The female leaned closer again, and I had to lock down the instinct to set her ablaze. Thankfully, Landon just blinked at her and said something that had her lips thinning briefly.
I could not hear the exact words over the music, but whatever it was had the female pausing before laughing lightly. She patted his arm one final time before standing and walking away.
Relief moved through me so swiftly, I nearly sagged against the wall behind me.
And then Landon turned his head directly toward where I stood hidden.
The breath caught in my lungs as his eyes narrowed slightly.
He wasn’t seeing me exactly, but he could be sensing my closeness again.
Slowly, I stepped away from the shadows. The need to reveal myself was too strong to ignore.
His gaze widened before he flicked his attention all around me, at the other people, as I grew closer.
His throat moved once before he muttered, “You probably shouldn’t do that.”
I stopped beside him. “Do what?”
“Appear out of nowhere like some supernatural Batman.”
Confusion flickered through me. “I do not know who Batman is.”
To my surprise, Landon barked out a short laugh. The sound struck something deep inside me as warmth spread through my chest unexpectedly.
I had made that happen, somehow, and I already knew I wanted to hear it again and again.
Landon gestured vaguely toward the empty stool beside him. “Do you, ah, want to sit?”
“I did not wish to presume.”
His expression shifted into something halfway between disbelief and amusement. “You literally stalked me to a bar.”
“That is a very harsh description.”
He cocked a brow. “It’s an accurate one.”
Perhaps.
“May I sit?” I asked.
He rolled his eyes slightly, though there was no real annoyance behind it. “Yes, Dashiel.”
A thrill rolled over me slowly at hearing my name from him. Still, a lot of humans and other species preferred to shorten names, so I offered, “Some people call me Dash. If you wish to also.”
He cocked his head to the side. “Do you like it?”
“It has never bothered me.”
He shrugged. “For some reason, I think I prefer Dashiel—your full name—is that okay?”
I did enjoy hearing it all from his lips, so I nodded.
I took the stool beside him, aware of every inch separating us.
We were close, closer than we had ever been, and his scent wrapped around me immediately.
Alcohol.
Clean soap.
Fresh clothes.
Warm skin.
And beneath it all was something entirely and uniquely Landon.
The bond fluttered. But it was only a half-made one. The completion would come if we were intimate.
I forced my focus elsewhere.
After Landon glanced around for a moment, brows tight, he leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice. “Can people see you as you really are?”
I turned toward him fully. “What do you mean?”
His eyes flicked briefly toward my hair, to the ears hidden beneath glamour—well, hidden to everyone else but him, since he was my fated. “No one’s reacting,” he whispered. “You’re a tall elf sitting in the middle of a packed bar.”
Understanding settled quickly. “It is the glamour,” I explained softly. “Humans see what their minds find acceptable. Something that is familiar and safe for them.”
His brows rose. “So, they don’t actually see…” He gestured vaguely toward me. “All this?”
A faint smile touched my lips. “No.”
“That’s…. Okay, it’s pretty cool that they can’t see you and only I can.”
“I like that you think so.”
He snorted softly. “Of course you do.” Landon took another sip of his drink before muttering, “You’ve been following me.”
“I have.”
“At least you’re honest.”
“I would never lie to you.”
Landon’s fingers tightened slightly around his glass before he exhaled. “I figured you were nearby,” he admitted quietly. “The tattoo reacts when you’re close.”
My gaze drifted briefly toward the hidden mark beneath his sleeve. The urge to touch it nearly overpowered me, but I managed to resist it. Barely.
“I attempted to remain distant to give you time, but also while I… watched over you,” I said.
His stare turned incredulous. “So, you became my magical stalker.” A small smile threatened. He was being cute.
“I am sorry if it makes you uncomfortable. I cannot seem to stop myself from wanting to make sure no harm comes to you. But if you wish for me to back away, just tell me and I will.”
Landon stared at me as a slight blush rose to his cheeks. He cleared his throat and shrugged. “It’s probably a supernatural thing, right?”
There was no true anger in his voice, only confusion and curiosity. And beneath it all, I believed, or merely hoped, there was something softer.
Did he like that I watched over him? Had no one done this for him in his life?
I nodded. “When finding our mate, we cannot resist keeping them safe.”
His blushed deepened. He glanced around as he thought over my words.
Would this be the moment when he told me to leave him alone?
While my heart would shatter, if he truly wanted it, I would follow through with his wishes.
“Also, please tell me if anything I do displeases you. I am not… fully aware of what humans like or need.”