Chapter 18
Chapter
Eighteen
As night fell, we all gathered around a fire, the ethereal glow of the flames casting dancing shadows across our faces.
The scent of sweet jasmine and the faint crackling of embers filled the air.
Fairies flitted around us, their laughter like the tinkling of bells, their bodies sinuous as they swayed and danced seductively.
The rough bark of the log I’d been sitting on tonight made my butt numb.
I sat cross-legged near the fire, my thoughts heavy about visiting the last fairy city where my biological mother was imprisoned.
Also, I still waited, holding my breath, for Seraphina’s request to help her with whatever she needed from me.
Unsettling feelings twisted in my stomach as I thought about taking another detour to complete Seraphina’s request.
The flickering flames emitted the calming scent of burning wood, but it didn’t help with my shot nerves. My hands clenched tightly in my lap as I struggled to breathe through the weight of it all.
Torin and Robert sat on my sides on hard tree logs, our feet warming at the proximity of the fire. I crossed and uncrossed my legs as I waited for Seraphina to finally tell us what she wanted from us.
Torin's brother appeared comfortable, his eyes flickering as he glanced at a female fairy. She was one of the dancers swaying her hips around the fire. Her bodice was tight-fitting and short. As she twirled, her short skirt fluttered around her like wings.
Staring at Robert, she giggled.
Standing, he swatted Torin on the shoulder as he passed by. “Don’t wait for me, Tor.”
Torin sighed but didn’t say anything. The fairy woman led Robert away into the shadows, their laughter fading into the distance. I knew what would happen next—he'd drink her blood in exchange for a good time.
Looking around, I noticed that Robert wasn’t the only one having a great time tonight. Many couples had snuggled around the fire, leaned against the trees, or hugged at the side of the cottages. Some kissed, and others whispered to one another.
“We encourage procreation here,” Seraphina said, smiling.
She handed Torin and me plates ladened with honey tarts topped with fruit and cream that reminded me of ricotta cheese, frosted cranberries, and lollipops adorned with edible flowers, or at least, I hoped they were edible.
"Thank you," I muttered, eyeing the food before I decided to eat.
I bit into the tart, the sweetness exploding on my tongue, momentarily distracting me from gloomy thoughts about facing Hayden.
"Please, tell us more about your world," I said, looking at Seraphina.
"We believe we are descended from Goddess Eris, who is known as the goddess of fairies and light beings."
As she spoke, I glanced around the clearing and saw more fairies coupling with one another. Their uninhibited passion fascinated me. I tried not to stare, but wherever I looked, I saw them.
Torin moved next to me, his gaze locked on mine. I blushed and averted my gaze to the fairy woman again.
"The fairy King would argue that unlike vampires and werewolves who are cursed humans," Seraphina said, pulling my attention back to the conversation, "fairies were the first creations of Goddess Eris, with the purpose of protecting the mortal realm.
"In the distant past, humans and fairies coexisted harmoniously. It was so long ago that humans forgot that fairies actually existed. After the fallout between fairies and humans, the other supernaturals of the human realm agreed to live in hiding.”
“What exactly led to the fallout?” Torin asked, his gaze still on me.
“Fairies are known for their trickery and cunning nature. When they lived in the human realm, they used to braid horses’ manes and steal human children,” she said and took a bite of a fruit tart.
“Humans had difficulty catching the fairies because of their deceptive ways and because they lived underground and in an enchanted hidden forest.”
Seraphina chewed on her food before she spoke again. "Our kind has always been drawn to the mortal realm, to humans in particular. We are creatures of passion and desire, and our interactions with humans have produced many offspring over the ages."
I picked up the lollipop and twisted it between my fingers. I didn’t want to taste the petals of the flower inside. After placing it in my mouth, I sucked on it. It tasted like sugar.
Torin leaned into the crook of my neck, causing goose bumps to rise on my forearm. The good kind.
“Can you please stop making these cute little noises with your throat?” Torin whispered in my ear, his breath warming my neck.
“I’m not making any noises,” I deadpanned.
“Uh-huh,” he said, releasing a low growl in my ear that made my body vibrate with need.
The firelight reflected off the dancers, casting shadows on the ground.
With my enhanced eyesight, I spotted Robert and the fairy woman leaning against a tree.
They were entwined in an intimate embrace as he drank deeply from her neck.
Their lustful actions seemed almost otherworldly, yet I couldn't deny the stirring of desire within me.
Turning my face to Torin, I placed the lollipop in my mouth and sucked on it again. Then I took it out with a loud pop and smiled. He flashed me his crimson eyes in warning, and I snorted.
Without disconnecting my gaze from Torin, I asked Seraphina, “So the fairies were getting on the humans’ nerves, and then what happened?”
She chuckled. “The humans grew fearful of the fairies, but also the fairies got annoyed at the humans for building roads, cutting off trees in their forests, and angering the fairies.”
Torin placed his hand on my knee, just resting it there. My skin, even underneath my skirt, pulsated. Tiny sparks ignited under his touch. Technically, we didn’t have a mate bond to connect us, but I’d never felt more in sync with Torin.
I couldn’t help but feel that we were meant to be together. I closed my eyes, savoring the feeling of his touch, and reopened them to find Torin looking at me with a soft expression.
I smiled at him and cleared my throat. “In our fairy tales, humans couldn’t tell if the fairies were good or evil. Mischievous creatures or protectors of the realm.”
Torin slid his hand to my upper thigh, and I took a deep breath. With his free hand, Torin placed his fruit tart on my plate.
Leaning in, he whispered, “You’ll need the energy.”
Seraphina scoffed at my side, and my cheeks flushed.
“Fairies used to trick humans into interbreeding and mating, but Hayden’s great-grandparents decided that fairies should retain their pure blood. The royals moved all fairies to this realm and abandoned the humans.”
I glanced around the clearing, watching the fairies as they danced seductively in the flickering glow. Their movements were fluid and graceful, like water flowing over smooth stones. It was hard to imagine these ethereal beings capable of such darkness, yet I knew better than to underestimate them.
The heat between Torin and me radiated with an intensity that matched the flames, making it difficult to focus on anything else. But Seraphina's words brought me back to the present moment, her voice soft yet commanding.
“Hayden’s father…” She cleared her throat and frowned. “My father wants revenge.”
"Revenge?" I asked, my brows furrowing.
"Indeed," Seraphina continued. "He knew the fairies' powers were fading and wanted to return to the human realm, but this time with complete control over the humans. He desired dominion over both the mortal realm and the fairy realm. His greed knows no bounds."
“Fairies have strong powers, or at least the royals do. They could easily overtake humans, so why haven’t the fairies already returned to the human realm?” I asked.
Seraphina tilted her head. “Because the greedy King wants to dominate not only the humans but also the supernaturals who share the mortal realm. Vampires and werewolves. And for that, he would need more power.”
"Sounds like a real piece of work," Torin muttered.
"Quite so. Also, humans possessed power in their numbers, and their unpredictable nature made them a force to be reckoned with. Vampires and werewolves are also formidable adversaries,” she said.
“But mostly, the fairies who lived in the cities didn’t want to move anywhere.
We liked our enchanted fairy realm until it was destroyed and corrupted. ”
I drew a deep breath. “Did the fairy King think he could push the fairies to the human realm if he damaged the fairy realm? But he still has the problem of facing strong opponents in the human realm?”
Seraphina gave me a knowing smile. “That is why Hayden's father sought The Book of Thoradis to become more powerful and immortal, ultimately enslaving everyone, supernatural or not. He needs immortality and more power to succeed."
My fingers tightened around the edges of the plate, and my molars hurt from grinding them so hard. Seraphina’s words confirmed the vampire Queen’s story about the fairy King.
No wonder everyone sought this powerful book. If I could only get my hands on it and destroy it so it’d never fall into the villains’ grasp.
"Perhaps it is best to let your mind process this information. There will be time for more discussions later," Seraphina said.
Torin’s tricky hand moved again, and when I thought he’d slide it between my legs, his hand moved to my back. Our eyes locked in a moment, the heat between us flaring like a spark igniting a flame.
He leaned in closer, his breath hot against my ear as he whispered, "What do you say we shift and run through the city?"
"Only if Seraphina doesn't mind," I said.
"Go on," she said, waving a hand dismissively and standing. "I will be here when you return.”