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COLIN PACED THE CONFINES of the small hotel room, his eyes on the worn, dookie-brown carpet, then shifting to the door, then back to the ugly carpet. What was taking Aidan so long? Back and forth, and back and forth. When those motions didn’t settle his nerves, he started sifting. He’d take two steps and then vanish from the room and reappear eight feet away next to the bathroom. Then, he’d turn around and do it again. After the third sift, he noticed a few dragonfaes had followed him through the veil. That wasn’t good. He’d have to put them back. One of the little faery flies flew close to his face buzzing and shaking its finger at him.
Dreadful bothersome little things, they always followed him when he used his sifting magic. He supposed it was their jobs, but damn they were nuisances. The dragonfaes were tiny little beasties from the In-between, or the veil as most fae called it. The veil kept humans out of Faery and fae magic out of the human realm — unless of course a fae traveled to the human realm and used magic here. Most fae could sift, but when they did, their magic ripped open the veil so they could step through it into whatever realm on the other side. His magic was different. That’s why he kept it a secret from everyone but Aidan and why he hadn’t been caught yet. It was almost as if the fae couldn’t sense his magic’s heat signature.
When he sifted, instead of ripping open the veil, he simply slide inside of it, and then out the other side. Sometimes the little faery flies liked to hitch a ride. Their jobs were to mend the rips in the veil, to contain the powerful magic of the fae realm before it could seep into the human realm and distort it. Since he didn’t tear it like the others, the little dragonfae weren’t scared of him. They would follow him and shake, and buzz at him until they wore themselves out and he had to take them back to faery. Another dragonfae joined the first in buzzing around his head. He really wasn’t in the mood to be bothered with them right now, and he swatted at the one closest to him. The humming grew louder as they grew angrier, until he swooped them up in one hand and sifted back across the room, leaving them in the In-between on his way out.
Hearing the tumbler release on the hotel door lock, he looked up from his return trip expecting Aidan. A burly arm pushed through the door, and then the dark hair of his friend’s head set his mind at ease. Aidan’s huge frame was paused in the doorway, one leg and foot locked around the door to hold it still. He seemed to be playing tug-of-war with the lock.
“What are you doing old friend?” Colin asked, curious, and he sifted toward his friend before he thought better of it.
“This fecking card is stuck in the lock.” He pulled on the little plastic key for a few more seconds before it released, and he jerked it out of the lock hole. Aidan stormed into the room and threw the offending piece of plastic on the dresser along with a purple and white bag that smelled suspiciously of tacos. Colin’s stomach rumbled. “What was wrong with the metal keys?” Aidan asked as he looked up for the first time since entering the room.
Colin shrugged. Better to let the beast tame itself before he nudged it.
Colin’s stomach rumbled again, and he eyed the good-smelling bag for a second time. A thought hit him, and he disappeared from the room.
“By the Saints, I hate it when he does that,” Aidan said, just as Colin popped back into the room. “Bloody hell, man. What are you wearing.”
Colin laughed at Aidan’s response to the colorful sombrero he now wore, when minutes ago his head had been hat-free. He looked down at the huge try of authentic Mexican tacos in his hands with a smug smirk.
“Really?” Aidan said dryly, eying his now unappetizing looking purple and white bag.
“What? Why settle for Taco Tuesday, when you can have the real deal any day of the week?” Colin’s grin grew bigger. “I’ll share.”
“Darn right you’ll share, you show-off.” They both laughed as Colin set the tray down on the dresser and stuffed a whole pork taco into his mouth.
But he still couldn’t hide the concern he had for Teagan.
“Uh oh, I know that look. Spill it,” Aidan said as he sat down on the edge of the bed. The weight of his muscular frame caused the middle of the bed to sag as he lifted his foot to remove his boot.
“It can wait.”
“Colin, just tell me. It’s not like this situation is getting any better.” He looked around the room as he spoke.
Colin looked around the room too. The paper on the walls was yellow, thin, and peeling in various places around the room. The air conditioner rattled and sputtered noisily on the far wall blowing puffs of stagnant air against the thick brocade curtains that smelled like years of built up smoke and cheap college. Worse yet, they covered windows with a view to the lovely brick wall of the building that stood just feet away. He hadn’t turned down the bed yet and wasn’t sure if he really wanted to, judging from the condition of the bedspread. The bathroom he wouldn’t even discuss. The room definitely wasn’t what they were used to, but they were trying to lay low while in town. He narrowed his eyes at his friend and decided to pass on reminding him of that.
“The girl from the bar, did you find her?” Colin held his breath as he waited for Aidan to answer.
“No. It’s like she just disappeared. One second, I could feel her magic like a heater giving off waves, and then the next, nothing.” Aidan flopped back on the bed and blew out a breath. “Did you do any better with our mystery friend?” His head popped up to watch Colin.
“I didn’t, but I was distracted. I found something at the club.”
Aidan sat up, and the bed groaned in protest. “What kind of something?”
“An ID that belonged to the girl using magic.”
Aidan sat forward, waiting.
Colin took a deep breath.
“And?” Aidan had to prod him.
“Her name is Teagan McKenna.”
“The Teagan? Your Teagan?” His friend’s voice raised, something that was rare.
“I wouldn’t exactly call her mine.”
“What would you call her then,” Aidan asked as his eyebrow rose.
Colin ignored the dig.
“You’re certain it’s the Teagan McKenna your fathers made a blood pact over?” Aidan asked, his tone serious now.
“Yes, I’m sure it’s her. I saw her earlier in the night, and though I didn’t recognize her, I was drawn to her. She couldn’t seem to keep her eyes off me either. I suspected it was her but also thought it was very unlikely...” his voice trailed off as he dug around in his overnight bag and pulled out what he’d found. “This is proof.” He flicked the ID as he handed it to Aidan. “She’d be about twenty-one, and this Teagan is twenty-one. Plus, how many Teagan McKennas are there in the US? It’s an unusual name, right?”
His friend looked at him and seemed to consider his response. “Do you want me to say yes because you need assurances?” Colin glared at Aidan. “Relax, Colin. If it’s her, you’re bound to feel the connection. Blood pacts can’t be broken, the magic’s too strong. Why now though, I wonder?”
Colin started pacing again. “Because our fathers set it up so that I would become her protector once her powers emerged. If they didn’t, the link would sever on its own, and she’d never have to know anything about it.”
“Late bloomer, huh?” Aidan had laid back on the bed again, his elbows jutting out as he fit his hands under his head. In this position, he was totally susceptible to the pillow that hurled its way across the room towards that very head. His face showed surprise, and then his deep laugh filled the room.
Aidan propped himself up on one elbow and looked at Colin. “Seriously though, did you get a good look at her?”
“No. Did you?”
“Yep. I was standing right next to her at the bar. I introduced myself, but she never even glanced in my direction. Must’ve been looking at you, my friend.”
Colin’s stance relaxed.
Aidan sighed. “I suppose we’ll have to pick her up and take her with us. We can’t leave her alone out here with new powers and not a clue how to use them, can we? Guess finding dad will have to wait a bit more.”
“You okay with that?” Colin asked him, really looking at him.
“She needs protecting, Colin, and that’s what we do. It’s what we’re made for.”
“I know, but your dad...”
“My dad is still going to be missing tomorrow. We’re not any closer to finding him than we were a week ago. We’re close to her. The clue that bartender gave us lead us to Teagan. We shouldn’t dismiss that so lightly. Who knows what kind of seer he is.”
Suddenly, the room was swarming with dragonfaes, and a rip appeared in the wall. Through the faery flies, Colin could see the lush green landscape of faery on the far side of the decaying veil. When a fae warrior stepped through the tear, first one polished booted foot, and then the other. Colin was instantly on the alert, but he could see the royal seal of the fae queen on the intruder’s chest, and the shinning golden gloves on his hands. His guard lowered but just a bit; it was just Kylan.
“I come with tidings from Queen Ríona.” Kylan, the queen’s messenger, wasted no time getting right to the point. “One human girl-child has come to her attention. This human used magic in a public place, and the queen wants her detained and brought to her at once.”
Colin looked at Aidan, not liking what he was hearing. Why would the fae queen want a human brought into the fae realm? Faery accepted no humans. In fact, many years ago all had been banished from their lands for fear of tainting the bloodlines and weakening their magic. Any fae caught with a human had been forced to choose between Faery or their human. Most of them had chosen to give up their magic and immortality and live in the human realm, infuriating the council. From the look on Aidan’s face, his friend was thinking the same thing. Always the diplomat, however, Aidan stood up, his huge frame towering over the fae, and extended his hand. The fae took it hesitantly after handing him a missive.
“You may tell your queen her message has been received. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have work to do.” His friend glanced at the tray of tacos, and Kylan’s straight-lipped mouth turned into a snarl.
“How can you eat this drabble?” his distaste in human food evident by the tone of his voice.
“Are we done here?” Aidan asked.
The fae’s face pursed back into stoic and tight-lipped, ever the loyal servant to her majesty. But it was obvious he was not liking being dismissed, and Colin had to cover his mouth to keep his smirk from showing.
“Your message to the queen will be delivered.” He turned and the veil ripped open again causing the little dragonfae that had just finished repairing the last rip the chitter in anger.
“Take those things with you,” Colin shouted. “They’ll die out here.” He didn’t like the things, but he also didn’t want them to die because of some jerk with a plug up his bum.
“Want a taco for the road?” Aidan yelled, offering the fae the purple and white bag.
A wave a blue magic swept the area just on this side of the latest tear and sucked all the faery flies back through the veil, and the fae left without further comment. Colin immediately turned to Aidan.
“We can’t-”
“I know, Colin. I would never take a human into faery, let alone yours.”
“Stop calling her that,” Colin said, but all the steam had gone out of his fight. Now, he was really worried for Teagan, after all it was his blood sworn duty to protect her. “What are we going to do?”
Aidan walked the few steps across the small room to stand at Colin’s side. He placed his hand on Colin’s shoulder and gave him a small squeeze.
“We’re going to find her Colin, before they do. I swear it. We’ll split up, and we won’t stop looking until one of us has found her.”
Colin grabbed his overnight bag and started walking towards the door.
“Where are you going?” Aidan asked.
“I’m starting now.”
“Right.” Aidan looked at the bed with the messed up comforter wistfully. “Guess my nap can wait then.” He grabbed the tray of tacos from the dresser, opting to leave the bag. “I am eating though. Want some?”
“I’m good,” Colin answered, and he was already out the door. Teagan was way more important than any taco.