Drunk.

She stretched her arms above her head, wiggling in the seat. Her blouse rose, exposing a wide swath of her stomach, catching Nate’s attention. He saw Matt looking in the same direction, and a quick glance at the twins confirmed they were also entranced. He tugged her shirt down before anyone else could see, but his knuckles brushed against her skin, making her squeal.

“Oh, Jesus! Sorry! No!” He jerked back and fell from the seat onto his back, catching his arm on the table. Pain shot through his elbow, and he swore.

“I’m sorry. I’m ticklish.”

“We know.” The twins spoke together, making her giggle.

“Hey, Nate, send us a postcard next time,” Matt teased.

He ignored Matt as he sat down. “Sorry, I was just—”

“He was preserving your modesty,” Jake interrupted. “You were showing half an inch of flesh, which in this village is punishable by an hour in the stocks.”

“Asshole,” Nate snapped.

“Thank you, Nate. You’re a gentleman.” Lily kissed his cheek, and he sent the twins a smug look which was returned with a sneer.

“I need the ladies room, whoa!” She got up and gripped the table. “The floor is moving, who’s moving the floor?”

Nate stood up, looking at her closely. Her cheeks were red, and her eyes glazed. He let her out and grabbed her when she stumbled. She giggled, kissed his cheek and swayed her way towards the toilets, narrowly avoiding the other tables. It dawned on him just as Josh said, “Oh, shit! We’ve got her drunk.”

“How can we, she’s only had—” Matt hesitated. “How many has she had?”

“Well, the first, another with the food, and the one she’s just finished. But they’re mostly peach and lemonade, right?” Jake said.

“It’s mostly rum. And peach schnapps is alcoholic on its own,” Nate said. “Damn, we should have watched her better—oh shit! She’s had four! Annie brought her one with dessert.” His stomach sank, he’d promised to keep her safe and he’d fucked up.

“Four?”

“Uncle Jimmy wouldn’t let her have that many,” Jake said. “Are you sure it was four?”

Matt tapped a glass. “Well, there’s two glasses here—”

“And how’s my favourite nephews doing? Where’s your friend?” Uncle Jimmy came up with an empty tray for the glasses and plates.

“She’s in the loo. We may have messed up,” Nate admitted, hoping Uncle Jimmy would know what to do.

“You can’t afford it?” Uncle Jimmy sent him a sideways eye roll. “Pay what you can, and we’ll sort the rest dreckly.”

“Um, no, we can afford it. We may have lost count on how many drinks she’s had,” Matt spoke up.

Uncle Jimmy straightened and folded his arms, looking around at them all. “She’s had three. Three is her limit, she can’t have any more. Three will make her tipsy, but it won’t affect her too much tomorrow.”

“So, you gave her three. What about the one Annie brought over? Did you do that one as well?” Nate asked.

Uncle Jimmy frowned and closed his eyes briefly. “I didn’t know Annie got her one. Looks like four, lads. Who’s volunteering for puke duty?”

“Oh, bugger. Is that enough to get her drunk?” Josh asked.

“She’s a newbie, boys, two glasses of wine would see her tipsy. Four rum and peach schnapps will have her dancing on the tables if she’s of a mind too. How does she look?”

“She wanted to know why the floor was moving,” Matt said.

“Ah. Well, she ate everything on her plate and a dessert. That’ll soak some of it up. She might get lucky and only have a headache tomorrow. It’ll be a lesson well learnt. One you’ll remember for your eighteenths, I hope.”

“And will our first drink be on the house like Lily’s was, Uncle Jimmy?” Jake asked. He was the only one who didn’t look horrified they’d got their girlfriend drunk.

“What, with your ugly mugs?” He roared with laughter. “I expect so. Ah, here comes the little lady, take her home and hydrate her. Hold on, I’ll get you a bottle of water.” He went back to the bar.

“So, what are we doing now?” She bounced on her feet excitedly. “I know. Let’s go skinny dipping at the quarry.”

Nate slapped a hand over his eyes, groaning. What the hell were they going to do now?

She sat next to him and slid her arms around his waist. “Are you embarrassed to be naked with me?” She leant her chin on his shoulder and pressed her mouth to his ear. “’Cause it’s okay, I’ve seen your butt. It’s a very nice butt. You’re sexy so don’t be shy.” Her lips tickled him, her hot breath ghosting over his skin, sending pleasure rippling through him. She didn’t know what she was saying, but certain parts of him didn’t care.

“Oh. I know.” She ripped away from him, turning to face the others, and he used the moment to adjust himself. At least she wasn’t a morose drunk

“Let’s go to the treehouse and play strip-poker. We can all get naked and commune with nature like real wit—”

Matt slapped his hand over her mouth just in time. “C’mon, baby, I think we should get some fresh air.”

Maybe it would’ve been better if she was a morose drunk.

“I like you, Matthew.” She giggled. “I mean I really, really like you. And you, Joshua, Jacob, I really, really like you too. Ignatius? Ignatius?”

Nate clenched his fists and got up, aware the twins were clutching each other in silent laughter. “I’m here, and it’s Nate, remember? Not Ignatius.”

“I know, Ignatius, but I really like you too, and your name,” she cooed.

“And we like you too, baby,” Matt said and moved her towards the door. “Nate, get the tab. We’ll settle up when it’s safe.”

Nate moved away from the wreck that was his girlfriend. How could he have been so stupid to let her drink that much? And Lynda? What the hell was Lynda going to say? They couldn’t take her home like that. She’d skin them alive.

“Well, Nate, my boy.” Uncle Jimmy leant on the bar. “One too many I expect.”

“I mucked it up for her.” Nate slumped against the bar.

“She’s her own person. What she drinks is her responsibility, not yours. But I doubt we’ll see a repeat performance anyway.” He gave Nate the bill. “I’m going to say something that I know I don’t really need to say.”

“That made no sense,” Nate muttered, handing over the money.

“Well, let’s just be saying the skinny dipping and poker playing won’t be happening.”

Indignation made him slap the tip down hard. “We would never take advantage of her.”

Uncle Jimmy put the tip into the ashtray designated for it. “I know you wouldn’t. Which is why I don’t really need to say it. Look after her and make her drink this.” He handed him a water bottle and moved away to serve someone else.

Nate grabbed it, made sure they hadn’t left anything at the seats and went outside to find her.

She was running around the green, laughing delightedly as they tried to catch her. It was getting dark, but there was still enough light to see how happy she was. She spun in a circle with her hands out, and fire sprung up in front of her. His heart stopped, and he dropped the bottle as he raced towards hers. Matt got to her first and brought her hands down. The fire went out as Nate skidded to a stop beside them.

“Lily, sweetheart, you can’t do that,” Matt said.

“Why not?” She pouted, lifting her hands again.

He didn’t think, just bent forwards and upended her over his shoulder. He tightened his grip on the backs of her legs as she squealed in laughter.

“I’m upside down!” she called out and began to pat his butt cheeks. “Upside down. I’m upside dowwwn.”

“Did you have to do that? You’re gonna make her sick.” Josh caught her hands.

“Well, what did you want me to do? She’s fucking spell-casting in the bloody open?”

“Well, boys, here’s an idea you haven’t considered: how about not getting her drunk? Then none of this would have happened.”

Nate’s stomach flipped as he turned to see Drew walking towards them. His posture was casual, but Nate could see the banked fury on his face and it kick started his own.

“Iggy. Can I call you, Iggy?” Lily nuzzled her face into his lower back.

“No, you bloody well can’t.” He set her on her feet, holding her as she swayed.

Her face turned white, and she made a gagging noise, slapping her hand over her mouth. She took a deep breath and waved her hand in the air. “I’m fine! I’m fine!”

She turned and squealed so loudly it hurt his ears. She ripped away from him and he watched in horror as she ran towards Drew.

“Daddy!” She jumped up, winding her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck, and kissed him hard on the cheek.

He staggered back, just managing to keep his feet.

“Can I call you, Daddy?” she pleaded.

Nate would have laughed at Drew’s shock if it hadn’t been caused by her koala bear impression.

“Well, that was unexpected.” Drew untangled her, setting her down on her feet. “I think you’re too old to call me Daddy, but Dad would be fine.”

“Dad, these are my boyfriends: Ignatius, but I call him Iggy, Matthe—”

Drew pressed his fingers against her lips, humour edging past the anger. “I already know them.”

“Oh good. That’s good. That’s really—” She stopped, took two deep breaths and threw up, splattering vomit all over his shoes.

“Guys. If you ever get her drunk again, I will kill you. Slowly,” he snarled.

Nate was stuck in limbo with no idea what to do.

“I don’t feel so good.” She buckled, and Nate just managed to catch her around the waist, hauling her back from the mess on the ground. She slumped over his arms, and he took her full weight.

Drew waved his hand and the vomit disappeared, along with the acrid smell.

Nate’s stomach sank, they were buggered; Drew knew what they were.

“How the fuck did you do that?” Josh tried hard to sound amazed, but it wasn’t convincing, neither of them could lie to save their lives.

“It’s pointless, at this point, to play games.” He folded his arms. “What did she drink and how many?”

“Sick!” She jerked in Nate’s hold but she only dry-heaved. He pulled her up, but she slumped back over, moaning.

“How many and what?” Drew snapped.

“She had the bootlegger brine. It’s just rum, peach schnapps, and lemonade.” Matt said. “We didn’t let her mix her drinks.”

“How many?”

“Well, we thought it was only three, but it got a bit confusing. It was four in the end,” Jake admitted.

“She’s ok. She’s not dying, just a little drunk,” Nate snapped. “Have you never got drunk?”

“I’m not eighteen and alone with four hormonal—” His head snapped back and Nate realised Matt had punched him.

“That was for suggesting we’d hurt Lily,” Matt snarled and punched him again. “And that was for scaring Lily and wrecking my fucking home!”

The twins flanked Matt, but Drew shook his head, fingering his jaw carefully. “Okay, you get those two. But you ever hit me again and it’s fair game.”

Nate wished he could punch him, but watching Matt do it was satisfying. Lily giggled, mumbling something about earthworms, and he was glad she was out of it.

“I know what you are, you know what I am and we all know what Lily is. I’m not here to hurt her, we got off on the wrong foot. Why don’t we forget everything and go from here, for her sake?”

“Her sake?” Jake scoffed. “You scared the shit out of her!”

“I didn’t want her around you,” Drew snapped. “Look, this is not the place, but I know you’re in a weird sharing relationship with her—”

“That is none of your fucking business,” Jake spat.

“I’m her father! If it’s not my business, who the hell’s is it?”

“I am your father, Iggy. May the dark side be with us.” She straightened, slid her hand behind his neck and into his hair. She kissed his throat and heat flooded his cheeks. Could this get any worse?

“She needs to be sobered up.” Drew didn’t look impressed.

“She needs to go dancing in the moonlight.” She pulled herself away from Nate and began to sing out of key. She caught Jake’s hand and dragged him with her. “Dance with me, Jacob.”

Drew put his hands in his pockets and sighed heavily. “Look, boys, I’ve waited for her for so long. I didn’t expect to walk into her life smoothly. I knew Lynda had been lying to her, but I didn’t expect to find her involved with four boys. Four fae to be exact. She’s innocent, and I worried you were going to...” Drew hesitated.

“Going to what?” Nate demanded.

“You want blunt? I’ll give you blunt.” Drew looked straight at Nate. “I thought you were manipulating her into sex. You clicked on what she is, and I thought you would use that connection to make her do things sexually. Lily is blind to her powers and vulnerable to you using it against her.”

“We’d never do that to Lily.” Josh glared at him.

“I didn’t know you from Adam. You’re all infatuated with her, riddled with lust. I wasn’t going to chance you using her. She’s gone from no friends to you four all over her, it’s bound to turn her head.”

“Lily! No, baby, no, not here, sweetheart.” Jake’s horrified shout caught their attention.

“Oh, shit,” Josh muttered.

Lily’s jacket lay on the grass, and she was trying to lift her blouse over her head. Jake was frantically trying to pull it back down and she was getting angry with him.

“I’m hot, I need to cool off.” She slapped at his hands, tripped and crashed into him, taking them both down heavily. Josh grunted in response to Jake’s pain.

They went over to her, but she was passed out, crumpled on Jake. He was winded and struggling to keep her hair out of his face. Matt and Josh pushed past Drew and managed to haul her up between them, her head down.

“You can’t take her to Lynda like this,” Drew insisted.

“She’s coming back to mine,” Matt said.

“And how are you going to explain it to your parents?” Drew demanded. “I can sober her up.”

“She’s not staying with you.” Nate clenched his fists. No way was he letting that happen.

“I didn’t say that. I said I can take it away. Lynda won’t know.”

“You won’t tell Lynda?” Matt asked suspiciously.

Drew stared at Matt as if he was stupid. “I thought Lily told you what Lynda did. Why would I willingly put her in more harm from that woman?”

“You think Lynda would hurt her?” Jake questioned.

“Not physically,” Drew replied. “But she isn’t going to be happy with you lot. She’ll put pressure on Lily to stop seeing Matt. She doesn’t know what you are, does she?”

A sense of dead crept into his mind. Drew held it over them and Nate knew he wouldn’t hesitate to use it.

Lily stirred, groaning loudly and Drew put his hand on her head. She quietened straight away.

“What did you do?” Nate demanded.

“Wow. What happened?” Lily was disorientated and confused as she looked around her.

“You were—”

“You’re fine,” Drew cut in. “They got you drunk. I sobered you up because you were casting magic and about to strip.”

“I got drunk?” She looked at Matt for confirmation and something shifted inside Nate.

Josh stepped in front of her, Jake shadowing him. Nate tried to move in, but they were crowded around her. It wasn’t done deliberately to cut him out, but it still rankled. She was his as much as she was theirs.

“And you think it’s hard now?”

“What?” Nate hadn’t seen Drew move in behind him, he couldn’t lose focus again.

“Sharing her. Or at least trying too.”

“I don’t know what you’re on about,” Nate muttered.

“You will,” Drew said. “If you don’t already, that is.”

“Look, just mind your own—” He stopped as Lily came over.

“Nate, I am so sorry. I really messed up.” Her face was chalk white, her eyes dark with worry.

“It’s not your—”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” Drew insisted. “No harm, no foul.”

“I put us all in danger. You know, don’t you?” She swallowed as she eyed Drew.

Nate took her hands, trying to get her attention. “No one else—”

“I made sure there’s no one else around,” Drew cut in again.

Nate took a deep breath, his anger notching higher. He was deliberately pushing Nate out, or trying too. Tears welled up in her eyes, and he pulled her into him. She clung to him, her arms around his neck, and his anger seeped out as her scent filled his senses.

“It was only a matter of time,” he said into her hair, his hands rubbing up and down her back. “It’s my fault; I promised to look after you, and I let you down.”

“You didn’t force me to drink, Nate. It was my fault.”

“We should have been watching how many you had.” Matt and the twins had moved closer to her and Nate stamped on the urge to turn her away from them.

“I should have been more careful, this is no one’s fault but my own.” She sobbed.

Tears dropped onto his neck and he stroked her hair. “No, babe, it’s not your fault.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s stop the guilt trip you lot are on before someone recommends self-flagellation,” Drew drawled. “If it’s any consolation I already knew what you all are.”

“You did? But I didn’t tell you.” Lily pulled from Nate, and he reluctantly let her go.

“I found out by chance,” he replied. “I knew you were talking to someone by the doubts, questions, and your sheer lack of response to spells.”

“I messed that up too.” Her shoulders slumped.

“No, you didn’t. Look, come back to mine, we can talk more freely.”

It wasn’t a suggestion and anger slammed back into Nate. He opened his mouth to refuse, but Lily was already looking at Matt.

“That’ll be all right, won’t it?”

“No.” Nate tried to catch Matt’s eye.

“Well, I think we should,” Lily disagreed, looking at him.

“No. I really think we shouldn’t.” He wasn’t budging on this.

“I think Lily’s right,” Matt said. “I think we need to talk this through.”

“Yeah, we agree too,” said Josh.

“C’mon, then. We can have some tea,” Drew said, indicating for them to lead the way.

Nate was rooted to the spot as Matt took Lily’s hand, and with the twins, they began to walk away.

“It’s not just the sharing it would seem,” Drew said. “There’s your new leader, Nate. You’re going to have to give up your crown.”

“Shut up,” Nate snarled. “You’re talking crap.”

“She overruled you, and they didn’t think twice about it. You’re going to have to realise ordering them around and having their complete obedience is a thing of the past.”

“You don’t know a fucking thing. I do not order them around.” He clenched his fists at his sides.

“Of course, you do.”

“Nate? Aren’t you coming?” Lily called.

“Yeah.” Nate lifted his hand, dragging up a smile for her.

“The times, they are a-changin’. Move with them, Nate, or get left behind.” Drew passed him and caught up with the others.

He was wrong, leadership wasn’t Nate’s problem. It had nothing to do with them not listening to him. It was because they’d be on Drew’s ground, and he didn’t trust him at all.

Drew was right on one thing though; Lily was their queen. She was his queen, but he was still their bodyguard, and it was his job to protect them. They were set on going, and he wasn’t going to let them go without him.