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By the time Maelíosa walked into the kitchen, Darcy and Carina were seated at one of the giant wooden tables with a basket of fruit between them. Maelíosa spotted Fallon and Cyn on the other side. Her grin stretched broadly across her face: Fallon was shirtless, and Maelíosa guessed from Cyn’s tousled hair that they’d just come home from riding together in the forest. At least Fallon had pants on. It got her thinking about Sage, and how much she’d like to yank his down and free the bulge that had pressed against her stomach when he’d kissed her.
“Howya,” Maelíosa greeted her father, sliding down into a chair between Fallon and Cyn. “What’re you lot up to?”
“Fallon just took me for a ride,” Cyn said. She gave Fallon a saucy wink. “And I’m fagged.” She rolled her eyes dramatically.
Maelíosa laughed.
Cyn eyed her curiously. “You’re in a good mood!”
Maelíosa bit her lip to keep from smiling. “Fancy that cake, I see?”
Cyn nodded. “We’ve become old friends,” she said, gesturing toward the giant platter in front of her. About half of a large chocolate cake rested on the tray. There was a slight smudge of chocolate on her chin, and Fallon reached over to wipe it with a finger. When he’d licked the smudge clean, he and Cyn both burst into peals of laughter.
Warmth spread through Maelíosa’s chest, and she couldn’t help but smile too. Cyn looked incredible—her curves had become even more pronounced since she’d quit her modelling gig. Maelíosa knew that she made Fallon very happy, and despite her reservations she had to admit that Cyn was good for him. Seeing them together like this made Maelíosa regret how she’d first behaved towards Cyn. I was a horrid git, but at least I’ve given that up.
“Lovely day for a ride,” Maelíosa said. “I was thinking of taking one later.”
She needed to burn off the pent-up sexual frustration that Sage worked up in her.
Cyn nodded.
Fallon cleared his throat. “I am so proud of you,” he said, his face quite serious. “You’re finally taking a mate. And a mate that suits you, I think.”
“Da, you’ve not met him,” Maelíosa said. “He could be a right git for all you know.”
“But you wouldn’t have given two shites or wanted to mate with him if he was an arse. And any man who finally made you want to settle down...well, he’s got his work cut out for him, and I’ve got to give credit where it’s due.”
Fallon winked, and Maelíosa felt a slight flush come over her cheeks. Darcy giggled around a bite of fruit.
“I am proud,” Fallon said again. “I never thought I’d see the day somebody would tie you down.”
Maelíosa shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. She didn’t like it when Fallon spoke this way. After all, she’d resisted mating for long enough! But there was something else in her mind, too: an unfamiliar feeling of anxiety. Sharing her space, her chamber, with someone made her head spin—not to mention mating for life!
“We’re planning the mating ceremony for this evening,” Fallon said. “There will be a bonfire to follow.” He glanced at Cyn with obvious devotion in his dark eyes. “My love is helping. She’s got quite a flair for design, wouldn’t you say?”
Cyn laughed.
Maelíosa nodded, but her mind was somewhere else: upstairs, with Sage. She wondered—what would it feel like to go beyond that kiss? The thought made her shiver. Her mare pranced around her in giddy, nervous circles, tossing her head and whinnying. I’ve never been such a wreck. A part of her wished she could run away, deep into the forest. But the memory of his kiss popped into her head, and she realised how desperately she wanted to see what could happen between Sage and herself. Her mare tossed her mane in approval, stamping and pawing at the ground.
“What do you think?” Fallon said.
Maelíosa blushed. Not only was Fallon staring at her, all eyes in the kitchen were on her as well. She forced herself to smile. “Aye. Of course, tonight.”
* * *
NATHAN BLINKED. “WHAT?”
The man crouched before him. “Blimey, you’re thick. You know who we are, Nathan. At least you bloody well should.” He had sallow, yellowing skin and sunken eyes. “You’re the one who started this whole bloody campaign!”
“Bloody hell,” he muttered, shaking his head. “You’re...you’re with that group, Only Human.”
The man snorted. “About bloody time. Come on, up with you.”
He grabbed Nathan by the shoulders and hauled him forward. Evidently he was stronger than he looked.
“Come on,” the man repeated in an irritated voice. “Turn ’round.”
Before Nathan could comply, he spun Nathan around. There was slight pressure on the ropes binding his hands. A brief snip later, and they were free.
Nathan groaned, pulling his arms around to his front and rubbing his hands. They were painfully numb, but he grit his teeth and kept massaging them until some of the feeling returned.
“What the hell am I doing here?” Nathan jerked his head back toward the wall he’d been leaning against. “What the bloody hell did I do?”
The man shook his head. “Save your questions. We’ve got to get you to the Master. C’mon, up the stairs.”
A shiver went down his spine. This was bad.
His captor stepped behind him, prodding him with a bony finger. “Move,” he snapped when Nathan didn’t start walking. “No skiving off!”
Nathan took a deep breath and began to climb the stairs. His legs were weak and unsteady, and he gripped the banister so he wouldn’t fall backward. The building seemed quite dilapidated. When he reached the top, he stepped into a kitchen. A portly man with pale skin and beady eyes was rubbing his hands together at a table.
“Ah, Mr. Wood. So glad you could join us,” the man said.
“What do you want?” Nathan asked, trying not to sound scared.
He stood up and extended his hand. His grin showed a row of uneven yellow teeth. “You can call me Master. Fancy the digs?”
“Sure,” Nathan lied. “So, what’re you fellows doing?”
Master and the skinny man laughed. It wasn’t a pleasant sound.
“I want information,” Master said. “On the púca.”
“Have you read my book, They Live—”
“I’ve read the bloody book,” Master snapped. “Why in bloody hell d’you think you’re here?”
Nathan swallowed.
Master lifted a battered copy of They Live Among Us and dropped it onto the table with a loud thump. “You’re going to tell me how to find that bloody arse of a chieftain that you wrote about. How to cross the veil and all that rubbish.”
“Right,” Nathan said. “Of course, mate.”
Master narrowed his eyes. “You’ll help us.”
It was an affirmation rather than a question, and it made Nathan think that he really didn’t have much of a choice. Not that it mattered. The more he thought on it, the better the idea of revenge sounded. He wanted to make the man who ruined his life pay for it, and the OH would make that happen.
“Bloody púca! Wish I’d never heard of the damn things. Hell, I’ll give you a hand, if y’like. I don’t mind at all.”
Master smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that. You got any ideas for getting close to the chieftain himself?”
Nathan leaned back in his chair and thought. “Yeah,” he said after a second’s pause. “I do, in fact.”
Master cracked a smile, his eyes lighting up.
“I’ll ring up Cyn, and tell her to meet me. If she thinks I’m going to apologise, all the better.” He shook his head, pleased by his own idea. “And if she’s kidnapped, well, that arsehole Fallon is sure to come running...”
And maybe I can get her back. His nights of wallowing in self-pity would be over. Cyn would understand what a mistake she’d made leaving him once the OH took care of that bloody beast.
“Mate, you’re not bad,” Master said, clapping Nathan hard on the shoulder. “We should have nicked you off the street a long time ago.”
Nathan chuckled. He was pleased with himself, and buoyed by the high praise. Finally, someone agrees with me. Someone else sees the truth.
“Yeah,” the skinny man said. “This is brilliant.”
“Shut it,” Master said.
“Y’know,” Nathan said idly, drumming his fat fingers on the tabletop. “I think I'm going to enjoy joining up with OH.”
