Fire and chaos sluiced from Winter’s thin body down the shower drain, the remains of the vineyard that they had left burning in their wake. The humans could not be allowed to find evidence of the demons who had hunted them through the winter-dry vines, no evidence of the murders that had been committed in the night.
No evidence that magic was real and would eat them in the dark.
As soon as she shut off the water to the shower, Winter heard Etienne’s voice coming from her bedroom across the hall. She twisted the excess water from her white, hip-length hair, a strange mousey-gray when wet, and wondered what the faerie knight was doing in her room?
Correction: her and Alerich’s room. The half-sentient Mulcahy House had done some decorating while they had all been away and seemingly had decided that Rick was not only staying, he would be staying with her.
Which led her thoughts in an alarming direction. What if Etienne was fighting with Alerich in there?
Winter went scrambling for a towel and left the bathroom without even wrapping up her wet hair. By the time Winter rushed through the bedroom door, Etienne sounded like he was winding up a phone call. On her phone. He stood in the middle of the room wearing only worn jeans slung low over his lean hips, feet bare, his long auburn hair slipping along his shoulder blades as he turned his head. Even his customary gun rig was absent indicating he was at home. Somewhat relaxed.
Alerich was nowhere to be seen. Winter let out a soft breath of relief.
Etienne had his back to her, one strong arm half-raised with the phone to his ear. He shifted from one foot to the other in a tense movement, and the muscles across his broad blacksmith’s back and shoulders rippled beneath his work-tanned skin, the spell scars long gone. She was taller than he was by a few inches, but those broad shoulders, those calloused hands, made her feel delicate.
Much like Alerich, Etienne moved with the ready grace of a predator, though the faerie knight was quicker to bloodshed. At least as far as she knew. She had only known Alerich a few days, but she was already familiar with the faint traceries of scars across his knuckles, across his back, evidence of a history of violence. “Yeah, I think some more rest would be good. Your Miles could use it, too. Last night was rough.” His gray eyes spotted Winter in the mirror and even at that distance she could watch them dilate and travel for an instant over her wet, towel-wrapped body. “We appreciate it. Are you sure you and the rest of the rabbits can handle Curiosity’s for the day?” His normally gruff tone was mild, polite, but tension sang across his bare shoulders and one large hand was balled into a tight fist. “The Lion Queen’s doctor already agreed to take the extra patients for the day, but that store is a zoo with the holidays here. Is there nowhere else for the preternatural to do their shopping?”
Winter heard Rachel’s rich laugh. Rabbits were pretty people, and Rachel, the rabbit Matron, was a real head turner. “What can I say? We support local businesses. And yes, I’ve got one of my Matron’s Assistants supervising them, now. They’ll be fine.” Winter hoped so. Miles was having a terribly hard time since the murder of his twin just a few days ago, and that left Kismet, who could be as aggressive as a breeding jack, and Hyacinth, the even-headed balance between the other two Assistants. If Winter were a betting woman, she would have laid down money that Hyacinth would be the one to take Rachel’s place as Matron when the time came.
Etienne thanked Rachel for her assistance and ended the call. He turned to Winter, expression caught halfway between taciturn and warm. Then his eyes again caught the new tall mirror in its swiveling frame and his mouth twisted into a frown. “What the hell happened in here last night?” He swung his arm to take in the room in general, phone still in hand. The pleasant nature of Etienne’s phone voice vanished, to be replaced with something angry. Ugly. More normally Etienne.
Winter crossed her arms over her small breasts, the towel wet and rumpled, and ignored the small trickle of water rolling down her bare leg. She was not about to just take whatever Etienne was going to dish out. “First, put my phone down before you break it. Rather a lot happened last night, and you were there for most of it. What are you asking about?”
Etienne tossed the phone down on the bed and pointed at the elegant mahogany acanthus leaves that now graced the four tall bed posts, at the red silk wallpaper that brought out the richness of the new furniture. “This shit wasn’t in here yesterday. Your room was white and blue and sweet. It was… you. This… this is something else.”
Winter raised her chin just a little bit. “Alerich will be staying with us for a while.” The decoration of the room reflected their shared tastes. She liked it.
“In your room? The House put him in your room?”
Winter nodded. She could feel her pale cheeks begin to burn with anger. “And that’s between Rick and me. You don’t just get to tell me what to do and who to do it with. I know you’re fine with me kissing Cian, but Alerich seems to be another story. Why is that?”
Etienne paced away toward the sitting area, running his fingers through his hair, and then back again. He laid his calloused hand on her thin, bare shoulder. “You’ve known Alerich all of a few days and he’s already tried to kill you.”
“He also saved me. More than once. He saved us all. He’s working so hard to prove himself, Etienne. To redeem himself. I wish you would give him a chance.”
Etienne made a rude noise but did not release her shoulder. “I don’t need to. He broke my nose while he was trying to strangle you. While I fought to stop him. That’s all the chance he gets from me.”
Winter pulled away from his hand. “I’m sorry you’re jealous—”
“I am not jealous.”
“—but that’s for you to work out. We’re forming a family, if you haven’t noticed, the whole lot of us and these children, and I need you to be part of it.”
Etienne pulled back his empty hand, something lost in his eyes. “Yeah, I can see that.”
On impulse she reached out and laid her long-fingered hand on his collarbone. “Please, I’m not pushing you away.” His skin was warm under her fingertips and she realized she was getting cold. It would feel good to be wrapped in those strong, warm arms.
Etienne reached up and covered the back of her hand. “Then what are you doing?”
Winter hesitated, watching his lips move as he spoke. “I don’t know.” Her voice was barely audible. “I just know that I want.” But what did she want?
And it struck her. These men. She wanted all three of these men, Alerich, Etienne, and Cian, at her side. Raising these children and protecting this city with her.
Etienne let out a soft breath, his eyes vulnerable for a heartbeat. “So do I,” he whispered. Then he stepped forward, brushed past her hands, caught her by the back of the neck, and pulled her down into a dizzying kiss.
Winter’s brows shot up, but as his arm slipped around her towel-wrapped waist, she let out a soft moan and opened her mouth to his forceful tongue. She had never kissed Etienne before, but it was everything she had expected of the faerie knight. She gave and he took, and in return he danced with her until she was faint with need as his fingers buried into her drying white hair. His thumb stroked her neck in tight circles, and his other hand kneaded the small of her back through the wet towel, keeping her flush to his hard body. His skin was warm against hers and she relaxed against him, relaxed into his warmth. Into his demanding hands. Finally, he released her, his smooth cheeks flush with desire, and she could feel her pulse in her lips.
He opened his mouth to speak, and then glanced around at the décor, his gray eyes hardening a little again, before turning on his bare heel to leave the room.
Winter followed him, straightening the towel while his back was turned. “Etienne, wait. Please wait.”
The faerie knight stopped at the doorway, paused a moment to gather himself, and turned to face her with his usual gruff expression. “What?”
Some days Winter just wanted to pop him on the head, but she knew that his attitude was because he was hurting. “I have something for you.” She moved to her dressing table and opened the lowest right-hand drawer. “I was going to give you this last night, but that’s not how things worked out.” She emerged with a square black velvet box nearly the size of her spread hand. “It’s for Christmas, but after last night I want to give it to you early.” And privately. Etienne could be a profoundly private person and this gift was a bit personal.
Etienne’s brow rose just a little. “You’re giving me jewelry?” He accepted the box and gave it the requisite small shake. Something within rattled. “I can make jewelry. Blacksmith, remember?”
A smile played at the corners of her mouth. “You’ll like this jewelry. And no, you can’t make presents for yourself just before the holidays. It’s not allowed.”
He chuckled softly and opened the box. “What—” His breath staggered. “How? It was lost.”
Winter reached into the box and pulled out a forty-five-caliber bullet engraved with dwarven runes and geometric designs. A chain had been incorporated into the bullet’s casing. “You discarded the ruined gun rig when you came down from Midir’s tower in October, but one of Ceallach’s people spotted it and got it back to me. The last of Agmundr’s enchanted bullets was still in it.” She stepped in close and slipped the chain around the knight’s neck, watching his eyes. “It may not be useful as a bullet any longer without the named revolver to propel it, may not strike terror into every sidhe you cross paths with, but it stands as a powerful symbol of protection.” And with the amount of magic she had poured into it over the past few weeks, it had better be protective. She pulled her hands away, letting the bullet hang just at the meeting of Etienne’s collarbones. “I want you protected in any way I can find. Seahaven is—”
Etienne leaned in and kissed her again, this time tender and vulnerable. A soft smile played about his lips when he pulled away and he touched the bullet hanging around his neck. “I feel safer already.” He stroked his hand over her hair, fine, curling strands catching on his callouses as he met her gaze. His eyes flickered back and forth, and that vulnerability stayed in their depths. “Thank you.”
Winter wanted to close her eyes under his touch like a kitten, but instead let her smile widen. “I bet people are getting hungry. I need some clothes, and then let’s go figure out food, now that we’ve had sleep.”
Etienne watched her for another minute as if memorizing her face, and then nodded. “Food sounds good. I should finish getting dressed, myself. I’ll see you in the kitchen, my lady.” Good humor shown in his eyes as he turned and strode out.
Winter watched him leave, enjoying the view, goosebumps tickling her skin, and then set about putting herself together for the day.
If you liked this story, check out our other free original fiction at https://www.aelowan.com