But, Tammy, you know me, she answered with a sigh. I am not about fun. Well, I am, but I need more than that.
She thought about his luscious lips, his shoulders so very broad, and his muscular arms around her and realized she was nearly panting. Right. Maybe a little fun couldn’t hurt, she argued with herself.
But it could hurt—it could hurt for a lifetime. She would want him forever. For her forever, and he would leave …
He was such a prominent being, in control of every situation. He was clear-sighted, dominant, and yet his smile held a touch of innocence at times that captivated her.
He was not the type to take what he wanted and leave a female hurting. He wouldn’t do that, but time … human time would take her away from him. There was just no getting away from the fact that she would age. He would not. In the end, he wouldn’t have a choice. His world was Faery, and there was also no getting away from the fact that, as a Royal, he would be needed in that world. And he was immortal, would always be strong and beautiful and virile; she would wither, no longer be desirable. She would die alone if she gave herself to him. This was all so impossible.
If she gave herself to him, she would never take another lover. How could she? No other would do; even now, now before she had given herself to him, she could not imagine ever giving herself to anyone else.
She was doomed. No matter how she looked at this, a bright future up ahead did not seem a possibility.
The truth hammered at her: she could never really have him, and that realization was nearly overwhelming.
Why not? If you are going to end up always wanting him anyway, why not have him now, while you are young?
She could not deny that his glittering gold eyes drove her into a passion she had never known she could feel. And there was more—all in his eyes. Who was it that ever said Fae did not have souls? They were so wrong. Trevor’s eyes allowed her to see the soul housed in his body.
If all that weren’t complicating her life enough, she was stuck in the past, with a Dark Fae Prince trying to take over the universe!
How were they ever going to defeat Hordly? And now, if horrible Hordly wasn’t enough, they had to contend with a Dark Wizard as well.
Holy cow, this was so not good.
Evidently Frankie, who had been gazing up at her, sensed Jazz was unhappy. She slipped her hand into Jazz’s and tugged at it.
Jazz gave the child a reassuring smile and said, “Not to worry. Trevor has this one under control.”
“Aye, I know that, Miss Jazz … but do ye?”
Jazz squeezed Frankie’s fingers gently. “Do you doubt it? Of course I do, my little Fios. You are in the company of a Fios extraordinaire.” She began tickling Frankie, who yelped with laughter.
Trevor reappeared at that moment some twenty feet away.
Jazz couldn’t stop herself. She ran to him, only controlling herself at the last moment, managing to stop and stand stiffly when all she wanted to do was throw her arms around him and hold on for dear life.
Instead, she asked, “Well, what did you find?”
“I followed Baudali to the Dark Prince’s habitat. Hordly has constructed a living area out of what appears to be an old barn.” He sneered and added, “He has it warded, but his wards cannot keep me out—the wards will merely warn him of my arrival.”
“Do you think they are making a deal?” Jazz frowned and absorbed what he had just told her.
“They have indeed already made their pact.” He touched her cheek with the back of his hand and rubbed it gently. “Royal Fae hearing can be adjusted, and I did hear a great deal of their conversation. However, they only have each other—dangerous companions who do not trust one another. I, on the other hand, have my two girls on my side,” he said, reaching out to ruffle Frankie’s hair as she stepped up close and looked up at the two of them, her hazel eyes wide with concern.
The girl’s face had gone white with fear. Jazz realized they had to drop the subject and get onto another.
“Trevor,” Jazz said, tongue in cheek, “Frankie has shown me that she has a special Fios gift, but she has never seen it in action, and I was thinking—”
“Oh, and what would this gift be?” He interrupted, smiling at Frankie.
Frankie shuffled her feet, shyly intent on studying the ground, so Jazz answered him, “She can create a fireball, and her mother told her it would attach itself to its target and usurp the magic of the Fae it is attached to. We are not sure how much power it will steal or for how long, and it is something we need to know, as it might come in handy—sooo, the only way to do that is to practice.”
A frown descended over his face, and he backed away while wagging a finger. “Oh no—oh no! You are not going to find out by using me as a shooting gallery—I am not a practice target, but a Royal. One does not test things out on a Royal.” He had already backed quite a distance away towards the mansion.
“Frankie, do your thing,” Jazz said, ignoring his protest.
“Oh, but I couldn’t do that to himself,” Frankie objected. “I just couldn’t …”