Warrior Fae Princess (Warrior Fae 2)
“Enough of this,” Devon said, his body brimming with controlled supremacy. “You have to learn to master it until we can get you training. You’ll end up hurting yourself or one of your own.”
Like a balloon popping, the painful prickles and tiny punching fists dissolved. Her posture lost that breathtakingly lethal edge. She looked like a fallen angel, unsure, worried, and vulnerable. Steve’s heart squished.
“Get in the car,” Devon said softly, not yet letting go of his magic.
Heaving a sigh as she turned, she muttered, “I hate this weird magic.”
Steve let chuckles relieve the tension. Now he understood why the young pup had transformed into such a strong alpha. Devon had needed to gain strength, power, and control to combat the unbalanced and unpredictable magic of the budding warrior fae. Roger had mentioned it, but he couldn’t have prepared Steve for the experience. Steve had heard that her kind were mostly gentle and loving, but if roused, they’d rip the world apart. Devon had risked his own safety and well-being to help her control the uncontrollable. He was a good man, but what a trip.
Note to self: bed only trained warrior fae.
“This is the control you have over your pack?” Dale asked as everyone started toward the vans.
“Dave, give it a rest, would ya?” Steve said before Devon could turn around. He ran his fingers through his hair.
“My name is—”
“I agree,” Cole intoned. “Give it a rest. At least until the fae has calmed down. That wasn’t…pleasant.”
“Neither is the volume of your voice,” Steve murmured.
“Never enter a library with him,” Barbara said, breaking off to go in the front van with Devon and Charity. Steve grinned, mostly because she wasn’t kidding. Also because she’d rather ride with an unpredictable fae than Loudmouth Larkin.
“I get the feeling the girl and Daddy dearest don’t get along?” Dale whispered as they neared the rear van.
“From what I gather, he was an abusive prick,” Steve said, climbing into the van beside Andy. Rod glanced back from the driver’s seat, but Macy, in the front passenger side, ignored them.
“A drunk, abusive prick and the reason her mother left her,” Andy added as Cole swung into the rear, followed by Dale. Andy nodded at Steve. “Hey. Good to have ya.”
“How’s your face?” Steve replied.
“Why? Do I have scratches all over it?”
“You can’t feel the road rash?”
“Not over the throb in my shoulder, no.”
“If she can’t control her magic, traveling through the Realm will not be…easy,” Cole said.
“Neither will being in confined spaces with you,” Macy murmured.
Steve huffed out a laugh while he rubbed his temples. “You’re both right. Let’s hope Emery is as good as everyone says. Otherwise, we’re not going to get very far.”Chapter TwoDevon exhaled slowly as he took Charity’s hand. His eyes darted up to meet Dillon’s in the rearview mirror. They exchanged the same silent message they’d pinged back and forth on multiple occasions these last couple weeks, waiting to finish the quarter so Charity wouldn’t miss any school. We’re running out of time.
It had initially been agreed that Charity could get through the spring quarter, but Devon worried they’d waited a month or more too long.
The van turned down yet another decrepit street, badly needing roadwork and clearly ignored by the city. This area of town had no end of them. Charity curled up to his side on the seat and dropped her head to his shoulder. Warmth unfurled in his middle, easing the anxiety that threatened to strangle him.
He’d known he would run into dominance issues with the new and more experienced pack members, but he hadn’t realized it would come so soon. Dale hadn’t even given Devon half a chance to lead before he’d challenged him. Given that Dale was ten times more experienced, Devon wasn’t sure he could take the grizzled veteran. He knew for a fact his pack couldn’t handle all three if they decided to band together. The new shifters were hardened. Savage. If it hadn’t been for Charity, this journey would’ve taken a bad turn before it had even begun.
“I wouldn’t give you this role if you didn’t have her by your side.”
Roger had said that after the battle with Vlad.
“Fighting is awfully hard when you’re being flung through a window.”
Devon stroked his thumb across Charity’s smooth skin. Roger must’ve known this would happen. He must’ve known Charity would be willing to help Devon. Willing, and more than able.
A sudden surge of pride turned immediately to fear. She was wobbling. Hard.
Her power earlier had been sharp and biting. When it hurt even Devon, he knew it was blistering through her, sapping her energy and draining her resources. If the surge had been any stronger, she might’ve passed out.
He was terrified that one day she wouldn’t wake up.
The van slowed to a stop. Charity looked beyond him and out the window, then grimaced. The disgusted expression crumpled into worry. “We’re not going to find anything in there related to magic, Devon. I grew up in that house. If there was something as interesting as magic, trust me, I would’ve known.”