Page 103 of Taken By the Fae

I nod, looking through the old stained-glass door to see people walking around, sitting and talking at the bar. “Are the fae in there going to know who I am?” I ask with a slight tremor in my voice, trying to squash the fear that’s rolling through me like dark, violent waves. Maybe coming to a bar with fae wasn’t the best move.

“Some might, but no one is going to give you any trouble. Much to Tristan’s dismay, I have friends from both courts, some of which are inside.” She takes my hand and squeezes it. “I’ve got your back.”

“I… Okay.”

Heads turn the moment we walk inside, making it clear which of the patrons are fae. I suppose the good news is that the place is also filled with humans, making it easier for me to walk across the room without being ambushed by angry fae. Looking at some of their faces makes me want to hightail it out of here and never come back. To be fair, they don’talllook like they’d enjoy seeing my head on a stick.

Allison walks ahead, stopping at the bar, and the lone bartender turns to face us. He’s rocking some epic stubble, and his dark brown hair falls across his forehead as if he’s tired of pushing it out of his face.

“Can we get a couple of beers, please?” she asks, sliding onto a stool. “Whatever you have on tap is fine.”

“Sure thing.” His eyes slide to mine and the grin fades as I take the stool next to Allison. “Aurora Marshall,” he says in a deep voice.

My heart lurches in my chest.This guy knows who I am.“Um, hi. I don’t think we’ve met?” I say, because how else do I phrase,how the hell do you know who I am?

“Nope. But you’ve quickly become the topic of a lot of conversations. Girlfriend of the seelie king’s favorite knight and the human who killed one of our knights.”So he’s unseelie then. “You’re the talk of many around here.”

My stomach sinks. “How… how’d you know that was me?”

He shrugs. “Fae are nosy. Someone must’ve looked you up, because your picture has been circulating in a few unseelie circles.”

That’s fucking great.

“Oh.”

“Gotta say, you don’t look like someone I’d expect to take down Jules, though I suppose if you’re with Westbrook, there must be something special about you.”

“Deacon,” Allison cuts in, glaring at him. “Be nice.”

He pours us each a beer and sets them on the bar, looking mostly at Allison. “On the house.”

“Thanks.” I take a small sip, hoping my stomach won’t reject it.

Deacon nods at us before walking away to serve a customer on the other side of the bar.

“I want to ask how you’re doing,” Allison says in a quiet voice, as if she’s hoping I won’t hear it, then takes a sip of her beer.

I turn to her. We’re sitting close enough together and far enough away from the others at the bar that, if they’re human, they won’t overhear something they shouldn’t. “So ask.”

“You don’t want to talk about it. I can tell by the look on your face, but it’s been a week since it happened, and I need to know you’re okay.”

“I’m not,” I say. “I’m not sleeping. I can barely stomach food. I’m tired and dizzy all the time, and I have no idea how to deal with everything.”

She takes a deep breath. “Most of that will go away once you feed. The last time I went that long without feeding…” She shudders, shaking her head. “Please, just let me take you to a feeder unit.”

I blink at her. “Awhat?”

“A place where humans go to be fed on and fae go to, well, feed.”

My eyes widen. I’m not sure why this is the first I’m hearing of it. Granted, every other time Allison has brought up feeding in the last week, I’ve quickly shut her down. “Is that legal?” Somehow, I doubt it. A lot.

“Human laws aren’t written with consideration to the existence of fae.” She takes a drink of her beer. “Either way, the humans aren’t in danger and are well paid.”

“They’re paid?” That sounds… dirty. Wrong.

Her eyes scan me. “Your emotions are all over the place.”

I glance at her but see nothing. “I can’t see yours, so I’m assuming there’s a way to hide them? Can you show me how?” This doesn’t feel like a great place to work on my fae abilities, but we’re here and I need to figure this out—now, preferably. The sooner I can hide my emotions, the better I’ll feel in front of the other fae. “I don’t need the fae knowing my insecurities, and if I run into Tristan, I don’t want—I mean, it would be easier if—Please just show me.”

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