Page 118 of Taken By the Fae

Nikolai’s expression transforms, going from light and at ease to something dark, hard. Haunted. “Yes,” he says in a low voice. In the space of a heartbeat, his face returns to his normal, but my head is spinning. I want to ask him what happened, but I can’t bring myself to do it. Not with the way he looked moments ago.

“You need to order something.” His eyes return to the menu as mine flick toward the sound of coffee beans grinding in a machine behind the counter at the front of the café. “Their French toast is a-fucking-mazing.”

My chest tightens. “No French toast.” I struggle not to think about the morning before the gala in Tristan’s kitchen.

“All right,” he says. “I’m going to eat my weight in blueberry pancakes. Feel free to join me.”

I take one more look at the menu as the waiter stops at our table, then order a fruit bowl before Nikolai asks for the largest plate of blueberry pancakes available.

Once the waiter is gone, Nikolai leans in and lowers his voice. “Here’s the plan: after we eat, I’m going to take you to the feeder unit. I would’ve taken you there first, but this place was on the way, and as we established, I’m fucking starving.”

I prod the inside of my cheek with my tongue. “I’m not sure about the whole feeding unit thing.” The whole thing still seems freaky.

He takes a sip of coffee. “I’m going to be with you the whole time, so you don’t need to worry. Your first feed can be overwhelming, but I’m confident it’ll go well.”

“Because you’re going to be there?” I ask sarcastically.

He smirks, leaning back. “Now you’re getting it.”

I stop myself from rolling my eyes. Nikolai can be a bit much, but while he’s helping me, I’m going to have to deal with it. Until I can feed without fear of hurting someone, I need him.

Allison and Tristan would both hate me not going to them for help, but I can’t. They’re too important. Nikolai doesn’t know me. He’s someone I can learn from, and he seems to enjoy showing me the ropes.

“How often will I have to feed?”

“The norm for most fae is once every couple of days. Older fae can go up to a week between feeds, though most don’t because that also means their abilities aren’t as strong. That said, it’ll be a learn-as-we-go sort of process to see what feels best to you. You’ve gotten away without feeding for so long because you took the energy Jules had when he died and what I gave you. Once you’ve fed for real the first time, we’ll have a baseline to go off.”

I’m not sure what I was hoping to hear—probably that I didn’t have to feed at all, which is absurd—but the weight on my chest feels heavier.

Nikolai wolfs down his food, cleaning his plate, while I pick at the fruit in front of me. I’m hoping that once I feed, I can go back to eating like normal.

After breakfast, we head down the sidewalk. I don’t know where we’re going, so I follow Nikolai.

“Is feeding immediately after eating human food a good idea?” I ask.

“Eating human food fills our stomachs, while feeding boosts our energy and abilities.” He glances over at me. “The feeder unit is a few blocks ahead.”

“Do these humans know about the fae? Or do they have their memories wiped?”

He shrugs. “It depends on the human. They’re extensively evaluated after their first feeding session to see if they’re likely to commit to more, and if not, someone from the security team will erase any memories that human has of the fae.”

“Are there some who keep their memories?” That sounds like it has the potential to be dangerous. Aren’t they worried about exposure?

“Yes,” he answers. “Feeding can be addictive for both parties, but usually more so for the human. They enjoy it, and most want to continue being fed from. They are monitored and most live normal, mundane lives outside of the feeding units.”

“How many units are there?” I suppose I should be relieved that there are places fae can feed safely.

“In the city? Last I heard there were ten, but more will open in the future. It’s a safer alternative to feeding in public.”

“You don’t seem concerned about doing that,” I mutter.

He chuckles. “That’s because I’ve been feeding for a long time, Aurora. I’m good at it and I won’t hurt anyone. Feeding from crowds is typically safer than taking from an individual.”

I nod, then hesitate before asking, “How old are you?”

He flicks his tongue over his bottom lip and smirks a bit. “Old.”

“First fae war old?”

---