Page 52 of Taken By the Fae

“You’ve been avoiding me,” he says, ignoring what I asked.

“I have not. Quit evading my questions.”

“Quit evadingme,” he counters, his thumbs slipping under my shirt and grazing my skin, making it tingle.

I look away, pressing my lips together as I fight to ignore the pulsing between my thighs and the warmth in my stomach. “I’ve… been busy.”

“You’re spiraling,” he murmurs, dropping his hands to his sides. “I don’t want you to worry. Nothing is going to happen to you.”

My mouth goes dry. If I could speak, I have no idea what I’d say. I’d rather know I can protect myself, but his reassurance that my safety means something makes it hard to keep convincing myself I don’t want to test whatever is growing between us.

“During the meeting this morning, I was informed that a woman named Danielle was the fae who poisoned you.”

I have to swallow more than once before I say, “What? No. She… I don’t… We’re friends.”

“She confessed.” I can’t feel his emotions anymore, but the furrow of his brows and downturn of his lips tell me enough. He’s upset that I’m upset.

“But why?” I ask in a small voice.

“I had Max spend some time with her to see whether he could find out. All he gathered is that she felt bitter toward you because of something Jules said. He’s always made a game of screwing with people, so I’m not surprised.”

“Max?” The idea of him helping me—it’s almost unfathomable. “What would this Jules guy have to say about me?”

“We don’t know. Danielle stopped talking after she told Max about Jules. She’s been dealt with.” I knew what that meant. I wouldn’t see Danielle in class anymore.

Tears gather in my eyes. “She’s dead.” It isn’t a question.

Tristan nods, his back straight, as if my emotional response is making him uncomfortable. He snags my chin, holding my gaze. “Would you have liked me to spare her?”

My whole body tenses. “I couldn’t make that call.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to.” His thumb traces the line of my jaw. “I told you—I will protect my people.”

My eyes widen, and heat rises in my cheeks. “If your blood activated some weird magic inside me, why didn’t the fae poison she tried to kill me with do anything like that?” I’m annoyed for not thinking of it sooner, but frankly, I’ve been doing my best to forget that night.

He presses his lips together. “You remember the black veins under your skin? Those appeared as your body tried to fight the poison, but because you’re human, it didn’t work.”

I swallow hard. “Do you think more unseelie fae will come after me?”

“I’m handling it.” He lowers his voice. “I won’t let you get hurt.” His fiery gaze burns into me, making my pulse race as his words terrify me and bring me comfort all at once. Nothing makes sense right now, but I’m pretty sure I enjoyed hearing him say those words a little too much.

ChapterFourteen

I’ve been back on campus for a week since spending that night at Tristan’s when I was poisoned, and Allison has been looking out for me. Tristan also assured me there are other seelie fae on campus keeping an eye on me, which in other circumstances would’ve freaked me out more than comforted me. But that was before the unseelie court made me their target.

Allison hasn’t mentioned seeing Evan since Danielle tried to kill me, and I haven’t asked. If she thinks seeing him in secret is safe, I have to trust her. I need my best friend.

I use the rest of the day to work on readings and get started on a couple of assignments. I’m stuffing my face with cold pizza when someone knocks on the door. I get up and open it to find a tall guy with sharp green eyes and cropped dark brown hair. He’s dressed casually in a T-shirt with a black leather jacket and jeans.

“Can I help you?” I ask, holding onto the door.

The guy scratches the back of his neck as his eyes roam over my face. “Is Allison around?”

“You must be Evan.”

He nods, pulling his hand out of his pocket and sticking it out to me. “You’re Aurora, right?”

I glance at it, then shake it gingerly, nodding. “Allison isn’t here.”

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