Page 22 of The White Stag
“Please do.”
“What Cyrus was inelegantly trying to explain is that some women get pleasure from making their bed partner feel good. It’s not some one-sided thing. Decent men enjoy returning the favor. It’ssupposedto feel good for both people unless you’re a selfish knob. Word gets out about that. We don’t slut shame in the Unseelie Court, but word gets around if you are lousy in bed. No one wants to be bored out of their mind while a mediocre man sweats on top of them. There are books and videos out there that teach the basics if you can get over yourself to pick one up.”
“The gynecologist Alastair took me to said sex wasn’t supposed to feel good, and it was only for making babies, but I think Alastair paid him to tell me that along with the lie that I wasn’t supposed to soak in the bathtub.”
“It’s sad when a gynecologist doesn’t even know what the clitoris is for,” Finnan growled.
“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation over eggs while Reagan detoxes off iron poisoning,” Oisin moaned.
“Why shouldn’t we?” Cyrus said. “We aren’t mortal, and all three of us grew up in the Unseelie Court. Sex is nothing to be ashamed of, and it’s perfectly natural for Reagan to have questions after Alastair had a medical professional lie to her about it, and he prevented her from experimenting. She’s not embarrassed asking. So why should we be answering?”
“Seriously. I’m not in elementary school anymore. I’m nineteen, and they prevented me from doing everything normal teenagers do. It’s not like I have anyone else I can ask. After everything you’ve told me about the Unseelie Court, I’m not sure why anything I do embarrasses you.”
“It’s not that, love. We were trying to ease you into everything Unseelie, because you were raised human, but you’re just jumping headfirst into everything. I guess we had certain expectations since you thought you were human and lived that long with a deranged Seelie who tried to brainwash you. You surprise us, but once we get over it, it’s just so damned glorious that he failed,” Finnan said.
“It really is, and if you want to doanythingjust to spite Alastair again, we’ll try not to act shocked again,” Oisin said. “What do you want to do today?”
“I still feel terrible, but I think I’d feel better if I could just lie outside in the garden.”
“I’ll grab some blankets and pillows,” Cyrus said.
“I’ll get snacks,” Finnan said.
“I’ll be your taxi again,” Oisin said, scooping me up.
How perfect were they? I hoped we had reached an agreement where my monsters stopped getting embarrassed by me experimenting and asking questions.
Reagan
Iadored swimming, but I also just loved being outside. I was starfished on a blanket with pillows in the middle of my monster’s garden, and maybe it was just my imagination, but the pain was a little less. Finnan was feeding me grapes from the Unseelie realm that tasted like a cross between grapes and watermelon.
“Why does being outside make me feel better?” I sighed.
“Because you’re Fae,” Oisin said. “We have a deep connection to nature. You’re a Fire sign, so basking in the sun is a contentment thing. No one would have seen you outside at Alastair’s with that obscene fence he had up. He barely let you out because it’s torture for a Fae. We don’t even do that to criminals who did terrible shit to get locked up.”
“I hate him.”
“Girl, same,” Finnan said.
“Speaking of, Estrella wants a check-in with all of us. Reagan, she said not until you’re ready. I’ve been tracking Alastair, and it’s safe for you to stay out here without us while we make this call.”
“Shut it, dick. She doesn’t need three monsters up her arse twenty-four-seven. Women need privacy and secrets. No one is going to get close, and if they do, we’ll be out here before she finishes screaming,” Finnan said.
“I really don’t want to go back inside,” I said.
“And we aren’t going to make you. We’ll be back,” Oisin said.
I sighed and let the sun hit my face when they left. They weren’t gone long when I got this weird feeling in my gut that I wasn’t alone. My stomach wasn’t exactly cooperating with me at the moment, but I’d already ended up with a madman once. So I was at least going to check.
I ignored the pain and weakness in my bones and managed to roll over. There were two glowing red eyes in this weird-looking hedge with flowers that had rainbow coloring. I let out a shriek and struggled to get to my feet.
An absolutely enormous black cat came stalking out of the bushes. It was definitely Fae, because its eyes were glowing, and it appeared to have some kind of bag around its neck. My heart was pounding in my chest, and not even the adrenaline coursing through my veins was enough to get my ass off this blanket.
I was trying to crab crawl backward before this thing ate me, then I heard it purring. It crouched down and wriggled its butt like a house cat one of my foster parents had when it wanted to play. The cat was roughly the size of a horse with deadly teeth and claws, but now that I really looked at him, I didn’t think he was here to hurt me.
But who the fuck was he? My monsters came hurtling into the garden.
“Tucker!” Cyrus yelled. “Change back and explain what the fuck you’re doing here and why you are terrorizing Reagan.”
