Page 95 of By the Fae

Joey spoke as though in another room. “Shit, Horns, he’s fucking run away. I knew he’d do that.”

“Let’s get you inside,” Taurin said to me, in a voice so gentle I would not have believed a man of his size capable.

He wrapped an arm around my middle and lifted me to my feet as easily as if I were made of pillow stuffing. Joey held the front of the patchwork blanket closed, and together, they guided me, not into the living room like I’d been expecting, but upstairs to their room.

Joey sat me on the end of her bed. The pair of them disappeared. I think Taurin said something like, “I’ll make coffee,” but I couldn’t be sure.

“Do you have any clothes here? Gold—Um, I thought you kept some in his wardrobe,” Joey said when she returned moments later.

“I took them all home,” I replied. The words felt hollow, my mouth numb. Like dental surgery numb. “Our deal ended. I took all my clothes home. I came over on Saturday night with only the dress I was wearing.”

“It’s fine,” she said, rubbing my arms in the same way you might warm a shivering child. “I’ve got something you can wear.” She kissed the top of my head and walked over to her wardrobe.

It was only then I noticed how big their bed was. I looked around the room, trying to distract my thoughts. His bedside table neat and ordered. Hers heaped with stuff. Empty glasses, paperbacks, jewellery, pills.

“You might have to go commando,” she said, opening and closing her drawers. “I don’t think any of my underwear will fit you.”

What I meant to say was, “That’s okay.” What I actually said was, “Will he come back?”

“Oh, honey.” She was at my feet, crouched down in front of me, her hands on my knees, which poked free from the blanket. She had a dress draped over her lap. Red. “I . . .” She began, but never made it past that one syllable.

That was a no then.

He wasn’t coming back.

She knew him as well as I did. Better, in some ways.

A fresh wave of sobbing burst from me.

Joey abandoned the dress and wrapped herself around me, pulling my head down to her motherly chest.

After what could have been five minutes, or it could have been an hour, I heard Taurin’s rumbling voice in the hallway. He was talking to someone. I couldn’t tell who, but I didn’t let myself feel even a tiny ray of hope that it might be Goldie.

“It’s Dima,” Joey said, answering my unspoken question, not removing her stroking hand from my hair for a second. “He might be able to help.”

Taurin walked into the room. He presented me with a milky coffee. “I didn’t know how you take it, so I put four sugars in.”

“Four sugars? Babe, come on, she’s not Goldie.”

He pulled an‘eeek’ face and mouthed, “I didn’t know,” to his wife.

How is it possible that there was so much love in that one look between them? A look that conveyed reprimand, an apology, and a promise to hold each other a little tighter when they next had a moment alone.

I would never have that with Goldie. Or anyone, probably.

Would I ever get to that point in a relationship where I could tell my partner off with a glance? And why did I want that so badly? It didn’t make sense.

It makes sense. I want that too,someone said. I looked around for the source. Joey and Taurin had shown no sign they heard the mystery voice.Sometimes they don’t realise how saccharine they can be. Especially when you’ve been chronically lonely for centuries.

“What?” I said. Was I hearing things now too?

No, I’m right here.From the doorway, the vampire waved at me.

“You’re telepathic?” I said, probably louder than the moment called for. Joey's and Taurin’s heads shot towards the open door.

“D, did you hear anything before he left?” Joey said, ignoring my outburst, and getting to her feet.

Dima walked into the room. No, walked wasn’t quite the right word, more like surged. “Nothing. I was asleep,” he said, out loud. Did I imagine him talking into my mind?

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