Page 29 of Last Ride of the Umbra Fae

Such a smart little boy. The back of my throat burned as tears stung my eyes. I looked at the tops of his ears where his tips used to be, and I knew he was using a glamor to hide the jagged scars, but somehow, I could see them. Something inside me broke. I lifted my sleeve to expose the scars on my forearm. His eyes widened again when he saw how bad they were.

“No matter what they try to take from us, we are still fae. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.”

“Why do you hide them?” he asked. The question took me back.

“Well, it’s not that I’m ashamed. People just ask too many questions. I’m not one to draw attention to myself. I prefer to be?—”

“Like a shadow?” he guessed.

I smiled faintly. “Yeah, kind of like that.”

He nodded.

“And don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” I said, my eyes flashing to his ears. He shyly brushed a few golden locks away from his face.

“I know. That’s why I told you.” He smiled with more confidence this time.

I didn’t want to draw out this conversation in fear someone might notice. “This pouch has enough for you to buy anything you like. A man like you has to start somewhere. You know, establish yourself. Who knows, maybe one day, you’ll own this damn joint.”

His chest puffed out a little with pride as the pouch disappeared inside his pocket. “Thank you.”

I watched him walk off.

“Well look at you being all sensitive and shit.”

I spun on my stool to meet the eyes of Ryder, who was casually leaning against the bar.

“Not exactly, it’s just?—”

“It’s okay, I won’t tell a living soul you’re a softy on the inside.” He half grinned and cupped his hand over mine, stroking the scars up my wrist with the pad of his thumb, rekindling that heat. That spark fluttered up my arms, across my chest, and up my face.

“Are you blushing, Desert Storm?”

My head tilted back as I laughed, holding my hat in the process.

I leaned an elbow onto the weathered wood of the bar and slightly side-eyed him, reaching out the only way I knew how, through darkness. A rope-like shadow wove in my hand. With a devious thought, it slipped behind his leather belt, sliding through each loop until it was completely wrapped around his waist. I manipulated his power ofNai, weaving it to my whim because his mind was being driven by his cock. I reined him in so quickly, with an effortless tug, he was wedged between my thighs so that only the two of us could see the magic I held over him.

An invisible tether wrapped around his neck, forcing him to lean down until my gloved hand was also wrapped around histhroat. A faint tendril of darkness followed as it curled around him.

He took it as an invitation, grip tightening on the ledge of the bar, hanging over me as desire churned in his eyes. With a long, claiming lick, my tongue slid from his chin to the seam of his lips, finishing with a lustrous gaze, satisfied when his face turned red against his sun-kissed skin.

“Look who’s blushing now,” I whispered.

The crowd blurred around us the moment a song began to play. The sound of a guitar and piano pushed me to my feet. I never got to dance the way I wanted, in the middle of a room where nothing else seemed to matter. I wanted him to follow me, wanted to know how far he’d go, to see if he would chase and try to finish what had barely begun. I released him from my grip, the faint mist of shadows dissipating in my wake as I slipped into the crowd, leaving him where he stood. I didn’t look back. I weaved through swaying arms and hips, moving past dancing bodies damp with sweat and clusters of smells. I felt the rise of freedom within every gentle push off the ground, closing my eyes as my head swayed to the beat. I glanced over at the bar to find an empty seat where Ryder had been.

His loss, I thought as I continued to move.

Suddenly, there was a second set of strings adding to the beat. The crowd parted at the right moment for me to see that Ryder was the second guitarist, watching me dance. His strumming became a siren’s call to my darkness. I succumbed to every note, to the brush of his nails chiming against every string as my hips moved from side to side. Time itself vanished as I closed my eyes, losing myself to the song.

Just when I thought I couldn’t feel any freer, a familiar arm wrapped around the cinch of my waist. A spark that could ignite any waning flame. I opened my eyes to find Ryder, leaning in as he gently moved me into his embrace. My breathing stilled,betraying my own heart in the way I was looking at him. It could match the fire churning in his eyes. He was enough to ruin me, careen me off a cliff, and in this moment, I didn’t mind. I forgot where I was, in a world full of hatred, where people died every day. It all seemed to fade into the ash we were all destined to become. He was here for now. The hollowness inside my chest began to swell, the ghost of who I had been tapping on the inside to be let out, reminding me she was still here.

I felt less of a vessel in his presence, more alive than I’d ever allowed myself to be. I brought my palm to his chest, feeling his pulse thrum beneath my fingertips as he caressed the column of my neck. Time stilled as we moved to the beat, both our hearts racing. I sucked in a shuddered breath, removing my glove and exposing my hand. I didn’t feel like the curse I was known to be. Shadows curled around us as I released them, blocking out the candle-lit room and those around us. I saw the threads of his power. The power ofNai.

“What are you doing?” He leaned down, whispering against my ear.

“I’m living.”

I moved my lips against his as we danced. Glowing orbs returned as if summoned by my touch alone, weaving around the parts of me others saw as evil. It was his power latching on to mine for as long as this song lasted. He combed his fingers through my hair. His lips were supple and soft, the scruff of his beard an aching reminder of our time in the desert, and I found myself considering where else I’d like him to explore.

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