Page 57 of Cursed Shadows 3

Though it was a long walk here, about an hour, I decide that Eamon found this place too easily. He knew exactly where this ice-cream shop was.

I’m suspecting too much of him now, like he’s done too much in this realm without me, activities and explorations beyond the duties of his career.

Eamon stretches his arms above his head. He stifles a yawn. “What others?”

I throw a glance around the crammed, white shop. No other humans in here, but the server in her red striped dress.

Ridge gestures his white spoon at Dare beside me at the glass counter, then at Daxeel who took the seat beside his sister. “You know, the others—the ones you’re often with.”

Aleana hums a sound of understanding. “Rune and Samick.”

“Samick would never come here,” Daxeel says, his tone cutting. “Rune wouldn’t risk it.”

It’s obvious what he means.

Rune wouldn’t risk the hit to his reputation. Especially not since he’s after a leadership role in General Caspan’s unit, particularly Bracken’s role of second-in-command. Running around the human realm for a spot of entertainment would not reflect well on him, no matter the reasons.

The server girl sighs something small, but undeniably impatient.

My head snaps to the side. The glare in my eyes washes out her face and she takes an instinctual step back.

Her impatience can make its way up her ass. It’s not like there are any patrons in this shop but us, so she can wait for Dare and I to order, as long as we take.

Dare couldn’t care less about the server girl. If he noticed her huffy sigh, and I’m sure he did, he doesn’t reward it with any response at all.

Dare tilts his head to the side as he eyes up the flavours on the other side of the glass. His fist tightens around a stack of human money parchment.

My gaze sweeps over the one titled ‘caramel’.

I tap my finger on the glass and order that one.

Dare orders the ‘rocky road’.

The server keeps her blank stare on us as she starts to pile ice-cream onto the wafer cones. Not once does she feel a moment safe enough to look away from us, despite our glamours.

I’m sure it’s got more to do with Dare than myself.

Her slight blush is for his obvious handsomeness, but the glint of fear in her gaze is for the threat that lurks a beneath his skin, like the slinking muscles of a tiger just strolling through the woods. Not on the prowl, but always what it is.

Her instincts warn her about me. But they scream for him.

And he’s only half-dokkalf.

She might just wet herself if Daxeel comes up to order anything.

Her gaze darts between us as she moves for the coin box.

I almost smile at her sharp nature.

It might serve her well one day, her wariness. Of course, I doubt she even suspects what we are. She only knows that we aren’t like her. Something off about us. But the realms have been separated for so long now, and we are little more than creatures in old stories lost to time.

Most of those stories were about my kind. The litalves.

Our kind interacted with them most.

To the humans, we are light fae, we are all fae, or we are angels. The ones of gods and even the fallen ones. But the dokkalves are demons, vampires, reapers and devils. Light or dark, no matter which side, we are forever embedded in the mortals’ immortal stories.

Maybe that’s why the girl is torn between the blush that burns her cheeks and the tremble of her hand as she taps some buttonson the money box. Her desire for Dare reddens her face, but her fear has her gaze cutting away every other second, and her voice trembling as she manages, “Nine pounds.”

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