Page 5 of Beneath the Starlight and Storms

“I really don’t care what you believe.” I give him an impassive look while feeling a flare of anger at how everything has turned out in the end.

Something flashes in Hook's eyes. It’s there and gone before I catch it.

“There she is,” he whispers, a hint of relief flashing through his eyes.

He steps forward and his musky scent hits me, momentarily distracting me from his words as I’m brought back to a moment in time, three years ago, right before he left Neverland.

Soft-spoken words and gentle touches. Whispers and promises of something more and a kiss that burned and blazed to life before leaving nothing but lingering embers behind.

Pushing back the memory, and the lingering burn and pain it left, Hooks words finally filter through my mind.

“Who?” I ask.

He moves back, a tilt to his lips and spark of light in his eyes as he stares down at me.

“A glimmer of the fearless Tink I once knew.”

Fearless? The thought alone seems laughable. Especially with all the foolish choices I’ve made.

Now that I think about it, when was Ieverfearless? When I ran away from everything and everyone and came to Neverland? Hid there and shut myself away from the world and everyone in it?

No. I wasneverfearless. I was just too frightened to do anything else. And if not for Hook and Peter showing up not too long after, I never would have had any contact with anyone ever again. I would have stayed there until I died.Alone.

The Tink he once knew was long gone. But I don’t tell him that. Instead, I feign any regrets and fears I have for anger and aim it right at him. It grows into something real as he smirks at me, and blazes to life as that same smirk grows wicked, his eyes trailing down the length of me before finding my eyes once more.

“I guess you’re right. Some peopledochange.” His tone turns husky and deep, his eyes darkening.

As if transported back to that day on the beach three years ago, my body grows heated under his dark stare.

I step back, and away from him and whatever this is trying to spark to life between us. And accidentally bump into the man that was working alongside him.

Standing just a couple inches shorter than Hook, with wavy black shoulder-length hair and warm brown eyes, he gives me a friendly smile that puts me at ease.

With a bemused look, he glances from me to Hook. “What’s the plan, boss?”

Boss?

I shake off the multiple questions coming from that little title and start to think of what I’m going to do now.

Hook watches me for a moment before answering him. “She’s coming with us.”

I balk at his words. “No. I’m not.” My basic knowledge of the Mortal Realm tells me I should be able to blend in and find some place to stay until I can figure everything out. My Fae appearance isn’t really an issue with me already looking like a human. The only power I have is being able to sense other energies and heal quicker than a human. It’s not something anyone can sensefromme. So anyone else from one of the other Realms will assume, as always, that I’m just a dud Fae. Just like Hook.

My other…formwill never be revealed, so I have nothing to worry about.

And thanks to my ring, my location is blocked from those wanting to find me. I run my thumb across the base of my middle finger out of habit, and my stomach swiftly drops when I find it bare.

My ring… I glance down at my hand, hoping my fingers are just too numb with the cold to feel it, but my finger is completely bare.

How did I not notice it was gone?If I don’t have my ring, they’ll be able to locate me with a simple spell. And everything I’ve worked for will have been for nothing.

I take a deep breath and quickly shove the panic down so I can think logically about this.

It’s been nearly seven years. They won’t be checking for you every minute of every day. You have time. Time to find it or figure something out.

You have time.

I push down the last of my fears and focus on finding my ring while Hook’s words slowly filter in around me.

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