Page 3 of Bound By Blood
"That's not a dog!" He stalked closer but halted at the threshold. "Hand that over. The longer this takes, the worse it gets."
"What do you mean 'worse?'" she demanded, stepping back farther into the house. "What are you going to do with him?"
"It's none of your concern what I do with my magic. Turn that thing over now!" His gaze darkened.
"No!" She returned the glare.
"So be it." He twisted his hand around as if seizing something from the air.
The dog yipped, his eyes bugging as he started to levitate in the air out of her arms and toward the door.
No!
She swept her arms up and caught hold of the ugly pup. His wings folded tight to his back as he cowered against her.
"You let this dog go right now!" Hugging him to her chest, she resisted the tug and pull. How was that even working? The wards were supposed to prevent that. "Let him gonow!"
The blood fae's eyes widened. He dropped his hand to his side. "That isn't yours. You can't do that. You're supposed to let go."
"You aren't welcome here!" She slammed the door in his face.
Stupid blood fae.
"I beg your pardon!" he shouted from the other side.
"Beg all you like, it doesn't change that you aren't welcome." She scratched the little dog under the chin. He barely weighed anything at all. "Poor darling. Was the bad fae trying to hurt you?"
This really was bad. She needed to figure out some way to diffuse the situation. Fae held grudges, and while she was safe in here, that wasn't a permanent thing.
"You can't hide in there forever. That's my magic you're holding. I need it back now. How dare you steal from a blood fae!"
She snuggled the dog closer. He whimpered as he curled up against her. "Don't worry, sweetheart," she whispered. "I won't let him anywhere near you." She then glared at the door as if he could see her through it. "Listen up, fancy fae man, I am not impressed, and I won't let you near this dog."
"Fancy fae man?" Indignation filled the fae's voice, sending it into a higher octave. He almost sounded like a boy for a moment. "I am of a legendary family, one of great renown."
"Really? Renowned for what? Bad taste?"
Creator preserve her, she just couldn't keep her mouth shut. Antagonizing a blood fae worked as well as adding old onions, wrinkled jalapenos, and aged habaneros to the stew pot. Everybody paid. She was going to have to figure out a solution.
Hurrying to the other side of the room, she opened up the chest and placed the little dog inside. "You sit here and be good," she whispered, patting him on the head.
He lay down, cocking his head as his tail wagged a little slower. But he didn't even whimper as she shut the lid.
A loud hiss followed as the blood fae moved to the nearest open window and glared in at her. Good grief, his shoulders filled the frame. "You will return to me what is mine," he growled.
"He doesn't want to go with you." She removed a cast iron skillet from the wall and tucked it behind her back as she met his gaze. "Go away now."
He folded his arms. "Do you think I'm afraid of you and your pan, human woman? Come out here and face me in the free air if you're so confident in your skills."
"Pass." She strode up to the window and narrowed her eyes at him. "I know better than to go outside on a night like this unless I have to. There are monsters out there."
Usually just dragons and night gryphons. But apparently a blood fae as well.
"Yet you let that thing inside." He glowered at her.
"You mean the puppy?"
"It's not a puppy," he snapped, then covered his face. "It's magic—why am I even trying to explain this to you? It isn't any of your concern."
