“Taser used to be our rhythm guitarist. Pinkie and him were best friends. I’m not sure how they met, but they were practically joined at the hip. They started this band. And Taser and Bell, they fell for each other, and fell hard—” he looks at me before continuing, “—and then everything fell apart when Bell’s bond was activated. She’s an air elemental. Anyways, her and Taser swore they wouldn’t let the bond get in between them. They were in love.” As he tells the story, I picture Taser with Bell, the two of them gazing longingly into each other’s eyes. It’s heartbreaking.
“But then she met her bondmate, right?” I prompt.
He lets out a sigh. “Yup. She fell in love with her mate, and even though she loved Taser, it wasn’t anything compared to that bond. We tried everything to make sure Taser felt like he could stay with us, but he left the band. Pinkie never really forgave him for leavinghim, you know? There was some other stuff too. A couple of the guys wanted to use a fae as bait for a wraith, and Taser didn’t agree. I didn’t either, for the record. Butanyways, it all got a bit fucked after that. Things were just never the same.”
I lay my hand on his forearm. “That sounds really hard to go through. We had a similar issue with Goddess’ Trance, minus the wraith-hunting part,” I add.
He nods knowingly. “That old lead guitarist you guys had. Your ex. I never really liked him.”
I laugh. “How come?”
He pushes a strand of hair behind my ear. “I read an interview with him and your sister—when I was stalking Taser online to see how he was doing—and I dunno, his answers just seemed really narcissistic.”
“I’m not at all surprised,” I reply.
“I asked around about you, after that scene he made.” He gently strokes a finger along my jaw. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. And I know you have a true bond waiting out there for you, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have something special just for a little while, if that’s what you want,” he adds at the end.
I let out a breath. I don’t know what to say to that. Mostly because I don’t actually know what I want. I want to feel powerful. I don’t want to keep walking through life starving, but I look at his runeless eyes and can’t help but think what’s the point?
But just because it won’t last forever, doesn’t mean it’s not worth it. And I like him. He’s nice, caring, but also fun and sexy. “I think, maybe, that doesn’t sound so bad,” I say with a tentative smile.
He returns it, leaning in closer and running his thumb along my lower lip. I make no move to stop him and he leans closer still, his lips brushing against mine. My fingers find his forearm and trail along his arm to his chest, where I plant them. Grim moves his hand to the side of my face, angling me so he candeepen the kiss. Warmth spreads through me and I kiss him back, winding my fingers into his shirt.
Awareness that we’re in public comes flooding through me and I break the kiss, a little breathless. Pink colors my cheeks. I look down at the picnic blanket, catching my breath.
“If you want to take this somewhere a bit more private, I definitely won’t mind,” Grim says, chuckling as he smooths down my hair.
I glance out at the grassy area we’re sitting at. It’s still relatively quiet here, most of the festival goers down by the stages and food.
But my gaze lands on a tall figure, dressed all in black from head to toe.
Pisces.
He’s looking at Grim and I, but before I can even really register it, he’s turned and walking away.
I almost get to my feet, some weird tug in my stomach pushing me to go after him. But to do what? Say hi?
Thank him for the hoodies?
Slap him in the face for being an ass when we first met?
Slap him so hard he cries and I can steal his tears and run off?
“Do you know him well?” Grim asks, his gaze traveling over to me.
“Not really, but he’s kind of an ass.”
“You could say that,” Grim responds, darkly.
“Why don’t you like him?” I ask, swiveling to face Grim again.
Grim’s eyes follow Pisces as he disappears into the crowd.
“He was with you when you found the body? And earlier when you met the girl during the scavenger hunt?”
“Yeah.” He was also in the garden that first night. But he showed up after I’d sat down. There’s no way he killed Carly—the redheaded woman. Her dress flashes in my mind.Unless he wascoming back to clean up the evidence?I shake my head to clear the thought. There’s no way.
He nods, his eyes dark again. “It’s not the first time a fan of theirs has turned up dead.”
