The sound of his voice so close to my ear vibrated through my body, attacking my core. Damn. How could this angry man still be so sexy to me? I really had been single for too long. Still, his anger would not scare me. At least, I would try to not let it frighten me.
I turned my face to him, almost brushing his skin with my lips. “Oh, yeah? You’re gonna punish me? How? I might actually like it.”
He straightened up. His eyes neutral again. He considered me for a moment, not speaking. “Don’t test me, woman.”
I opened my mouth and gave an obnoxious fake yawn. “All these threats with no action. If you are trying to make me scared of you, I’m not. I know you’re an alpha and a captain, and you’re used to people following your orders, but I am not a soldier. I’m not a scared citizen here, either. You don’t rule me. I’m not an omega, so we have no connection. Whatever you were hoping to get out of keeping me here instead of taking me home, it’s not going to happen.”
A slow smile crept up his stupidly handsome face, his golden eyes twinkling. I tried to ignore how full and absolutely suckable those lips of his were. I licked my own lips, in spite of myself. I really had to check my horniness.
Yosef bit his lower lip, eyes lowering and nostrils flaring. I wasn’t sure if he knew I was ever so slightly turned on or if he was just holding in his anger. He really would be a pro at playing poker. “Lila, Lila, Lila. Beautiful, powerful, stubborn. I will break you, and you will respect me. You will come to wish that you had not been so disagreeable.”
He then left. I let out a deep exhale, not realizing that I was barely breathing that whole time. I had no clue if he was bluffing. Zelda told me to fall in line, but I refused. Was I being an idiot to not give in?
* * *
I’d never gone on a hunger strike before. I loved to eat good food. So, after two days of not eating, I thought perhaps this was my end.
And because I wasn’t eating, I just spent my time sleeping to help me ignore the hunger pangs. Both Zelda and Xander implored me to change my mind the first day and then let me know they were now banned from seeing me. Zelda also removed the books and entertainment projector from my room, so I had absolutely nothing to do.
So, I was bored, hungry, and sad. Yosef, the jackass, was actually forcing my hand. Well, I guess this was it. This was where my relatively short story ended. Coming home from a dinner with my bestie and her pack-o-men to get attacked by a creepy stranger and then sent to another world where I then get kidnapped by two hot but very dangerous men.
This was some bullshit.
I rolled over to my side and looked out of the window, overlooking the water. It was the morning of day six in the fae realm, and I had no clue what time exactly. I looked out over the lake. It was huge, and several homes surrounded it along with docks and what seemed like sand instead of grass, so it was almost beach-like, except it didn’t connect to an ocean. I saw boats on the water and fae fishing and swimming off in the distance.
They really seemed like a happy community. This was a far cry from what I expected to see for an unseelie community. They were painted as dangerous and evil, and although I wasn’t convinced that wasn’t true, I guess I’d thought the unseelie world would be immersed in darkness and clouds. Maybe even in underground cave systems. I certainly didn’t expect it to be so familiar looking, except for a few tad differences. It wasn’t exactly sunny. During the day, the sky stayed in a cloudy gray state. Nighttime, it seemed to really brighten with the large moon and ginormous stars. This part of the realm had an old-world feel but with advancements. This, of course, only came from what I saw outside the window and on the shows before my projector was removed.
A loud buzzing sound, like an electric saw, stole my attention from the window, and I turned, sitting upright as I listened in to the noise behind the bedroom door. Seconds later, the door opened, large hands wrapped around the edge of the door, and it was lifted away from the frame.
You must be kidding me.
Yosef soon appeared in the open space, a smug look on his face. “Good morning. I was thinking, if you are going to insist on staying in your room like you’re a caged animal, then we might as well take the door off so we can walk by and see the human on exhibit.”
I picked a pillow up and threw it at him. He thought he was so smart. He really wanted me out of the damn room. What I couldn’t figure out was why he didn’t just make it happen. He was clearly a powerful being. If he wanted me out, he could have forcibly removed me. Why hadn’t he?
He caught the pillow and held on to it. It wouldn’t take me long to figure out that whatever I threw at him would not be returned.
“If you want me out so bad, why don’t you just take me out of here? You have the power. Hope you don’t think it’s because you want to be a nice guy because this is absolutely not working. In fact, this is what we call in my world, doing the most. Do you act like this around other women? I bet you never have to do anything. You just walk around in your finely-tailored clothes and your smoldering looks and your captain status, and that’s all you need. Is it because I’m not throwing myself at your feet, and you can’t deal, so you’re going through all these dramatics?”
His face hardened, clearly seeing whatever game he was playing failing. “I made you a promise that I would not harm you. I told you that going out into my world, no matter how bright and pretty it may look, is not safe for humans. There are beings and things out there that would take much pleasure in devouring you. Yet, you remain ungrateful.”
I blew out a raspberry in annoyance. I grew up in the inner city. I wasn’t a fragile thing. People and the supernatural were a part of my daily life. They could steal, shoot, suck your blood, or tear your head off. I wasn’t naïve. “I’ll be grateful when you get me home. There are things that will kill me there too, but somehow, I survived.”
He ran a hand over his face, giving a frustrated sigh. “Woman, I have explained to you time and time again that since you were banished, particularly by non-fae magic, you cannot easily return. We’d have to break the banishment magic and then get permission to even let you return from the court. The portal guards will not let you through otherwise. So, I am simply trying to be nice, asking you to come out of your room. Yes, I could force you, but that would not build trust.”
I frowned, thoroughly confused now. Was he trying to make himself look like the nice guy out to protect me? No, he had made it very clear that he was keeping me for himself. And so, while his other points could be true, I also knew that he wasn’t being altruistic. He was getting something out of this too. He was using my hardship for his gain. I hadn’t worked out yet what his gain was beyond eating food with him, but he was keeping me here for a selfish reason, and I was going to find out. He wasn’t going to get me all comfortable, only to turn around and demand I bend over so he can have his way with me.
Xander suddenly appeared beside Yosef, hands in his pockets as he looked around the door frame. “Are we taking doors off, mate? I love a little exhibition. Warning, you might not like what you always see, but I can put on a good show for the pretty lady here.” He winked at me, and I rolled my eyes, shaking my head.
“Your boss is an ass,” I stated.
He smiled at me and reached out a hand. “Come on, darling, eat with us. He just wants some appreciation and to know you better, like I do.”
I looked out at his outstretched hand. I wasn’t buying that Yosef wanted to know me better. However, my hunger was starting to rule my brain, and I didn’t have a strong death wish.
I huffed and walked to the door, putting my hand in Xander’s. It was unnecessary contact, but it seemed to make Yosef bristle, which I took as a bonus.
Xander winked at me. “That a girl.”
