She looked me over with curious, wide red eyes. She was pretty, in a girl next door sort of way, with flawless deep brown skin and braids, a mix of several shades of blue that went to the bottom of her waist. She wore a black crop top and black leggings with a knee-length black skirt. On her feet were maroon ankle boots. She also had on a ton of jewelry, rows of necklaces, bracelets, and rings. Yup, she definitely looked like someone who owned a magic shop.
She offered me a hand. “I’m Melina, and you are the impressive human that my cousin called me about.”
I shook her hand. “That’s me, the human.”
She smiled, and it seemed genuine. I really hoped Yosef could trust family. “Well, your secret is safe with me. Yosef is like a brother to me. If he wants to risk it all by keeping you hidden, then you must be special to him. Don’t make him regret that.”
There was an iciness in her eyes when she said the last part. I understood it. She was suspicious that her cousin was being taken for a ride. I hated to be the jerk she already believed humans to be.
I clasped my hands in front of me to give a total look of innocence. “I appreciate all the protection he’s given me so far. I only know that being glamoured will make things easier for us all.”
Her smile returned, and she walked toward the glass counter in the middle of her store, where what appeared to be something like a cash register sat. “You’re just fortunate you fell into his lap instead of someone else’s. I don’t know why Yosef decided to keep you. He doesn’t do slaves.”
Xander sniffed a candle on display. “She isn’t one.”
Melina nodded knowingly as she picked up a small vial of dark green liquid. “Obviously. He still won’t tell me what made him keep you instead of turning you over.”
I couldn’t understand that myself, and it had been running through my head. The only reason I could come up with was that he had the foresight to know that I would be useful to him. However, two weeks in, I wasn’t sure I was just yet. He could get sex from anyone.
Xander walked over to me and threw an arm over my shoulder. “Because he knew from the start that she was special, and he was right.”
Melina eyed me again, tilting her head to the side. “But special how? You’re an ice mage. That’s unique and not a weak power. He’s helping you stay alive here, but he will want something.” She waived the vial in front of her. “Before I agree to give you any magic, I want to make sure you are fine with repaying him.”
Of course, the fae didn’t help for free. Especially unseelie. I already knew he’d want something from me. I also suspected he was making my life nice so that his ask wouldn’t be as difficult for me to say yes. The scary part, of course, was what would that ask be?
I gave a tooth-baring grin, hoping to continue my sweet and innocent look. “As long as he doesn’t ask me to do something that would compromise my body or health or betray those I care about, I’m open to help. I’m fully aware of what he’s risking.”
She gave me the vial. “Perfect answer. It smells horrible, so I would avoid giving it a sniff test before drinking.”
I lifted the vial to the light as if I could be able to tell whether it was harmful or not that way. Truth was, poisons, magic or otherwise, weren’t my expertise. If it was going to kill me, I’d just be a goner. My only hope was that she liked Yosef and Xander enough not to do that to them. I’d like to think they’d care if I was killed off.
“Will it hurt?” I asked, still eyeing the potion. I imagined myself shifting into some new creature, bones breaking and fur growing like some type of werewolf. The hurt part I could manage, but I would be livid if she turned me into a beast.
Melina snorted and shook her head. “You’ll just feel a small tingle and then be right as rain. And don’t worry, you won’t change too much in looks. Just fae-enhanced.”
I had no idea what that meant, but I didn’t have many options. I glanced at Xander, who gave me an unbothered shrug. This was my life now. Risk on risk on risk. I popped the top off the vial, muttered a prayer, and took it back like a shot. I wished I’d remembered to hold my nose. My throat burned as the liquid went down, and the bitter taste of rubbing alcohol made me gag. Maybe Iwoulddie.
Soon, I felt a cold tingle against every nerve of my body, including my scalp. And it was over in a blink.
Xander whistled. “My pretty lady is just as sexy as a fae. We’re going to have fun tonight.”
I gave a nervous giggle, looking over to Melina. What would she think about my arrangement with both men? Would she disapprove of me having whatever this was with Yosef and Xander? If she did, it wasn’t showing.
She just shook her head, eyes amused, before she picked up a hand mirror and gave it to me. “You do look beautiful. My finest work.”
I took the mirror, looked, and gasped. I freaking looked like I was headed to a cosplay convention. And I loved it. My hair was still curly, but now, it was almost down to my waist and stark white against my still-bronzed skin. Speaking of skin, it was shimmering under the light, and I now had a beautiful, white swirling and dotted tattoo going diagonally above my right brow to the top of my cheekbone. And my eyes were now a lavender shade.
I touched my face, looking from side to side. “I’m gorgeous.”
Xander walked behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. “I almost want to bend you over the counter right now,” he whispered in my ear.
His words shot straight to my core, and I fought the desire to shiver against his touch. What was wrong with me that I got turned on by a man proposing sex in front of someone else? The unseelie were starting to rub off on me. “Inappropriate.”
He gently bit my ear, and this time, I did shudder. “You love it.”
Melina put a hand over her mouth as if holding in vomit. “Seeing Xander like this is really stomach-heaving. I don’t know what kind of magic you put on him and Yosef, but keep it up. Might be good for their moods.”
Xander stuck a tongue out at her. She mimed cutting it off with her fingers. Then her eyes focused back on me. “Your scent has changed, too.”
