Page 68 of Fae Farewells

Briggs snorted. “There’s an entire process behind making leather. It has to be cured in acidic salt and cold water. Squeezed, hanged, dried, and cleaned. It could take weeks. That’s something to think about.”

“That’s a good point. I don’t know how to do any of that, but I’m sure I could find a tutorial or someone willing to do it for the right price. Their skin is almost too pretty to pass up.”

“They would match the couch in your room,” York added.

Palmer moved to stand beside us. “Why are you talking about skinning them, Love?”

“It’s been a couple of days since I killed anyone,” I confessed. “And if she doesn’t take her hands off my demon, I’m going to remove her fingers, then use their skin to make throw pillows.”

I tilted my head as I studied the fae women, then observed my mates one at a time.

Novak chuckled against me. Palmer sighed, though I could feel his amusement as thickly as I could feel Briggs’ relaxed attention. If Vaughn were here, he would pinch the bridge of his nose, exasperated with this entire situation.

I missed my fae.

When my gaze landed on York, I wondered if I had ever really been the jealous type before this moment.

I couldn’t recall anything in particular, though he’d never actively tried to push me.

This had to be the bonds after consuming the pith tokens.

Or the demon pulling my strings, playing a little too clumsily with my fragile glass heart.

Friday, June 19th

Late Evening

Outwardly, my kitten appeared calm. But I could feel the fire climbing higher inside her. It ran along the threads of our bond, burning the delicate cotton coating to uncover scorched steel beneath.

I met her gaze, seeing the red in her irises flare to life. Nothing compared to the inky black eyes of her enraged demon, except the way her horns crawled up through her hair agonizingly slowly while she grinned at her next victim.

My tainted soul sang a wicked tune for her. Knowing she wasn’t happy caused the tempo to speed, anxiety and displeasure feeding on a loop between our bonded group.

This nonviolent version of Sloane was getting us nowhere. She wasn’t herself, and we could all feel it.

Whatever Vaughn had said to her was wrong.

So fucking wrong that we were idly sitting, twirling our thumbs as we witnessed our mate take more bullshit than she rightfully deserved.

And while I was adding to that, I could sense her boiling point reaching explosive levels.

Vaughn may have had a point to make, but she was taking it too literally.

We didn’t come here to follow rules set by a tyrant. We came here to free the Winters and the rest of this realm.

That would only happen if Sloane did what Sloane did best.

Three lives to save a realm was a trade I was more than willing to make.

The purple fae slid into my lap, wiggling as she got comfortable. I pushed the queasy feeling away. Her touch was unwanted, but still needed.

Sloane flicked her gaze from me to Purple to Lavender. Then she turned her head in Palmer’s direction, watching Mauve draw near her mage.

The darkest depths of Hell swirled in those prismatic irises as her temper bubbled ever closer to the edge.

Just a little further.

“Stop trying to rub on me.” Palmer smacked Mauve’s hand away. “None of us are interested.”