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“And go where?”
He brushed my hair back, checking for more injuries. The result was that I could feel his breath on my neck. “Drive to my home and draw a bath or shower. I’ll stay here and . . .”
“Tempting,” I admitted with a laugh.
He had both a marble rainfall shower and the largest tub I’d ever seen. It came complete with a small waterfall. I admitted, “I’ve had fantasies about that waterfall.”
“As have I.”
I pressed myself against him, kissed his throat, and asked, “Ready to call off the engagement?”
He kissed me, hand tangled in my hair, holding me as if I would run.
I’d sell my own soul for an eternity of Eli’s kisses if I believed in such bargains, but I wouldn’t destroy him. Being with me wasn’t what was best for him.
When he pulled back from our kiss, he stated, “Geneviève . . .”
I kissed him softly. I could say more with my touch than with words. I paused and whispered, “You can have my bodyorthis engagement. Not both.”
He sighed, but he stepped back. “You are impossible, Geneviève Crowe.”
I caught his hand. “It doesn’t have to be impossible. We’re safely out ofElphamenow. We could just end the enga--”
“I am fae, love. I don’t lie. I don’t break my word.” He squeezed my hand gently. “I gave you my promise to wed. In front of my king and family. Icannotend this engagement.”
We stood in silence for several moments. Then he held out his keys, and I took them.
“Meet me at my place. Maybe we can spar,” I offered.
Eli pulled me in closer, kissed both of my cheeks, and said, “I will accept any excuse to get sweaty with you.”
“Same.” I hated that this was where we were, but I wasn’t able to change who or what I was. Neither was Eli. He had a future that I wanted no part of, and I felt a duty to my city and friends. We had no future option that would suit both of us. I’d be here, beheadingdraugrand trying not to become more of a monster, and he would return to his homeland. There was no good compromise.
Chapter Two
After the weirdnessof handling the Cormier situation, life resumed normalcy. I was still unnaturally tired, still engaged, and still not getting any loving.
What passed for normalcy in my life was overrated.
The work part, at least, was a welcome lull. This was an annual tradition. I tended to think of it as the pre-holiday calm. By January, it would be hectic. Mid-Winter was always when I had the most downtime, but during the end of year holiday people would start deciding death was overrated and hunting downdraugrfor a shot at eternal life on Earth instead of natural deaths. I wasn’t sure if it was depression, greed, or sentimental holiday moods.
Mine was an odd job, but I didn’t ever want to give it up. I wasn’t immune todraugrvenom, but I was stronger than humans and couldflowas fast as thedraugrcould. I had advantages, and I felt duty-bound to make use of them.
Tonight, I was enjoying a night out with my closest friends.Draugrweren’t all trapped by sunlight, but the newly-infected, bite-first-think-never ones were. I tended to think that was a good excuse to stay in the bar until dawn’s light
“Yule? Chanukah? Christmas?” Sera was holding up pictures of formal dresses. “Did you discuss it? Which are you celebrating inElphame? I know Mama Lauren has usually had dibs on Chanukah. Do we call one? Or do we wait on Eli?”
Jesse and Christy said nothing. They exchange a look that spoke volumes. No one expected my first holiday season as the future queen ofElphameto go smoothly.
Running away toElphameas if I could be fae wasn’t an option for more reasons than just my issues with Eli—which was why I was livid when I received a beautiful handwritten summons to celebrate “the holiday” with the king of the faeries. Eli’s uncle seemed to think there wasoneholiday. As a Jewish witch with Christian friends, I could guarantee that there were at least three of them on my social schedule.
The four of us were enjoying a night off at Eli’s bar, the oddly named Bill’s Tavern. No one called Bill had ever owned or been employed here, but whenever I asked “who is Bill,” Eli simply laughed.
Fae humor confused me sometimes.
I still had my weapons, but that was like saying I still had on trousers. It would be weird and uncomfortable to go out for the night without them. One sword, two guns, and a dagger if I needed to draw my blood. It might seem odd, but my blood was my best weapon. One loyal army of the dead trumped most conventional weapons.
Christy, whose job was mostly pool-hustling—often here--wasn’t working tonight either. She and Jesse were sort of hand holding, but not being all couple-y in an obnoxious way. Sera was scheduling our lives. It was her thing. One of them, at least. She was why we were out tonight, too. She was our glue.
