I watch my mate stride into the center of the courtyard. He tears off his shirt and looks around. I know he’s searching for me, so I duck behind the broad back of one of his Fae team members.
"You teasing me, Starlight?" His voice slinks down our shared bond.
"Just testing if this connection between us works."
"Oh, it does, and I can't wait to show you just how much more intense it can get." His chuckle echoes down the bond. The rich sound tugs at my nerve endings, and my belly flutters.
Nolan, aka Doc—no prizes for guessing how he got that name—shoots me a look over his shoulder.
“Your man treating you okay, beautiful?”
“What do you think, asshole?” Hawke, as tall and as sleekly built as the bird he’s named after, smirks from next to him.
“Hey, just wanna make sure the commander is paying attention to his mate. Want him to be well settled, and, ya know…” Nolan shoots me a sideways glance “…rested when he allocates our next mission.” He rubs the back of his neck.
My cheeks flush.
“No disrespect intended, ma’am.” He touches a finger to the visor of his baseball hat.
“None, taken,” I smirk. After being with Dante, nothing shocks me.
“Not that you need to worry about being sent off." Hawke scratches his jaw, "Tristan’s drawn the lot for the next assignment. It’s why he’s challenged Dante to a fight. One last hurrah for Dante to remember him by.”
“Speaking of which, here comes his new partner.” Nolan jerks his chin to the side.
I follow his gaze and stare. “Jessica?”
My ex-teammate flounces over, then throws her arms around me. “You are safe, sweetie pie?” Her arms tighten, and I wince.
She lets go at once and steps back, then searches my face.
“Of course I am safe.” I resist the urge to rub at the mating wound on my neck. I’d wanted to wear a scarf over it but knew Dante prefers that I bare the wound for all to see. Possessive alpha Fae.
“You look different somehow.” She frowns.
“Well, duh, I shaped my hair.” I huff out a breath, so my newly cut fringe flies up and off my face. Okay, so it's a desperate measure, maybe. But I hope it draws attention to my eyes and away from my ears... just in case the hidden traits of my Fae side, reveal themselves without warning. I don’t yet have the kind of control over my physical transformation and worry about giving away the state of my emotions. Dante assures me that in time I’ll get better with managing my body’s reactions.
In the meantime, he’s more than happy to teach me how to control my responses. Yeah, the man is having a field day bringing me to climax over and over again, trying to train me to manage my outward appearances. Not that I am complaining. Another blush rolls up my neck.
“Hmm, obviously you’re well taken care of.” She grins, her face lighting up.
My shoulders sag with relief. I’m not yet ready to tell my shifter friend exactly how much I’ve changed, or how mating a Fae completely transforms the anatomy of one’s constitution. It's not just humans like me who are affected, either. The impact varies with species and the resulting manifestations cannot always be predicted.
There's a shout from the center of the ring. My breath catches and I turn to where the two figures are rolling around in the middle of the space.
Of course Dante is fine; we are on his home ground, and Tristan is a friend…who is right now bashing his face in. A low cloud of pain seeps down the bond, followed by a reassuring pulse. “I am good. Just letting this fucker tire himself out before I get him.”
Right. I unclench my fists from my sides and instead twist my fingers together in front of me.
“So that’s Dante, huh?” Jessica taps her chin as she watches the two men. “And who’s the hunk he's sparring with?” She gnaws her lower lip.
“That’s Tristan. And he’s every bit of an alpha-hole as Dante.” Am I warning her off? Not that Jessica ever heeds anything I say, especially not with men.
“Isn't he my partner on the next mission?" She thrusts out her chin. "Think I should go up and introduce myself?”
“You mean right now?” I frown.
“Well, no time like the present.” Her eyes gleam.
“I know that look, Jess.” I firm my lips.
“What?” She turns and flutters her eyelashes at me. “He doesn’t know who I am. Now’s my time to have some fun, you know, establish some rules before we set off on this mission. Best to get the upper hand already.” She taps a finger to her chin. “Know what I mean”?”
“All too well.” I can’t stop the smirk that tugs at my lips. Maybe some of Dante’s asshole attitude is rubbing off on me. But the thought of my tiny, curvy friend getting a head start on showing a big bad Fae his place is going to be so entertaining. I hold up my fist. “Go get ’im, girlfriend.”
She fist bumps then shrugs off her jacket. Her bikini top underneath is cut low enough for her breasts to all but fall out. Her shorts barely cover her crotch. She ties her jacket around her waist, and that only emphasizes the roundness of her ass. As for her knee-high boots, well, the heels are high enough that they make her legs seem long, like really long. Enough for Nolan to whistle and Hawke to take a step forward in her direction before Nolan yanks him back.
“What?” He swivels around and blinks.
“More fun to watch from the sidelines.” Nolan grunts.
“You got that right,” I smirk.
“Hmph.” Hawke folds his arms over his massive chest.
His gaze follows Jessica as she prances right up to the edge of the ring. Then she pretends to drop something. She exclaims before she bends over, all the way from her waist, her butt sticking out. It’s as close to a stripper’s pose without actually performing a strip show. The man next to her drops to his knees and shuffles around trying to help her.
There is a commotion, and another man flings the first out of the way before offering to help. Only for a third to join the fray, and then it’s a full-fledged fight on the sidelines.
There’s enough noise being created for Tristan to lift his head and frown at the woman who straightens and shakes her hair back. It’s just a split second that he’s distracted, but it’s enough for Dante to land a punch to his jaw. Tristan falls over, out cold.
Jess turns to me and holds up the thumb, forefinger and little finger of her right hand. The universal sign of the devil.
I chuckle, then walk over to join her.
“That’s a good start, eh?” She cracks her knuckles.
“There’s one thing I forgot to tell you about these Fae Corps men.” I bite the inside of my cheek.
Her eyebrows draw down. “What?”
“They bite.”
Hang on there’s MORE! To find out what happens next, get Jess and Tristan’s story in PROPERTY OF THE FAE, HERE.
Read an excerpt
Jess
“You wanna get me killed?”
“Huh?” I peer up at the Fae Corps soldier. “What did I do?”
"You tell me," he nods at a point over my shoulder. “Judging by how Tristan is glowering at me from the corner, I'd say he wants to kill me for just looking at you.”