“Let me remind you that you are going to the very location the fae war took place, twenty years to the night?”
“Don’t tell me you’re superstitious?” I slanted my head, my tangled hair falling down my arm.
“This world has taught me not to be so skeptical.”
“I’m going, nagybacsi.” Uncle.
“Impulsive and stubborn, like your father.” He clicked his tongue, but humor glinted in his eyes.
“Thank you.” I grinned back.
“I don’t have a lot of extra fighters to join you tonight, as they are needed for our own Samhain missions, but please get who you can. I don’t like you being out there tonight.”
“I’ll be fine.” I took a step back to the door. “What is your mission anyway?”
Andris sat down in his chair, a coy smile on his lips. “Let’s say we like to make both sides aware we are still here, and we’re getting stronger.”
Snorting, my head waggled. “All those years, we had to guard the gates and barricade the windows at HDF thinking it was a fae mob... and it was you.”
One of his rare grins crinkled up his features. “I thought leaving a ‘fuck you, I’m still alive’ card for Istvan from me was a little too on point.”
I snickered, almost out the door, Warwick behind me.
“Check in before you leave tonight,” Andris added. “Oh, and Brexley...”
I paused, turning to him.
“Happy birthday.”
“You think you could go without me—”
Chirp!
“Us!” Opie went from gesturing to himself and Bitzy. “I meant us.”
Chirp! Chirp!
“I did too!” Opie huffed, putting his hands on his hips. “You’d think with those large ears, you’d be able to hear me clear enough.”
Chirpchirpchirpchirp!
Opie’s mouth fell in shock before he shook his head. “That’s not even possible... .” He peered down at himself, moving in odd angles. “Nope, it can’t reach.”
Chirp!
“It’s not tiny,” he exclaimed. “I’ve been told by many... like many, many people.”
“I thought it was only a few?” I teased.
“That’s many!” He tossed out his arms.
“Do I even want to know?” Warwick strolled into the room, tying up his wet hair hanging around his face, a slice of his ripped torso on display. My chest pounded with desire, warmth filling my veins, making my cheeks heat, a smile twitching my lips.
After seeing my uncle, we got food, had sex, did some training on the mat, which led to more sex, a nap, and more food, then fucked like nymphos in the shower, where I broke the showerhead.
This man had turned me into a fiend, shattering me over and over today, and I seemed to just crave more. I knew he was trying to keep my mind off tonight. Not merely what was ahead, but what this night meant.
To both of us.
The constant twist in my gut grew as the day matured, something I couldn’t shake no matter how hard he made me orgasm.
“No.” I snorted, pulling my own damp hair up into a ponytail. Turning to face him, I went on my toes, kissing him. Both of us were dressed in dark clothes and boots and were draped with weapons. “And I’d rather block it from my mind too.”
“But back to the point, Fishy. I couldn’t let you go without me—us. I mean the messes I’v—we’ve already had to help you out of.” He motioned to him and Bitzy. “I wouldn’t be a good brownie if I wasn’t helpful.”
“Helpful?” Warwick muttered, kissing me again before moving around me, grabbing a handgun off the table, and stuffing it in his holster. “Not the exact word I’d use.”
“Shush, long hose.” He batted his hand at Warwick. “Fishy?” Opie whined, putting his hands together. “Please? Look, we’ve even dressed the part.” He motioned to him and Bitzy, now dressed in an old black cut-up glove, using two of the fingers for his pants, then braiding and twisting the rest of the parts into a halter top. He had a cut-out mask around his eyes. Bitzy wore a onesie and black eye mask.
Pinning my lips together, I tried not to smile at their adorable burglar outfits.
“Okay, fine.” I held up my hand. “But if anything happens, you guys get out, okay?”
“Yay!” Opie clapped his hands.
Chirp! Chirp! Bitzy twirled her middle fingers around in excitement, forcing a full laugh from me.
A knock on the door broke my attention away from them as I opened it.
“You guys done fucking for five minutes so we can go?” Ash sauntered in, his hair pulled back, showing off the beautiful structure of his face. Kek was behind him, their outfits similar to ours, guns and knives hanging from their belts and gun halters.
“Seriously, you sure you two aren’t part demon?” Her blue eyes twinkled with humor. “You’d think how many times I got myself off today, I’d be in a coma.”
Ash chuckled his head, dipping in accord.
My cheeks burned deep crimson. I knew we affected others around us, but it was still disconcerting for everyone to be so aware of what we were doing. Not that we would have stopped even if we could. Warwick was beyond a drug. The high of touching life and death at the same time was beyond a simple addiction.
“Well, let me know, tree-humper... if you ever need to let some energy out.” Kek pulled her blue braid over her shoulder, her lashes lowered on Ash as she tugged on her ends.
For a moment, I saw Ash look over at her, his face staying blank, but I definitely saw a flick of something before another voice broke into the room, jolting Ash.
“I’m going too.” Lukas ambled into the space, his expression set in stone, his skin still pale.
“No.” Ash shook his head. “Absolutely not.”
“I’m sorry... are you my mother?” Luk snapped back. “I don’t remember you having any authority over me.”
Ash’s eyes narrowed. “No, but I’m your healer, who knows you aren’t healthy enough to get out of bed yet.”
“I’m fine.” Luk brushed him off, pulling his frame up higher, trying to prove he was strong and whole.
“How did you even know?” I blinked at him. The last time I checked on him, he was taking a nap.
“I told him.” Ash frowned, folding his arms. “But I didn’t mean it as an invitation.”
Luk shrugged. “I can’t lie around while everyone else is going on missions, has a purpose, has something. My teammates are dead, and if I’m alone any longer with my thoughts, I will go insane. I’m healed enough. Tonight of all nights, I have to do something.”
From what I noticed within the base today from the fae and half-breeds, there was a noticeable edginess. No wall existed between our worlds now, but magic still hummed louder once the sun lowered. Energy ballooned thicker in the air, stirring the fae. Samhain was a living, breathing entity. Even humans could feel it rolling over their skin, pulsing through their bones.
And certainly, whatever the hell I was could.
Taking Luk in, I noticed the determination set in his eyes. If he were healed or not, I couldn’t take this away from him. Tonight was like every human holiday rolled into one for fae. Plus, he had to feel the pain of losing Ava and Tracker and being separated from his own faction because of me.