By Fairy Means or Foul: A Starfig Investigations Novel(31)

Pie peered up at him. “Blimey, you’re a powerful wizard, ain’t ye? Now I can see it.”

“What? No, no. I just own a lot of books. I can’t promise they’ll be of any use—”

“Now ye be fooling with me. I can see it clear as day. Ye be a wizard.”

Quinn shot me a pained look.

“We just don’t want you to get your hopes up,” I said. “We can’t promise anything.”

Pie cocked his head to the side until it sat almost perpendicular to his body. “And ye, Mr. Twig, be more than ye appear too. A powerful dragon ye be.”

I snorted. Before he uttered more gibberish, I yawned. “If you don’t mind, Quinn and I would like to rest. We’re happy to exchange more stories in a bit, but it’s been a long day already.”

Pie bobbed his head.

“Of course, of course. Ye can take me Captain’s cabin.” He flew off his perch, urging us to follow.



Retreating to the Captain’s cabin was a relief. I looked at the large bunk. In the corner of the room was a hammock that was probably for the cabin boy. I didn’t mind the idea of a hammock, but I was so big I wasn’t sure I’d fit. Before I could say anything, Quinn lowered himself into it and, using his feet, made it swing.

“I love hammocks.” He whooped once he really got it going.

I shook my head, but couldn’t help but smile at his antics. Until the rope holding the hammock to the wall snapped. Quinn thumped to the floor.

“Oww!”

I threw myself from the bunk and rushed to his side. I knelt and helped untangle him from the ropes.

“You okay?”

“Nothing hurt except my pride.” He rubbed his backside and smiled at me. I couldn’t help smiling back. “Thanks for changing topics with Pie. It’s still a really sore subject.”

“No problem. I could see you were uncomfortable.”

“You really are not what I expected.”

“What did you expect?” I almost didn’t ask, since I’d heard some variation of this my entire life. Usually laced with some kind of disappointment or contempt.

“Well . . . I have a confession.” Quinn ran his palms over his thighs, brushing away imaginary dust. “Brandsome came to you in part because we heard Lapus kept you chained to a wall. He liked to brag about it. Though it was obvious you were the one creature he couldn’t bend to his will. We also heard you were a . . . creature of mixed heritage . . . and were living your life on your own terms. With your dad being a council member, you could have a cushy Alphae job, right? But you refuse. Those are the rumors, anyway.”

Okay, not what I expected. He made me sound heroic and shit, when that was the farthest thing from the truth. I just didn’t want anyone to control me, whether my mother’s clan, my father and the Alphae, or a scumbag like Lapus Rainbowpebbles.

“Like all rumors, there’s a lot left out.” I started to rise from my knees, but his hand snaked out and caught my wrist.

“But still a grain of truth, right?” He blushed and released me. “I guess I wanted to meet the creature who lived life on his own terms.”

I snickered, held out my arms in a grand display.

“And now you have.”

“Yeah, but in my head, you were this fierce, grumpy beast, you know?”

“I still am.” I narrowed my eyes.

He continued like he hadn’t heard me.

“And I figured you’d be ugly.”

I choked on my retort. Really? Quinn was not so good for a guy’s ego.

“Not that anyone said that,” he hastened to add. “But I just couldn’t imagine how a dragon-fairy mix could be attractive. I lacked imagination.”

“Is that so?” I snorted.

“Mmhmm.”

I leaned in close until our noses were almost touching.

“And now?”

His lashes fluttered in a pretty good imitation of Brandsome. “Now I’ve learned not to trust gossip or my own shoddy imagination.” His breath ghosted over my mouth. He leaned up a hairsbreadth and our lips touched. Just a brush, but my body ignited from the contact. Before he could pull away, I pressed our lips together with more force.

I was careful not to touch him otherwise because I didn’t want him thinking I would take advantage. Just a small taste would have to satisfy me. I pulled back, breaking our lip lock.

“I really like you, Twig.” His cheeks flushed and he leaned back in, sealing our mouths again. Quinn moaned and opened his mouth welcoming my tongue inside. What dragon-fairy could resist such a sweet invitation? I knew I shouldn’t, but our tongues slid against each other, twining and exploring. He tasted slightly of the meadowmint I always smelled on his breath, and his lips were soft but firm under mine.

Sliding his hands to my cheeks, he held me in place. Not that he needed to worry about me pulling away. I couldn’t even if I’d wanted to. It was all I could do not to flip him on his back and take him right on the floor. My dragon was all for that idea, raging with impatience. I ignored that desire and kept the kiss slow and deep. I balled my hands at my sides so I wouldn’t follow through with my dragon’s demands.

The next thing I knew, Quinn clambered onto my lap. I wobbled precariously, but sunk further onto my heels so I could hold his weight. Quinn never even broke the kiss, his legs wrapping around my hips, and our groins pushing together. We both groaned from the contact. My fingers itched to grip his hips and rock him against me. My whole body shook with the effort it took not to follow through. My dragon roared in my head demanding I flip him onto his stomach, then strip, fuck, and bite him. Pretty much in that order.