The Dark Fae (The World of Fae #1)(2)

His glare remained fixed on Alicia the whole time.

Will of nerves?

She couldn’t let the hunter know she knew exactly what he was. For too many millennia his kind had destroyed her kind. She had no intention of being the next statistic.

Should she let the fae play with Cassie’s heart, then break it? Certainly it would be less painful than what Alicia would have to go through if the dark fae knew what she was capable of doing and decided to terminate her.

Nope.

Friends took care of friends and Alicia wasn’t about to let some hunk of a fae hurt Cassie.

Even though at the moment, Cassie appeared pretty annoyed with her and didn’t seem to want Alicia’s help in the matter.

Alicia had never met another human who could see the fae like she could either. Though she’d always wondered about her father. He’d abandoned her mother when Alicia was five. But the journal he’d left behind, describing an unreal faery world, made her think he had the ability like her. That’s how she knew the dark faeries hunted the humans who could see them. And that’s how she knew about the various royal houses scattered across the States each with their own symbol-embossed medallions.

But her mother never spoke of her father after he’d called it quits with her early one spring morning. That was the last Alicia had seen him.

The faery finally glanced at Cassie and smiled warmly, but the smile never reached his eyes. “I’ll take a dip in the water to rinse off, then join you at your room in a few minutes.” He turned to look at Alicia as he continued to speak to Cassie. “Bring your friend. It could be extremely—interesting.”

His deep voice was meant to be perfectly sensual, disarming, luring, but Alicia sensed the deadliness to his tone.

The fae usually only targeted one human at a time. But she was certain he’d make an exception in her case.

Not only would he attempt to break Cassie’s heart, he’d destroy Alicia’s friendship with her. She would bet her small savings on it. Oh, then he’d destroy her.

Not good.

Cassie smiled at Deveron until he turned and stalked toward the aqua, crystal clear water. Then she grabbed her beach towel and shook the sand from it with more vigor than was necessary. “What was that all about? I’ve never seen you act so clumsy. And then you didn’t even have the decency to apologize to Deveron. Not only that, but he asked me to go to lunch, not you. Why couldn’t you have politely made excuses? Even if he had been nice enough to invite you, too, why would he after the way you acted toward him?”

Alicia studied the fae as he waded into the water. How could she thwart him?

But when he turned and caught her eye, she quickly grabbed her beach towel, avoiding any further eye contact. “He’s a heartbreaker, Cassie. I saw him kissing a blond yesterday,” she lied, hating to, but not knowing how else to warn Cassie the guy wasn’t an ordinary guy and he was evil to the core. “And the day before that, he had his arms wrapped securely around a redhead—a much older redhead.”

“Oh?” Cassie’s voice was laced with skepticism. “I never saw him.”

Neither had Alicia.

Then a golden-haired male fae walked toward her, wearing a green silky tunic, criss-crossed with leather ties, and butternut breeches. This one wasn’t visible to humans. Well, most humans. She quickly averted her eyes so he wouldn’t know she’d seen him.

Her attention shifted to Deveron. His dark brows knit together in a deep frown as he watched her. Did he realize she saw the golden-haired fae? She could have been looking at nothing, the Gulf, the people sunbathing down the beach, a seagull.

She cursed herself inwardly. Better that Cassie have a broken heart, then Alicia face the wrath of a hunter fae who’d seek to destroy her for her abilities.

She took a deep breath of the humid air, saturated with the smell of saltwater and fish. “Listen, Cassie, you’re right. You go out with Deveron on your own. Just be careful. And you know me. I’ll manage just fine.”

As much as she hated to let the fae win at his game with Cassie, it was probably best for all concerned.

“If you’d remove that bulky T-shirt, you’d have guys asking you out also.” Cassie smiled.

“Remember last year? I tried sunbathing on a beach towel like you do. And I got so badly burned I couldn’t move in sunlight for three days as if I was a vampire who would turn into a pile of ashes. Heck, Cassie, it’s just not worth it.”

Cassie nodded. “Yeah, I remember. Then you peeled like a shedding snake for days afterward.”

“Yep, I was just as cute as could be.”

Cassie laughed. “All right, well, thanks, Alicia. I really appreciate your bowing out like this.”

“Yeah, just remember what I said about him. He’s not to be trusted. Three different girls on three different days doesn’t say much for his stick-to-it-ness.”

“It’s just for lunch.” Cassie tucked her beach towel under her arm and grinned at Alicia. “You’re the best friend ever.”

Not really. If Alicia were Cassie’s best friend, she’d glue herself to Cassie’s side. Not run away in the face of danger.

She glanced over her shoulder at the dark fae, who studied her every action. Her heart beat harder and her hands grew clammy.

He was tall, dark, genuinely handsome, and the worst kind of danger.