The Dark Fae (The World of Fae #1)(45)

“All right, Alicia. You will have three days to spend on South Padre Island with your human friend. But then you must return here.”

She hugged him warmly. “I will...oh, thank you. I will.”

Her unbridled enthusiasm seemed to please him, and he smiled back. “Three days,” he warned, “or the dragon fae will descend on the human world with a vengeance.”

“I will return,” she promised.

For two hours, she tried to convince someone to take her to South Padre Island, but either the king ordered no one to agree, or they just didn’t want to. Her mother couldn’t because of the retaining collar she still wore. And even the countess refused her, three times.

Was it because they had lost her to the human world before and if something happened to her, her grandfather would have them killed?

For an hour, she concentrated on trying to transport herself. And then it happened. She nearly fainted. Blackness swirled around her, and she envisioned being home in her bedroom, on her bed. As soon as she arrived, she lay still, trying to orient herself to the spinning room. Once her stomach and gray matter settled, she bolted out of her house and dashed down the street to her friend’s.

When she reached Cassie’s home, she wiped the memories from Cassie’s parent’s minds that Viviana had returned Cassie home. Afterward, Alicia transported Cassie to their hotel in South Padre Island.

The hotel staff graciously accommodated them with a new room after Alicia used a minimum of fae mind magic. And Cassie never knew she’d ever left the island.

The day was more glorious than before. The strong sun beat down on the beach as Cassie lay out on her seal beach towel. Alicia jumped up from her lion towel. “Sodas, Cassie?”

“Yeah, sure would be nice.”

Alicia slipped a couple of dollars out of a money pouch. She stifled groans as she ran across the hot sand, burning her feet.

As soon as she reached the refreshment stand, she asked for two drinks.

The young man grinned at her. Tall, blond, beautiful tan, and the most gorgeous blue eyes studied her. “Looks like your friend just picked up a date. I’m working until two this afternoon. Want to go out for a burger then?”

Alicia turned to see who Cassie had reeled in this time.

Deveron, wearing only a pair of blue swimming trunks, his tanned skin glistening with water droplets, towered over Cassie. He spoke to her, his cheeks dimpled as he smiled broadly, seemingly oblivious to Alicia even being nearby.

“Some other time,” Alicia said quickly to the refreshment stand guy. She dropped the money on the counter. Not even waiting for her change, she grabbed the sodas and stormed across the beach to where Cassie flirted with Deveron.

He grinned at Alicia as he caught her eye. His gaze shifted to the sodas, then back to her eyes again. “Good to see you again, Alicia. But you may have been out in the sun a little too long. Your cheeks are positively rosy.”

She pursed her lips, wanting to sock him hard.

He cocked a brow. “You weren’t thinking of doing anything with those drinks other than drinking them, were you?” He grinned, the same old devilish dark fae smile.

“You know each other?” Cassie asked, sounding disappointed.

“Yeah,” Alicia said. “Maybe too well.”

Deveron arched a brow.

Then Alicia caught sight of Micala jogging up the beach. He winked at Alicia.

“My friend and cousin, Micala,” Deveron said to Cassie as Micala joined them. “Come swimming with me, Alicia, before you do something you regret and I have to get even.” He pulled the drinks out of her hands and passed them to Cassie and Micala.

Alicia couldn’t help smiling at him.

“There’s my faery princess.”

“Just you remember it, dark fae.” She grabbed his hand and dashed for the water. “Hot, hot, the sand is burning hot.”

He grabbed her up in his arms, and she squealed out in surprise. “I’ll protect you from the sand.”

“But who will protect you from me?” Alicia asked, grinning at him.

“I will beg for mercy.”

“Right.”

“Okay, so I won’t. You’re right. It’s not a dark fae quality.”

She laughed. “I didn’t think your mother would have allowed you to visit the human world again so soon after what happened the last time.”

“So what happened the last time?” He ran into the water, but still didn’t release her when the Gulf rose to his waist. “I found the perfect mate who released me from a marriage to Lorelei.”

“Well?”

“She said just this once.”

Alicia stared at him not believing a word he said.

He laughed. “I will never be able to get away with anything with you, will I?”

She shook her head.

“Okay, so she doesn’t know.”

“Oh, Deveron. If your mother finds you’ve disobeyed her again—”

“Not to worry.” He glanced at the beach where three Denkar fae trackers stood talking to Micala. “Or maybe just a little bit.” He kissed her lips. “A year will be a lifetime.”

“If you flirt with any more female humans or fae, it will go much more quickly for you.”

He chuckled. “Your dragon fae personality draws me to you like a parched fae is drawn to a source of water.”