The Dark Fae (The World of Fae #1)(5)

She tried to control where she looked, but avoiding looking at the creature could prove that she saw him, too.

“She’s wily, my lord.”

Deveron nodded. She figured he couldn’t speak to the fae or confuse Cassie. So in a way, the dark fae was forced to playact also.

Good.

She was certain he was dying to ask the blond-haired fae more, but couldn’t.

The other stood slightly shorter and had green eyes. He didn’t pay much attention to either of the women, just led the party toward a black Ford Taurus.

She wondered when the royal fae had learned to drive a car.

Neither of the other two wore gold medallions. She assumed they served their lord, as the one had called him. That they were not members of the royal family. Or maybe they didn’t always wear them in the human world.

Deveron opened the car door for Cassie, while Alicia yanked the back door open for herself. Before she could slide into the leather seat, the fae with the blue eyes slid in first and sat where she planned to.

She hesitated.

Deveron raised his brows at her when he shut Cassie’s door.

Alicia groaned inwardly. No way did she want to sit on the fae. Her whole body would tingle all the way to the restaurant.

“Something wrong?” Deveron asked, his tone amused.

“No, nothing.” She climbed on top of the fae and hoped she squished him good. As soon as she sat on him, she felt as though millions of nettles touched her skin, not painfully, but with an odd sort of prickling.

Deveron mouth curved in a small smile, then he shut her door. She was afraid he knew that she could see the fae.

When they arrived at the Mexican restaurant, Alicia played her cool role for all it was worth. After Deveron opened Cassie’s car door, Alicia allowed him to open hers. And she purposely didn’t jump out of the car, but took her time, though she was dying to get off the blond fae’s lap.

Again, the dark fae’s eyes and lips smiled at her in that devilish manner that seemed to be his trademark. His gaze shifted to the blond fae she knew stood behind her. What secret communication passed between them this time?

Had the blond fae enjoyed her sitting on his lap? Again, she felt her cheeks flush.

Deveron’s hand drifted to the small of her back as he escorted them inside the restaurant. Smooth...really smooth. She attempted to slide away from his touch, but the blond fae from the beach appeared in front of her, giving her barely room to walk without stepping on his boot-clad heels.

A hostess seated them immediately due to the early lunch hour. Lively Spanish tunes played overhead as the smell of grilled beef scented the air conditioned room. Alicia’s stomach rumbled.

Colorful sombreros, and cowboy boots decorated some of the walls, while others pictured murals of cactus and Spanish cowboys riding the range. But when she shifted her attention back to Deveron, she found he studied her still.

Cassie was already looking at her menu. Did she not notice the interest Deveron was paying Alicia? She could have kicked him for trying to upset her friendship with Cassie.

At the bare table, another blond fae, this one brown-eyed, joined them. He first looked at Deveron who nodded, then motioned to Cassie. “This is Cassie.”

Then he took Alicia’s hand. “And this is Alicia. Meet Micala, my cousin.”

Was Micala truly Deveron’s cousin? The family resemblance was there, Alicia had to admit.

The new faery took in her appearance, just like Deveron had, but then he did the unexpected. He moved his seat closer to Cassie and began to talk to her low, so Alicia couldn’t hear their words.

Cassie glanced at Deveron, who smiled broadly back at her. She must have felt he didn’t mind if she talked to Micala. So Cassie turned her attention to him while Deveron faced Alicia. She imagined Deveron targeted her because she endangered him.

Now she was sure the inquisition would begin.

“Where are you from?” Deveron asked her.

The other fae watched her while Micala continued to distract Cassie.

Were they trying to figure out how she came to know they existed? She felt like a goldfish in a glass bowl with a lethal audience. The golden lion guard and the dark fae panther watched her, waiting for the right moment to pounce on her and eat her up.

“Sacramento, California.”

“Who are your parents?”

She folded her arms. She wasn’t about to put up with the third degree. “Who are yours?”

Deveron’s dark brown eyes sparkled with amusement as he grinned. But the gold that ringed his eyes shimmered like iridescent faery dust, so she wasn’t in too much danger...at the moment. Yet, she assumed he wouldn’t want to reveal who his royal parents were and seemed amused she’d counter his question with one, too.

He sipped his water slowly, never taking his eyes off her. He was challenging her to a duel.

Slip up once and he’d have her terminated.

“How much do you know about us?” he asked.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

He set his glass down on the table. “Ahh, but you do.”

He motioned to the blue-eyed faery, then held up the water glass to him. The faery moved close to Deveron and leaned over to hear his words spoken privately.

In response, the faery grinned, lifted the water glass, then walked over to Alicia. He began to tilt it toward her lap.

Immediately, she grabbed it from him and sat it back on the table.