The Dark Fae (The World of Fae #1)(6)

“You weren’t bothered by a floating glass of water?” Deveron leaned back in his seat. His eyes twinkled in the soft light. “Most would have been upset, but you saw Herlenkis carrying it toward you. Instead of observing him, you watched me. Why wouldn’t you have watched the glass of water?”

“A magician’s trick.”

He smiled. Then he leaned forward against the edge of the table and pinched his dark brows together. “You will tell me everything I want to know. First and foremost, who your parents are. Or...” He glanced at Cassie, who was talking to Micala about the glorious beaches in Padre Island. “Your friend will. Your choice.”

Again, a roguish grin creased his face as a glint of malice reflected in his dark eyes and the gold circle around them glowed brightly.





CHAPTER 3





Alicia sat taller and crossed her arms. No dark fae, royal or otherwise, would intimidate her with vague threats. But before she had time to tell him off, a female fae appeared next to him. The transparent edges of her body indicated she was invisible to humans like the two blond male faeries who hovered around the table. Ice blue silky sheers covered an opaque shimmering gown that reached the female faery’s ankles. Her hair coiled on top of her head like rich satiny brown rope and golden clasps decorated in sapphires held it in place. Her brown eyes were the same dark color and almond shape as Deveron’s. But she had a small, pixie-sized face, rather than the handsome square jaw like Deveron had. She, like Deveron, wore an embossed gold medallion featuring a lion’s head at her breast.

The whole time she only considered Deveron, ignoring his female human companions and the blond faeries as Deveron scowled back at her.

She quickly leaned over and whispered in Deveron’s ear.

His eyes widened.

She nodded.

He took a ragged breath, then rose from his seat. “Ladies, business calls. I will drop by later to see you.”

The female fae said, “You will not, Deveron.”

Alicia’s brows rose in amusement as he glanced at her. So the tough, ever-in-control Deveron could be ordered about by a female royal fae?

He pulled two twenties from his wallet and dropped them on the table. “Enjoy lunch.”

“You don’t think you can return after you take care of your business?” Cassie asked. She looked terribly disappointed.

Alicia sighed, deeply relieved the dark fae was leaving.

Micala kissed Cassie’s cheek, and she smiled. “Later,” he said, echoing Deveron’s sentiments.

Deveron grasped Alicia’s hand and squeezed. “I will know all about you, my faery princess.” His dark eyes gleamed with mischief, warning her he wouldn’t be trifled with.

“In your dreams,” she said, her voice icy.

“I never sleep.” His lips curved up at the corners slightly, then he hurried out of the dining area with Micala and the other two fae males.

The female remained behind and studied Alicia. She ignored Cassie, but Alicia assumed this was because the faery was of the royal house and only Deveron’s interest in a particular human female would raise the dark fae’s ire.

Was the fae his girlfriend then?

“Insipid human,” the fae snarled.

“Jealous faery,” Alicia responded back. Then her whole body warmed as the faery stared at her with her mouth partly dropped open. The golden rings around her dark brown eyes weren’t glowing yet though. She must have been in shock to hear Alicia speak to her, and certainly Alicia was shocked that she’d let the words slip off her tongue.

Whatever had made her speak to the faery? And particularly those words. Envy? Nah. Why should she care if Deveron had the hots for his own kind? Certainly not when he thought he’d tell Alicia what she would and wouldn’t do. And then he’d terminate her.

Alicia did what she should have done in the first place, ignored the haughty faery. “That was awfully nice of Deveron to pay for our lunches, Cassie. But I was thinking maybe we ought to save some of our money and return home early.”

“Do not ignore me,” the faery said to Alicia, fisting her hands on her hips.

“You’ve got to be kidding. We worked all year at the Pizzaria just to earn enough to take this vacation,” Cassie said, then sipped her water.

Alicia nodded, knowing there was no way she’d ever convince Cassie to leave the resort early. She certainly couldn’t tell her about the fae.

The faery growled when Alicia continued to pretend she didn’t exist. When the waitress set chips and salsa on the table, took Alicia and Cassie’s orders for beef fajitas, then left, Alicia said, “Do you want to go to a movie following lunch?”

The fae smiled an almost malevolent grin, then vanished.

Now what?

Cassie dipped a chip in hot sauce. “Yes, I’d like that.”

A movie would keep them away from the hotel for a while if Deveron and Micala returned to their room to see them. But what was the female fae up to? She’d cause problems for sure.

Was she going to report back to their queen now that Deveron had entertained a human female who could see the fae kind? Would she issue the order to terminate Alicia sooner?

Maybe she should have spoken with the faery.

She glanced at Cassie. No. Cassie would have wondered who Alicia had been talking to.