The Faerie Prince

Bailey wrapped her fingers tight around the ceramic cup in her hand. She inhaled the scent of the fresh, hot coffee, closed her eyes and dropped her head to the glass pane in front of her. She pulled her knees tight into her body, curling into the corner of the window seat. The icy glass against her forehead forced a deeper sense of melancholy into her bones. She hated being home. Where he was.Jonas Fee, the ever-present, ever-constant, all-consuming patriarch of the clan Fee. The man that, in a fit of pique, had thrown a knife at her. A hand slipped unconsciously from her cup, fingers finding the now familiar threaded scar on her shoulder. Four years she carried this scar, barely two inches wide, ropy and tight. She could still see his face, eyes wild, mouth contorted and spewing furious vitriol. All because Bailey Fee wanted to pursue a career in Veterinary Science, instead of taking her place in the “family business“. Jonas never did take kindly to someone defying his will.She sno

All three princes stared at each other. It had been nearly a century since Jayce had visited the Fee clan, when Jonas had made his transition. It was uncommon to attend a transition in only a century. The other clans hadn’t had a transition of power in at least two centuries by human standards.Halflings usually lived nearly as long as the Fae did. One of the many boons granted by their heritage. It wasn’t unheard of for Halflings to die. Their line of business wasn’t conducive to long life. At least there would be a formal changing of power this time. Jonas had been thrust into it when his father had been torn literally in half by an enraged redcap. Nasty business, that particular witnessing.Jayce took a deep breath and climbed the four short steps to the portal mouth. Without a backwards glance at his compatriots, he strode through the flickering air.For a split second, his skin was flayed from his body, all the breath sucked out of his lungs, and it was possible that his heart sto

There was an obscene amount of blood. Bailey couldn’t focus on anything else. It was pooled in the floor, someone had smeared it on the countertop near the kitchen sink, and there were streaks across the front of the large stainless steel fridge. Her grandfather had not been moved, still laying facedown in the floor like a discarded doll. He was smaller than she remembered. Shrunken, aged, different. Jonas Fee had been larger than life. Proud, loud, and equal parts beloved and hated. He was a driven taskmaster, a military genius, and the kindest man Bailey had ever known.This shrunken corpse decorating her floor was not Jonas Fee, for all that it might wear his face. The ethereal bit that had inhabited this fleshy mound had long gone.“How long?” Her question was aimed at Silas. She wasn’t asking about the length of time he’d been lying on the unforgiving floor, pouring out his life essence. She wanted to know how long the only man who had ever loved her in any true sense of the word

“B…a Spark?!” Silas laughed outright. “Yeah right.” He waved his hand at Beckett. “Go on with that mess, no one has time for your comedy routine.”“I would watch my words, Halfling.” Beckett narrowed his eyes. “We are swift to offense, and I wouldn’t want to have Gemma need to cry at your funeral.”Silas leapt from the couch. “Don’t be too sure I’d be on the losing end of that, Prince. All of you full bloods underestimate us. We‘re the best of both you and humanity.” He flipped his hand in a vulgar gesture. “And you’d best remember that. You’re on my turf.”“Ah yes, your ’turf’.” Beckett curled his lip. “It wouldn’t matter whose turf you happen to be on, child. I’ve had centuries of nothing but pure boredom.” He stalked forward, stopping just close enough to tower over Silas. “I know more than just ten ways to kill someone, and they would not be able to detect that it was anything other than natural causes. I would suggest you do not underestimate me.”It wasn’t supposed to happen, Sil

Jayce stared at the doorway Bailey had flounced through with a sense of impending doom. He was angry, betrayed. She had taken a freedom from him, and now he had no choice but to follow where she led, and he was livid. Judging by the looks on the other two, they were trying to process this development as well.“Can she…actually do that?” Tobin’s voice was small.“It appears she can, and did.” Beckett answered. They had yet to leave the floor. They were each rooted by their own shock and horror. Their choice had been stolen from them, their will taken and twisted until it would serve her purpose. It was terrible.Gemma had not moved either, tears in her large eyes. “She did what she felt necessary.” Her voice caught on unshed tears. “That doesn’t make it okay.”“Of course it does not!” Beckett snapped, leveraging himself to his feet. “I have thus far remained untied to any female. Now I have no choice but to be tied to this one, until my death!”“Or hers.” Jayce supplied grimly.“With he