Chapter 9

After a wondrous shower washed away suntan lotion, as well as Mandy’s delicate sweat and sweet juices, my squeaky-clean frame sat working in the office. At the sound of an engine’s roar racing past the house, I looked up. The little woman, eyes fixed forward and white-knuckled hands tight on the steering wheel, sped from sight.

Right as I was about to turn from the window, a lithe figure flitted along the front hedge. Yep, recognized it; Gary’s warning made real. After surging from the chair, I marched to the foyer and yanked open the door.

With one shiny red stiletto about to land on the stoop, Mi yelped in surprise. Clad in the all-too-familiar, snug micro-dress of crimson sequins, she recovered quickly. A tiny hand flung long blonde tresses over a slender shoulder, and she flashed me a broad smile.

“A bit overdressed, aren’t you?” I said, gesturing at my shorts and T-shirt.

Even as the Fae’s grin widened, her attire morphed. A cropped top of vibrant bubble-gum pink soon hung from the sharp points atop pert boobs. Nope, not long enough to cover her chest. My eyebrows raised. She giggled, and while vibrating under my gaze, ran tiny hands over trim flanks.

My eyes followed until they found a bare midriff, then the tiniest pair of shorts, a darker pink, hugging a slim pelvis. To finish the transformation, longer blonde curls now swirled in twin pigtails. Yep, tied with more pink, slender ribbons. As her delicate digits teased the strands of spun gold, I cocked my head.

“Okay. Neat trick. What do you want, Mi?”

“May I come in?”

Without waiting, she moved forward. My arm shot out to bar her.

“No,” I grumbled.

The little being thrust out a hip and pouted ... actually pouted. Her long, glittery, pink-nailed fingers twisted tighter in a swirling pigtail.

“Please, Iakovos.”

Her use of my true name made my chest tighten. My lips pursed, and my head tilted the other way. Her only reaction was to deepen her gaze. Could feel the unnatural tug, but...

The woman ... Fae, was even more petite than Mandy. Her irises were lively, switching colors, becoming ever more radiant. A tantalizing perfume puffed from her. No mere chemical concoction, the intensity of the wildest flowers hinted at far more. Under pink skimpiness, nipples lengthened. Yeah, that last was a bit much.

“On one condition,” I growled.

Right as now bubble-gum lipstick parted to ask my stipulation, my hand drove under the ridiculous “top” to pinch a sturdy stem. She yipped, and when my fingers twisted, her eyes flew wide. With a moan, she lurched, thrusting the warm cone into my palm.

“Glamours are one thing, but if I detect the tiniest flicker of magic, you’re out on that pretty little ass, and we’re done.”

After my hand left her, she stumbled forward, bobbing her chin while gulping air. The glamour morphed; her eyes settled on brilliant blue, a lighter shade than Mandy’s.

With a smile, I stepped aside and gestured for her to enter. Still shaking, she passed over the threshold. The sound of click-clacking drew my focus downward. Yep, she’d kept the shiny red strappy heels. They enhanced already perfect legs and, while shutting the door, I couldn’t help but inspect a lithe frame.

Impressive little creature. They each had their talents. When my gaze found her eyes, they took on an inquisitive glimmer.

“Who are you? What are you, really?” she asked.

“You know my name.”

Before answering her questions, I wanted her to admit how she knew it.

“Your men—”

With a snarl, I cut her off. Yep, that figures. “The ones you fucked?”

“Yes,” she murmured, with irises glistening and lower lip quivering.

Contrite? Honestly? While still twirling golden curls, she skimmed her tongue over the shaking pinkness.

“One of them told me that much,” she added in an even tinier voice. “But nothing more, Iakovos, I swear.”

Oh, my gaze delved those twinkling eyes. Nope, no flinch, and she never turned away. At last, with a forced grin and a hissed sigh, I gestured. The little being clicked across the foyer and into the main room. After walking past her and nodding at the couch, I moved to the sidebar.

“Wanna drink?”

When no response arrived, I glanced up to find she had slowed. Her attention was on the battered blade glimmering above the fireplace. She caught my glance and sent me a tight grin.

“Yes, please, Iakovos,” she replied in that same hushed tone.

“Whiskey, alright? Looks like you could use something strong.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Rather than sit, she remained distracted and continued to survey my humble abode. The main floor’s long, broad space held a pair of older-style, over-stuffed wingback chairs centered on the fireplace. Along the walls sat shelves crammed with books and mementos from the more recent years. She stood by a couch; it and two other armchairs faced a wall-mounted widescreen television.

At last, pink-clad curves sank onto the sofa, and while keeping my heartbeat steady, I poured two tall whiskeys. Just as the glasses rose, she twisted to sit sideways and face me. Shoes abandoned on the carpet; her legs curled beneath her. While taking the drink from my hand, she said nothing. With her eyes locked on mine, there was the briefest hesitation before the rim found her lips.

With a sigh, I sat in a chair across from her and took a lengthy gulp. No magic detected, only pure curiosity.

“Who am I?” I muttered.

She gave me a slow nod. My heart thumped. It was a tale I hadn’t been able to share in many years. The thunder in my chest raced quicker as my mouth opened.

“At his request, among others, I went with a man called Clearchus into exile in Thrace. We fought. We pushed them back, then he got hired by Cyrus. So we followed. But ... long story short, Clearchus was murdered. He’d been a good general and a hard-hearted fighter, so they killed him for it. Along with our other generals.”

After another slow sip, I inspected the amber fluid for a while, letting dusty memories sharpen. Mi was motionless, and I didn’t have to look up to know her eyes were locked on me over the rim of her drink.

“Well, we had little choice,” I continued. “Picked new leaders and began hacking our way homeward. That was a long ass time ago. Nowadays, they ... the humans ... call it 400 BC.”

The softest gasp came from her, and I looked up to find the tumbler trembling in her fist.

“That’s all we were trying to do ... get home,” I muttered, tasting the dust once more. “Me and a few others were scouting ahead of the column. In Armenia, we followed a goat path up a ridge dotted with scrub and white stones.” I snorted. “Not a single cloud in a sky of brilliant blue. The sun was high; its relentless, searing heat caused the land to quiver. So damn hot.”