Wendall’s hands went up, waving back and forth so quickly I had to tighten my tail to hold on. “I’m not having second thoughts. Please don’t even suggest that.” Wendall looked around, most likely trying to see if his mate was nearby. I understood. Ray snuck up on Wendall all the time. I don’t think he meant to do it, but it made Wendall anxious. Since Ray wasn’t around, he must still be in Fairy.
“Then what’s the problem?” Johnny asked.
Wendall released a deep sigh. “I…I promise I’m not having second thoughts about Ray, but…it’s just…I’m not sure what to expect. I mean, I’m human. Mostly human. I was raised human, not fairy. This is all so…” Wendall tossed his arms into the air. “It’s a lot,” he finally huffed.
Johnny chuffed. “What? You mean being the long-lost nephew of the fairy queen herself is a little daunting?” Johnny grinned.
“Some days,” Wendall agreed. “Aunt Silvidia has been great. I mean, she’s really busy, what with being the fairy queen and all, but she still makes time for me, and I…I just don’t want to disappoint her or Ray. What if I mess things up?”
“What could you possibly mess up?” Lizbeth asked.
Wendall shrugged, lifting my body with the motion. His fingers absently stroked the length of my tail. “I’m not sure. That’s what I’m afraid of.” Wendall was so thoughtful and considerate. Sometimes to his detriment.
“Pfft. I’ve seen the way the fairy queen is with you, not to mention how smitten Ray is.” Johnny tapped one of his hooves. “Bless the Goddess, I thought fairies were emotionally constipated jackasses until I saw how Ray is with you.” Johnny’s eyes scrunched, and he tapped his chin. “Mind you, I still think they’re emotionally constipated. Most are jackasses too. Huh, maybe my opinion really hasn’t changed much.”
Ray’s voice broke through Wendall and Lizbeth’s laughter. “You would not be totally incorrect. I believe Wendall thought much the same during our first few encounters.”
“Ray,” Wendall said on a heated exhale.
Slipping from Wendall’s shoulder, I scrambled to Ray’s outstretched arm. Scurrying up his sleeve, I nuzzled into his neck. Ray would always be welcome. He’d brought me to Wendall.
“I trust all is well, Trinket.” Ray’s long fingers dug into my fur. His touch was always more forceful than Wendall’s.
Happily chittering, I reassured Ray that I’d kept his mate safe.
“Thank you,” Ray offered before handing me back off to Wendall. Instead of scrambling up his arm to perch on Wendall’s shoulder, he cradled me in his arms, my tail dangling loose and free for once. “Now, explain to me why you believe you will mess something up during our bonding.”
Ray must have snuck up on us again.
Wendall’s heart rate kicked up again. “I…I’m just not sure I’ll get everything right. I don’t want to embarrass you or my aunt.”
Ray’s hands grasped Wendall’s upper arms, pulling us both closer and sandwiching me in between. “That is an impossibility.”
“But—”
“There is nobut. Every bonding ceremony is different. Ours will be as it should be. As long as we’ve shared our bonds when the ceremony is complete, then it will be a success.” I chittered my agreement.
Gripping me tighter, Wendall leaned his head against Ray’s chest, cocooning me further. “I love you,” Wendall whispered, nearly too quiet for me to hear.
“As you are everything to me. Johnny, do you require Wendall’s services any longer?”
Instead of Johnny, Lizbeth answered, “We’ve got this. You two get out of here.”
“We’ll see you tomorrow night.” Happiness flowed through every word Johnny spoke. “We’re gonna throw one hell of a bash to celebrate. Lucroy’s closing the bar to the public. Get ready to party.” He fist-pumped the air. Johnny rarely seemed tired.
“You don’t need to go to all that trouble,” Wendall protested. “I told Lucroy that we don’t need—”
“Maybe you don’t, but we do,” Lizbeth argued. “We want to celebrate your happiness. Let us do that.”
“Oh, okay.” Wendall gave a head bob, his fingers digging into my fur but never to the point of pain. My tribe leader was always careful that way.
“Come then. Let us go home.” Ray opened a portal to Fairy, and we stepped through. I turned back to chitter my goodbyes, but motion stopped me cold. They were fast as they sped by, slipping through the portal and scurrying into Lucroy’s bar.
Skeets!I mentally hissed, screaming my fury. Wendall didn’t let me go. He just held me tighter as the portal closed behind us.
Skeet Trickery!
Skeets. How had they weaseled their way through the portal Ray created? They were vile creatures. Furless, six-legged bags of flesh with needlepoint teeth and a poison-filled stinger on the tip of their tails—all three of them. Skeets were the vermin of Fairy, and scuttlebutts excelled at exterminating them.
