“It’s the Iron Bar,” he tells me.
“Clever name.” My words are harsh and painful to speak.
“The gate’s made of pure iron to keep out the nix. Water spirits can’t touch iron.”
I push my wings a few beats, wanting badly to enter the safe haven just yards away. We lower slowly, gliding through the comforting breeze.
“That’s low enough,” Ryder warns.
I nod and attempt to level us out. My back arches, failing to haul us up even an inch. Seriously, once we land we’re going to have a real talk about his weight. It’s like cradling a solid—sexy—boulder in my arms.
Lower we sink, gravity is tearing us down to the terrible world once more.
“Kara, that’s too low.”
Nix race across the plains of the grassy land, their blue bodies soaring over the ground at flashing speeds. At the gates of the Iron Bar, they wait like begging dogs to be fed.
“Kara, we need to go higher if we’re ever going to clear those spikes.”
“I know, stop yelling at me.”
“I’m not yelling at you,” he yells.
The tips of the spikes are rusted and I lift my legs, crouching to clear the sharp bars of the fence.
But I’m not graceful enough.
The iron stabs through my jeans. I feel the warmth of my blood before the painful scream ever leaves my mouth.
The hard earth hits my shoulder, bending the fine bones of my wing.
“Fuck, Ryder. Ryder.” Tears sting my eyes as I look across the yard at him.
He shoves off from the ground without hesitation. Dirt covers his white shirt and he kneels at my side within seconds.
“It’s alright. You’re alright. It’ll be alright.” His strong arms slip beneath my wings and legs, cradling me to his chest once more.
Pain like I’ve never felt before fires through my body, starting at my shoulder blade and spiraling down to my bloody and tattered leg.
“It hurts. Gods above, it hurts.” I bite my lip and clench my eyes tightly closed. Trembling breaths leave my lungs.
I still hear them. I hear the hissing screams of the nix that are waiting at the gates to enter and devour us whole.
“Just try to think about something else for right now.”
I try my best to listen to his advice.
The metallic building looks more like a bunker than a bar. Not a single window gives us a peek inside. Strong panels of iron are bolted in sheets, creating four walls for the intimidating, towering structure.
“Just so you know, I’m an excellent wing-man,” I say in a shaking whisper with a joking tone, attempting to break the coiling pain that’s flooding my body. Talking about something else doesn’t distract my mind as much as I’d like.
“Yeah, because a gorgeous and aggressive blonde is just the person you want trying to get you laid. It’s not that kind of bar. If I was bringing you here for that, you’d most definitely be the world’s largest cock block, I promise.”
“I’m sorry, did you just say something about the world’s largest cock?” A weak smile is all I can manage.
His bright eyes land on me and he bites his lip, but the smallest of smiles peeks out between the worry flooding his face. I’m reminded how handsome he is. The ends of his pale hair sweep back and forth in the breeze as he shakes his head at me.
Truthfully, the word ‘gorgeous’ is swirling through my mind at hyper speed. I need a wall between us. I need one of those iron sheets of metal placed precisely between me and the twins’ best friend. Ryder’s handsome and charming and funny and magnetic. And if I sleep with one more sexy fae, I’ll need to start attending addiction meetings or something because I’m starting to realize this is a serious problem for me. Sure, sure some people struggle with alcohol and some with drugs, but an abundance of sexy men is a real problem.
