“Don’t say that, man.You know she wouldn’t have wanted you to go out like that.”He didn’t voice his true thoughts on Trystan’s female.Ellora was a selfish whore who’d died in the arms of another man.The other man, being human and married as well, took Ellora to his home, where his own wife was supposed to be gone.Sadly, the human female returned to find Ellora asleep with her husband.By the time Trystan tracked his wife down, she’d lost too much blood and refused to leave her lover, who was dying in her arms.Scepter took those memories from his friend.He couldn’t let the male live the rest of his life knowing his bonded mate chose another.Instead, Scepter took that darkness inside him, losing a piece of himself in the process.
“I’m fine, Scepter.That’s what I’m saying.Time does heal.You won’t forget.Like a wound we might get from a silver-laced knife or bullet, we can survive such an attack.We’ll still carry a visible scar.Yes?That’s how it is when one we love is lost.Only nobody else can see the wound but us.”Trystan tapped his heart.“Someday, you and I might be given another chance, brother.All is not lost.”
Scepter heard the heavy Irish brogue as his friend spoke.It came out when Trystan was passionate or injured.Really, anytime he was feeling deeply.
“If you decide to go back, I’ll go with you,” Trystan offered
“You know I can’t take you from Savage, especially now that he’s found his bonded mate.I appreciate the offer, though.”He closed his eyes as Savage’s voice entered his mind.
“I need you to return to the main house.”Savage’s voice sounded even.He tried to look into Savage’s mind to see what transpired since he’d left, but the male blocked him.
“I’ll be there in a few,”he answered him.
“No, return now.”Scepter winced at the order.He grit his teeth as he stood straight.The fucker didn’t make demands on him by forcing his will without a reason.However, Scepter loathed it when Savage or anyone tried to make him do shit.All they needed to do was ask, and he’d do it without argument.Never had he disobeyed Savage.If he said he’d be there shortly, that meant within minutes, not hours, not even five or ten minutes.
“Do not ever force your will upon me, Savage.You won’t like the male I become.”He growled through their link, and then he severed their connection.He’d allowed the male to enter his mind.Savage and he were the same age.Their powers were equal.He didn’t want the authority that came with being King.The Boss of their territory wasn’t something he’d ever wanted.His job, his priority, had been protecting Savage and their clan—by choice.
He let his body become smoke and then reappeared inside the opulent foyer of Savage’s and now Aurora’s home.The other male's flashing red eyes stood glaring at him.
“You blocked me,” Savage said in a guttural voice.
“No, I cut you off.There is a difference.”Scepter didn’t raise his voice.The other male should know the anger he felt went deeper than anything Savage experienced in his life.
“What does that mean, you cut me off?”Savage’s hands flexed and unflexed.
The sound of Aurora coming down the stairs reached his ears.Her steps paused halfway down.
Scepter and Savage both quieted as the feel of magic washed over them.
“Hello, family.We’re back,” Jenna’s cheerful voice exploded into the quiet of the expansive space.
“Starla?”Aurora’s voice shook.
Scepter felt his heart stutter.His mouth went dry at the name, and now, as he let himself breathe deeply, he could smell the scent of his female.Her cinnamon-and-vanilla scent smelled different, wilder.
He couldn’t move and wasn’t sure if Savage could either, as they both stayed out of sight of the trio.
“Ah, did I forget to mention there was a difference between human and Fey time, and how it is a wee different than here on Earth?”Silence filled the air.Scepter wasn’t sure what the fuck the crazy female was talking about.He looked at Savage, noticing the red tinge of his eyes was gone, and his blue orbs stared back at him.
“Well, you see.Your couple of months is like err—a few years on Fey?Basically, you owe Starla about.”There was another pause, and then she continued, “By my calculations, Starla is twenty-five in human years.That means you owe her like seven birthday presents.Oh, and on Fey, it’s perfectly fine for minors, which by the way, she’s totally not now and hasn’t been for years, to drink alcohol.Also, she did not get shitfaced with me.Anyhoo, I see you’re a wee bit ticked off, so I’ll just leave you and your sister to hug it out.But I’d also like to point out you’re still her older sister, so.Byee,” Jenna whisper-yelled and then vanished.
“What the fuck is going on?”Aurora screamed.
Scepter watched his best friend recoil in shock, then he flashed to the females.He followed in the same light trail, landing next to him.Their bodies materialized before Aurora.She wiggled between her sister and them, but what Scepter noticed was how Starla took a step backward.He hated to see her retreat, whether it was because of him or because of them.
“Okay, let’s all settle down.Um, wow.I realize I overreacted.But, can you blame me?Are you going to say anything, Biddy Bee?”Aurora held her hands out in front of her like she would a scared child.
Scepter wanted to move the female out of his way so he could look at Starla and take in all her changes.Goddess, she was beauty personified.What had Jenna said?Fey and human time were different.The female in front of him was Starla, but she smelled older, looked older, and fuck, she was much more mature.She’d lived years while they’d missed a few months of her life.Shit, she’d had years to get over him.
“It’s weird hearing you say those words.From you in person.I mean.Our calls were one thing, but yeah.Can I have a hug, sissy?”
There, that was the girl.His breath came out shaky, but he made sure nobody but him would hear it.He didn’t deserve her.
The two females wrapped one another in a hug as they cried.He and Savage stood next to one another, watching.
“They’re leaking,” Savage joked.
“It’s a female thing,” he murmured.
