Peter frowned at his own thoughts.He had fought the Fair Folk before and won.He’d to it again, and then he’d go to Theodore and hold him close and ask him to never leave his side again.Worrying about another outcome—an outcome in which his beloved had to grieve for him—wasn’t something Peter did, and the strange urge irked him.
Is this what it is like to hold your beloved first in your mind at all times, to worry about their heart when yours might not be beating an hour from now?Oh, the bother.
The Fae took a noisy breath.“I don’t know what it is you mean to do, bloodsucker, but you will not lure me.These youths can confirm my presence.With my kin.”
They’d reached the first floor, and almost insignificantly, Peter, when he turned to face the Fae, noticed another student with a sickly cough and a tissue she dabbed at her nose with hastily.Who but me would keep him safe from this?What am I thinking?I cannot let a Fae best me and leave him alone.Never.He’ll wither like a peasant boy devoured by consumption.
“Your kin?Where is your kin?”Peter kept moving toward the exit, making sure there was distance between them.He glanced around, and bumped into a table.“Oh dear, I’m so sorry.”He smiled at the student seated there, who was looking at him with big eyes, too busy filming the Fae to actually care that Peter had pocketed the not-very-sharp cafeteria knife.
“Dude,” the student said.“Watch it.”
“Right.”
The Fae cleared his throat.“You know that youth also?What does he mean for you to watch?”
The student looked from Peter to the Fae.“I don’t know what you two’re doing, but I’m digging it.Sowatchingwhatever this is.”
Peter could see the colloquialism attack the Fae and leave chaos there.Peter tucked the stolen cutlery up his sleeve, and without another word, headed for the exit, the watching students still giving him a wide berth while they had their phones up.He clearly didn’t fit in, just like the Fae, who kept on following him.
“Bloodsucker, hold!”the Fae said outside.
There were too many people still, and most of them were too interested, even if the novelty had worn off.Many of them were probably just about young or foolish enough to think the Fae’s appearance a mystery that needed unraveling.That meant they could probably be relied upon to do something stupid.
All over again, Peter felt pride bubbling up in his chest at the knowledge that Theodore had chosen to flee rather than get to the bottom of any kind of mystery, real or otherwise.All the horror movies we watched were not in vain, then.My beloved knows when to nope out of a bad situation and save his own skin.
“Bloodsucker,” the Fae said again, his voice rising.“Halt!”
Peter didn’t.He had to rely on the Fae being ready to be lured farther.He glanced back but made sure to keep ahead, just ahead, allowing the Fae to see him yet never reach him.Many Fae loved to hunt in the strange wilderness of Faerie, and it was Peter’s personal theory that pursuit came as naturally to them as it did to bloodhounds.Except most bloodhounds Peter had known were a lot nicer and licked your hand fondly when you scratched their ears.He’d never seen a Fae do that.
Peter’s goal was the linguistics department again, but the other side of the building, not the parking lot.There was an access road back there, usually reserved for whatever was delivered to the language people, although it was mostly used as yet more bike parking.Peter had no idea why when the lot was right there, but he assumed people just preferred the building access on that side.
At any rate, Peter knew that area of the campus to be quiet and half-abandoned.It was also shaded, thanks to the building.Peter had a few seconds to turn and watch the Fae stalk after him.He let his arms hang loosely at his sides, blunt cafeteria knife ready yet still hidden.
I will come home to you, beloved.I will not leave you.
The Fae stopped a fencer’s attack distance away from Peter, and huffed.He then looked around.
“As I said, my kin…will not take kindly.If you seek to inflict your evil ways on me.Bloodsucker.”
“Your kin again.”Peter cocked a brow.“Where are they?Call them here.”His blood chilled.“Did you send them after Theodore?”
The Fae’s purple eyes widened, his full mouth opened and closed, then he cleared his throat.“I do not know who that is.But they will come looking for me, I say!Should I miss supper—nay, tea.I am expected for afternoon tea, and they will come looking for me should I miss it.”
The Fae looked triumphant, and something in Peter’s head wanted to click.Except it made no sense.
“Are you telling me someone’s going to come after you because you’re afraid I’ll cut off your balls and bury you with them stuffed in your mouth?”
Peter had by no means planned any of that out, but all things considered, it looked as if it could be a reasonable outcome.
“W-what?My balls?”
The Fae’s utter smugness crumbled.Peter had no idea what to do with that.He’d never seen this on a Fae, would have thought it fake, but then the hunk almost covered his balls with a hand, except he caught himself and aborted the gesture, hand in front of his thigh.
It was Peter’s turn to glance around.I couldn’t have lured myself into an ambush?He doesn’t have anyone here, does he?He’s not playacting, is he?
There was no one, just the bikes, some decorated with plastic flowers wreathed around their handlebars.
“You don’t know who Theodore is, and you’re alone.And afraid.Hmm.”Peter lifted his hand.“He’s about this tall.Black hair, green eyes.Smart.Doesn’t take shit from the likes of you or anyone.I’m pretty sure you accosted him earlier at the cafeteria.”
