Stone had no idea how anything worked in the hidden realm. He just stuck to Frost’s back and kept his eyes moving. Despite the beauty surrounding them, bad things happened everywhere. Frost had a child and mate to go home to. It didn’t take long for Lysander to come into view. A thick blanket covered his hammock suspended by nothing in midair. An unnaturally blue creek flowed beneath him. One translucent wing poked out between the hammock and blanket. Tiny shimmers of light danced on the very tip while the rest looked lifeless.
Deidra aggressively patted Frost’s arm. “He’s right there.” It was an unnecessary announcement, but Stone got it. He felt helpless too.
Stellar motioned the hammock closer, and the bed obeyed. “I’ve brought the healer.” Stellar reached beneath the blanket as if grabbing Lysander’s hand. The love etched on the guy’s face had Stone ready to fuck up that beauty. Now wasn’t the time.
“He can’t fix me, and you know it.” There was a sad yet loving whisper from beneath the blanket. “It’s okay.”
Stellar snapped, “It’s not okay. You’ve been my best friend for nearly our entire lives. If you won’t live for me, at least give me a name so I can tear out his insides when you’re gone.”
Frost rocked from foot to foot, obviously waiting to jump in the moment he was allowed to do so. A gnawing at the back of Stone's gut and mind had him ready to explode. Everything felt wrong. There was a hole growing in his chest. More light sprinkled onto the ground like glitter from Lysander’s wing. Thefull memory of this morning washed over him. They had locked eyes. Lysander was his mate.
“Just let me go.”
“Fuck that.” The roar burst from Stone. He didn’t give anyone time to react. Stone used his vampire speed against the surrounding guards, bypassing them in one swift move. In a flash, he had Lysander in his arms. His mouth covered his mate’s. A flash of light nearly blinded him even with his eyes closed.
Stone spoke against Lysander’s lips between kisses. “You don’t get to leave me like this.”
“Fascinating.” Frost’s mutter reminded him they weren’t alone. He pulled away, completely on board to do whatever it took to make Lysander live. His glowing fairy was back. No more drooping wings.
“I see.” Stellar’s voice had changed. He sounded less sure of himself. “You said he was a vampire. I guess I didn’t know who to suspect first. Maybe I’m not as much your—” Stellar stopped. His gaze landed on Deidra. “Thank you for accompanying me. I need to get back to my place, it seems.”
At any other time, maybe Stone would have tried to puzzle his way through the encounter. Right now, he still felt sick, and he didn’t know why. Lysander looked better but still weak. He had no idea why everyone seemed to deem him well.
Deidra linked arms with Frost. “I’ll escort you back.”
Stone had never been more torn in his life. He had to guard Frost, but it was Lysander. Stone felt the way he still struggled. Which duty was he meant to follow?
Deidra made a dismissive motion when Stone tried to stand. “I’m taking him right back to his office. He’s not in danger. Plus, Frost is probably more dangerous than anything bent on harming him. You stay here and fix my cousin. It seems this is your fault in the first place.” The way Deidra’s voice hardened had him guilt-ridden, and he had no idea what he had done.
Stone might have argued if everything hadn’t felt like it wasn’t real. He felt like he walked through a dream and couldn’t see anything clearly, except Lysander. Only when he looked at Lysander did the world snap back into focus.
Light green eyes with rays of blue stared back at him. “I thought you said you never wanted to see my face again.”
Stone got more confused every time anyone spoke to him. “I don’t remember saying that, but I know that means nothing. Nothing I do lately seems to stick to my brain. Everything vanishes and I can’t make my mind hang on to it, but I’m here. Please tell me what’s wrong? What’s happening to your wings?”
At his question, Lysander’s wings disappeared as if he didn’t want Stone to see them. “I haven’t truly fed in weeks.”
That one threw Stone for all the loops. “So eat.”
A soft, weak-sounding chuckle vibrated from Lysander. Even at death’s door, the laugh sounded sexual. Lysander was just pure lust. The truth dawned. He felt a little dumb. “Oh. Why won’t you do what you need to do? I know it’s not from lack of offers.” Even as Stone said the words, a jealous rage roared through him. No one else was allowed to touch his mate. He knew the reaction wasn’t fair. If Lysander forbade him from drinking from anyone else, he wouldn’t understand. Blood was food. That was all. For Lysander, sex was magic, light, and energy. Truthfully, fairies were akin to energy vampires. Stone should be looking at this as he would any other food source, but he couldn’t. This was his mate.
Lysander’s gaze moved over Stone’s face, as if looking to see if Stone would get smarter. When he came to the obvious conclusion that Stone would never figure him out, he put Stone out of his misery. “I don’t want to touch anyone else. It wouldn’t be right.”
Stone hated how that confession simultaneously made his heart soar and sink. He ached to claim his mate—to be claimed by his mate. But Stone had a sickness he didn’t know if he could spread. Neither could he fail this beautiful gift from Celeste. A fairy. Stone nearly laughed. He couldn’t say she hadn’t matched his appetite.
Still, Stone wanted to protect Lysander. “Maybe it wouldn’t be right if I touched you.”
Lysander nodded as if he saw every thought and fear inside Stone. “Then I’ll touch you.”
Lysander’s fingertips ran down Stone’s torso. His shirt disappeared beneath Lysander’s touch. Stone stared so hard at Lysander, his vision doubled, forcing him to blink. He had to stay in this moment. They had so much to talk about, but Stone didn’t know how long he had before his mind wasn’t his any longer. No matter what, he couldn’t let Lysander starve because of him. Nor could he force himself to give Lysander permission to go somewhere else.
While holding Lysander’s gaze, Stone kept his voice serious. “You know hammock sex is hard, right?”
The hammock dropped, turning into a bed before hitting the ground. He was almost bucked off the edge at the impact. Stone wasn’t one to let something like being graceless stop him from getting what he wanted.
He straddled Lysander’s body. “Now do the pants.” Now that he had Lysander where he wanted him, he felt more like himself than he had in months.
Lysander touched Stone’s hip, and his jeans disappeared. He glanced behind him. His work boots were still firmly in place. “That’s how it’s gonna be, huh?”
