His eyes meet mine, and then I push myself forward, my body whooshing downward until my feet land on the wetground. It’s slightly jarring, but I’ve done this enough that it doesn’t faze me.
I stare up at the light filtering through the opening and see the bottom of Glenn’s feet appear. Then, a second later, he’s next to me, his head swiveling back and forth as he takes it in.
It’s darker here, the bright scatter of stones near the entrance long behind us. Back here, the air feels heavier, thick with the promise of something hidden.
My fingers lace with his, and I lead him through the narrow passage until it spits us out into a hollow chamber. The spring lies before us, still and glittering faintly. Two lamps on the cave walls cast a weak glow, just enough to reveal the rippling surface. The light doesn’t reach far, and the shadows at the edges seem to move as we step up to the pool and peer down into it.
“What’s it used for?” Glenn asks softly.
I put my finger up to my lips, and he makes a face at me.
Then I dip my hand into the water, wetting my finger and placing it against his lips.
He stares at me intently, the air growing thicker. His tongue swipes out and slides against my skin, and I feel the tingle move through my body at his touch.
My skin hums as I dip my finger into the water and place some into my mouth. I’m not injured or sick, so the effect of the water on me just makes me glow, makes my body slightly overheated.
Once, I had an entire mouthful and ended up as bright as a fucking star.
I’ve learned my lesson. Now I only take drops, the smallest amount possible, to prevent myself from going supernova.
Glenn’s eyes slide across my skin, which is glittering slightly, a soft glow in contrast with the lamps on the cave walls. The water before us ripples as I offer Glenn another drop, his tongue curling around my finger and sucking.
I want to know what he’s feeling. What is this water doing to him?
I want to ask, but I’m afraid that if I speak, we’ll be caught, and the watcher will find us and scold us.
I don’t want to be brought to the leader of the pack.
He frightens me.
My finger leaves his mouth, and I step closer, my hands moving around his shoulders and into his hair. My mouth slants over his, and I taste the slight buzz on his tongue, can feel the bulge in his pants.
I grind against it, feeling the need building inside of me.
I want him already.
But then a sound behind us has us wrenching apart.
“You’re not allowed in here. You know that. Fae are not to go near the water.”
That deep, rasping voice has me freezing and turning toward the watcher, an older man with white hair and a long dark robe, who is staring at us intently.
Glenn’s arm moves around me protectively, and I lean into him, still feeling that hum under my skin, a song, a slow and steady beat.
“Sorry, I just wanted to show him the pool.”
“And drink from it. You know what I told you would happen the last time, and still you disregarded it. Your kind are always sneaking about, making trouble for the rest of us.”
Glenn stares down at me, his arm tightening around me, but I can feel curiosity radiating off him. He wants to know what will happen.
“I’m not making trouble. It was just a drop,” I say, feeling my cheeks flame. I can’t believe we were caught, but then again, maybe I wanted to be.
“A drop shared is all you both need. You were warned, and you did it anyway.” The watcher stares at us long and hard, andI lean into Glenn as we’re escorted from the cave. We move past the entrance, the stones glowing around us before we step outside.
It’s not as cool out here, the mild breeze hitting our pebbled skin.
“Don’t come back unless you’re invited, Arbor,” the watcher says, and I sigh, giving him a nod. He looks at Glenn and then back at me before uttering something cryptic.
