“Keep your hair on.” He gave my knee a comforting rub. “The pink lights. The not-really-pink but sort of? Well, since you’ve been the proper you rather than witch human Trace, you…kind of…glow.”
I gazed at him. “I what? That doesn’t happen, sweetheart. I’m sorry. Like I said, our wings are part of our bodily form. They’re not magic. I wish they were.”
“There’s nowt wrong with my sight, Thèlo Evergreen.”Oh, Goddess, full named.James pulled out of my grasp enough to sit up. The sudden sharpness of his tone matched the flash of fire in his eyes and the way his jaw flexed. “I’m telling you, I canseean energy field or what the fuck ever you want to call it. Across your back. You just have to believe it yourself.”
Edwin sat back on his heels and stared at our boyfriend. “You’re absolutely sure of this, aren’t you, love?”
“I am.” He jerked his chin at me. “Do it now. Set your wings free, Trace. Let us see them.”
The steel in his voice lent me strength. I swallowed the knot in my throat and thought aloud. “If James is seeing magical residue, what does that mean?”
“Maybe you’re leaking magic, like an overflow pipe does for the hot water.” I cranked an eyebrow at Edwin and he chuckled. “I did some research while upgrading Bluebell. I know about this sort of stuff. But,” he continued thoughtfully, “it’s not like James has been wrong about seeing these lights before. You could try it. Perhaps your wings are too full of stored energy and it has to go somewhere. Is that a bonkers idea? I don’t know, but it’s as good as any we’ve got right now.” He waved his hands about, indicating flying matter. “I can’t imagine you want to try contacting Neele to ask her if this is normal.”
I winced. I didnotwant to do that — not at all. Goddess; on the off chance I was now magically enhanced or brimming over with magic, the less I did to draw attention to myself, the better.
“Still scared,” I murmured, this time with a degree of resignation. James tilted his head.
“But you’ll try, right?”
I wanted to yellNo!and hide in the bedroom. Then I looked again at James.Reallylooked. He needed me to try. He’d been beaten and horrifically abused by Cormack. But he’d not only accepted the protection of one of the same species who’d so badly harmed him, but at Edwin’s behest he’d willingly gone with Dalziel, a virtual stranger, in the hope of finding ways to help him cope with the trauma he’d been through. He was the epitome of brave, this human I loved with his fragile body and his (ordinarily) short lifespan. If he could face his demons head on and emerge triumphant, I owed it to him to make an effort.
Edwin hauled me to my feet and cupped my face in his hands, his blue eyes intense. “We believe in you, darling. And we both believe in James. Now, get your freaky flying parts out so we can lust over you some more. You’re already ridiculously pretty. It’s just mean to keep us from more wanking fodder.”
His crude humour gave me the final push to get to my feet, a snort of laughter bubbling in my throat. “Please, Eddie, never change.”
He evidently realised I needed his brand of snark more than ever because he grabbed his groin and made several lewd thrusts with his pelvis. “No plans to ever grow up,” he promised. “Although I might expire from old age if you don’t flash the pretty soon.”
“Have you ever even seen Fae wings?” I challenged him. “How d’you know they’re pretty?”
“Oh, comeon.Like I need to see them to know this. I’m positive your entire race has glamour oozing out of your pores ineven the most dastardly among you. Ugly deeds can be done by beautiful-looking people .”
“Can’t they just.” James’ sigh was profound. “You’re stalling, Trace.”
I centred myself. Shut out the bland, unfamiliar living room and cast my mind back to a time when my wings had been out more than they’d been hidden, as oft-used as my arms and legs. The scent of the flower-drenched breeze in my homeland, the calls and chirps of the wildlife, the lavender hues of sunrise. I was only wearing shorts so I didn’t even need to summon enough magic to slice harmlessly through a top. I wanted to feel the caress of a lover as they stroked a careful finger along the?—
Goddess!Energy raced across my shoulder blades and rippled down my spine. The room filled with light that penetrated my closed eyelids. Edwin gasped. James moaned, a rather sexual sound. I flexed my back muscles experimentally and this time both men gasped.
“Fucking hell, they’re absolutely stunning,” Edwin breathed. He sounded awed.
“Open your eyes, you twat.” The self-satisfied tones of my horny Yorkshire boyfriend.
I blinked them open. Turned my head a little, to the left, then the right.They’re there. Right where they should be.
“Told you. Now kiss me, you bloody idiot. I’m so turned on right now, I think I could come just from snogging.”
My laugh this time was carefree. “You’re going to be a really bossy top, aren’t you, sweetheart? Come and take as many kisses as you want.” I was giddy with relief and joy. James had no chance of kissing me standing up unless I bent, but too late, Edwin scooped him up, and the three of us wobbled in a tower of limbs and wings as James took control of my mouth as if he owned it. Perhaps he did. Perhaps, I thought dizzily as his tongue and lips possessed mine, I’d simply been marking timeuntil my life was forever changed by two men I could never have dreamed of.
“Can you fuck with your wings out?” Edwin, my dearest Eddie, bringing the moment back down to the gutter like the scoundrel he professed to be.
I sucked in a few breaths as James released my mouth. “Obviously not if I’m on my back, but I don’t see why not.” I was admitting to nothing I may or may not have done in the past.
James, panting, still in mid air, smiled deviously. “Are they sensitive like your ears and mine?”
I nodded. “Yes, but although they’re strong, they’re sort of fragile too, so?—”
“I have to be careful, I know. Isher explained when he showed me his.” His eyes burned with hunger. “I really want to know what effect I can have on you by touching them.”
My cock made a valiant attempt to escape from my shorts at his breathy suggestion. I uttered something unintelligible, then Edwin set James down and began tugging us both towards the bedroom. “We need a mattress and the lube,” he said firmly. I wasn’t going to argue.
