“Not…dying.” I tore at the zip of the hoodie which now felt like a straitjacket. Every stitch I had on was abrading my skin. I had to…get free.
The hoodie hit the dirt somewhere.Relief.
“What the sodding hell is happening to your hair?” Now, Edwin, my big, brave badass vampire, backed up several feet. “Christ, Trace, it’s changing colour as I watch.”
“It’s silver. Like mercury.” James sounded awed. Shit-scared, but still awed.
“The planet?”
“No, you fuckwit, the element.” A bitten-off, disbelieving laugh. “Trace?”
“Mmm?”
“Your hair is legit changing. It’s…” His tone changed, borderline reverent, “…so beautiful, like something from afantasy film.” He gulped. “Fuck. Is this some kind of hallucination? Have we been drugged?”
I could feel it, the slow transformation from tousled ropes of coarse tangles that nothing had ever tamed, to ripples of perfect silk, slithering over my scalp towards my neck, my shoulders, beyond. I clawed at my shirt, ripping buttons in my haste to reconnect with my true self. I needed to feel the weight of the tresses as they hung in a waterfall down my back, the way they had, the way they should. The way I had, until recently, thought I would never again feel them.
My shirt went the way of the hoodie. Perhaps it wasn’t warm enough to be half naked outside but, I stifled my own hysterical laugh, witches were famously known for going skyclad. I groped for a connection. James, my brave, gorgeous boy, took my hand again. “Not a hallucination,” I forced out through clenched teeth. “Ahhh, Christ, this hurts.”
“What can we do?” Edwin crouched on my other side. “You’re frightening me, love.”
“Don’t leave me,” I pleaded. “Didn’t know it would be like this.”
They bracketed me, silent sentinels while I sweated and shivered. Eventually, the universe saw fit to grant me a reprieve. I buried my face in my hands and took a few long deep breaths.
Aaah. And now we faced the first hurdle. Right now my long hair, my gorgeousrightfulhair, was loose and flowing, totally obscuring my face from view. It felt amazing. I quickly reminded myself that while I could be pleased and happy it had been restored to me, vanity had been one of the reasons I’d ended up imprisoned.Take it easy.
Gingerly, I swept my fingers over my face. Yeah, definitely not what Edwin and James were used to. I took another shaky inhale. This was going to take some getting used to, for me as well. It had been a damned long time since I’d seen my truereflection. My fingers shook. I just hoped they liked what they saw.
“Eddie, James?” I hated how vulnerable I sounded. And yet, I’d never felt this defenceless, so the feeling fit the situation. “I have to show you something. Please try not to freak out.”
Edwin sat down, right in the soil next to where I was kneeling. “You’re safe with us, Trace. I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but it’s obviously pretty big. Your hair is stunning by the way. Can I touch it?”
“Yeah, sure.” I no longer felt flayed alive, so hopefully touch wouldn’t be painful. Hesitant digits made several gentle passes through the ends down by my waist before Edwin murmured, “I know it’s not the right time and I’m a hopeless cockslut, but I cannotwaitto be surrounded by this while you fuck me.”
James sniggered. “Time and place, dude.” The air between us shifted as he got nearer. “We won’t judge you, Trace. We told you we love you. Whatever it is won’t change this.”
Easy to say. “Thank you.” Where to start? “I don’t know if I’m able to tell you what happened, but I’ll try.” I really didn’t want to do this. “I was under an enchantment. For years.”
James gasped. “Like, magic?”
I nodded, still curtained from their gazes. “Exactly like that. Fae magic, to be precise.”
“I fucking knew it. Your hair, it’s Fae, isn’t it?” Edwin, his tone strained.
Again, I nodded. “It is.”
“Oh my God,” James stammered. “You’re part Fae, like me? Why would anyone enchant your hair though?”
“I’m betting it’s not just his hair,” Edwin intoned darkly. “Fucking Fae really can do one, the way they like to lord it over the rest of us.” He rested a hand on my back which should have been soothing but instead sent a ripple of terror through me.He’s going to reject you once he knows the full story.
“It wasn’t like that,” I countered. Because, all right, it had sort of been like that, but I’d been an arrogant, small-minded little prick back then and thoroughly deserved punishing for my thoughtless ways. But he wasn’t wrong; we could be ruthless and cold when angered. Our punishments were often way more severe than most would think appropriate.
“Show us then. Or tell us.”
I sat up, hands still covering my visage. Took one more deep breath, then dropped them to my sides. Both men gasped. I opened my eyes.
James had tears rolling down his cheeks. “Is this the real you?” he asked, his words muffled by emotion.
