Chapter - Seven

Sunlight filtered into my makeshift bedroom as I rose from sleep. My body felt different since meeting with the Crimson Siblings, as if the glamour around me had unearthed new senses. Across the hall, I heard the steady hum of someone singing under their breath. It was low and soft in tone. Felix.

I sighed out his name as though I had no control over myself and the singing immediately ceased. I heard the patter of his bare feet on the timber cross to my room, and the door swung open right afterwards.

He stood on the threshold in black and white hounds tooth pants and an armless black tank top that showed off his biceps. His hair was flat across his forehead today, the low sunlight catching the highlights of his brown curls. My heart betrayed me, beating faster at the sight of him. Beneath his glare I noticed his smirk grew wider as he picked up on the sound. Such an ass.

‘What?' he asked.

I grinned. ‘You heard me say your name.'

His eyes rolled. ‘Yes, dumbass. I'm supernaturally gifted.' He pointed to his chest. ‘Child of death, remember?'

I chose to ignore his sarcasm. ‘I could hear you singing.'

‘That's impossible. I was two rooms away.'

I hummed the tune he'd been singing, familiar with the song. His eyes grew wide. ‘That's the song, right?' I said, teasing him.

‘How did you hear me?' he snapped.

I pushed the covers down, swinging my legs out from under the blankets. ‘Honestly? I'm not really sure. I woke up and I could just hear more.'

Felix cleared his throat and licked his teeth. ‘The glamour might have weakened due to the Crimson Siblings' prolonged presence. Faeries have acute senses, as do children of death. You'll probably experience some more symptoms of either kind.'

‘So now I'll always be able to hear your lousy singing?' I said, laughing at his flushed cheeks.

Felix said nothing. He dropped his hand from the door and walked away. The sound of his bedroom door slamming echoed throughout the house and I sighed. Quickly gathering my clothes for the day, I raced to the bathroom downstairs and let the hot water soak into my tightened muscles. When it'd been long enough that Felix might think I'd drowned under the flow of water, I got out.

After dressing in black jeans and a lavender turtleneck, I left the bathroom, almost colliding with Felix. He braced his hands on my shoulders and pushed me backwards so we didn't touch any further. Then, he dropped his hands. I examined the leather jacket he'd pulled on over his top, thankful I wouldn't have to avoid staring at his exposed arms.

‘Would have thought you'd have heard me coming,' he said smugly.

I huffed. ‘You crept up on me.'

For the first time in a while, he grinned. It took my breath away. ‘Children of death are quieter than any Fae. Guess your body is still adjusting.'

I ignored the comment. ‘What are we doing today? Can we please get out of this house?'

‘Tired of Calum already?'

‘It's more his brother that gets on my nerves,' I shot back. ‘Speaking of, how are you two brothers? Not to be rude but––'

‘We look nothing alike.' Felix cleared his throat. We stood in the hallway as he spoke. ‘Calum found me a year ago. I was hunting some people for fun.' He avoided my gaze. ‘I went rogue. I was in bloodlust and I couldn't control my urges. Calum found me in some back-end dive bar, washed up and drunk. He kind of just pushed at me until I agreed to let him help, but I wasn't very grateful for quite some time.' Felix shrugged. ‘I don't know. We just sort of fell together. Cal knew Blanche and Talora from when Talora taught at a hospital and he snuck in for blood bags. She brought him back from the edge, just like he did for me.'

‘He saved you,' I said after a few moments of silence.

‘Yeah,' Felix replied. ‘And he knows it.'

He turned around, but not before grabbing my wrist and tugging me along. I was getting used to being pulled around like a toy, so I just hurried and tried to keep up with him. It was easier than before to match his pace, but my body seemed to be annoyed at the speed.

‘You said Fae don't like running,' I said.

He didn't meet my eyes. ‘Yes. Your body is recognising the Fae element, so you'll feel things differently. And this is not fast, just fast for a Fae. But I don't have time to walk slow.'

I mimicked his words behind his back as I followed him into the main house. Calum sat at the dining table chewing on a piece of French toast. He grinned at the pair of us as Felix pushed me towards an empty chair and continued into the kitchen. My annoyance eased as I sat down in front of Calum.

‘Good morning grumpy,' he chimed, making me scowl.

‘Why are you so positively uplifted?'

‘Probably because Felix is taking you out on a date today.'

I raised my brows. ‘A date?'

Felix called out, ‘It's not a date! Quiet, Calum.'

Calum winked at me. ‘It's a date.'

‘Where is he taking me?' I asked.

‘I don't know, he wouldn't say. Just that you two were going out today to run an errand. He'll probably take you on a romantic getaway and confess his undying love to you in front of the setting sun, ring in hand.' Calum let out a deep sigh. ‘I can't wait to be the best man.'

I crinkled my nose. Felix stalked back in. ‘I will do absolutely none of those things,' he said, slapping my food down in front of me. The plate rattled against the wood grain. ‘Stop feeding her ego. It's already huge.'

‘Sure you aren't talking about yourself?' Calum replied.

Felix ignored him, chewing on avocado on toast with barely contained irritation. A sneer curled his top lip. I felt the fear run through me and Felix suddenly dropped the look, turning away. I'd have bet my life that he had heard my heart stammer and knew it was because of him. But I also knew he'd never admit such a thing.

Once breakfast was over and while I waited for Felix at the dining table, Calum chewed my ear off about the new television series I'd be missing out on today.

Felix arrived in the doorway with a coat slung over his arm. He nodded at me.

‘We're going out,' he said to the household.

Calum beamed. ‘Date time! Get a coat, darling. It's brisk outside.' Then addressing Felix he said, ‘Oh, do kiss her in the glow of candlelight, Fifi.'

I hurried across the lawn to the guest cottage and pulled an oversized denim jacket from my bag. I stuffed a black beanie onto my head, waves of auburn hair bouncing beneath it as I jogged back over to the main house. With a wave to Calum, I followed a grumpy Felix to the garage.

Felix stood in the doorway to the garage. I followed him into the garage to find a two-seater sports car. It was white with black-and-red leather seats, and completely topless. He jumped over the door and into the seat. A rush of air left my mouth, and I clambered into the car, gently clicking the seatbelt over me. Calum stood in the doorway, waving us off as the door rolled open and Felix reversed onto the street. He exchanged his glasses for a pair of jet-black sunglasses. We started out onto the road. Felix fiddled with the radio until some soft pop-rock music poured out of the speakers. When we pulled up to the lights, just around the corner from the house, the men in the car next to us gave me a smile. I smiled back but they wouldn't have noticed because Felix roared off down the street, his hand tight around the gearstick.

‘Are you alright?' I asked.

‘Never been better,' he answered, his voice monotone.

‘So where are we going?'

He didn't answer for a bit. ‘Tattoo parlour,' he finally said.

‘I can't get a tattoo.'

His laughter made me jolt in my seat. I wasn't used to the sound.

‘It's not for you, Mortal annoyance. The appointment is for me.'

My eyes narrowed. ‘Why are you in such a good mood?'

‘Don't question things you wouldn't want answered.'

I let it drop. ‘Why a tattoo? Why now?'

Felix replied, ‘I'm bored. I wanted tattoos when I turned eighteen, but my parents didn't think they were professional for someone studying law. So I didn't get any. When I was turned, however, Calum showed me there were tattoos you could get that weren't just normal ink. We can get normal tattoos, but where's the fun in that?'

‘And you're taking me why?'

He glanced over. ‘Would you have rather stayed with Calum and watched more TV? Especially since you get to see me shirtless if you come with, something I'm sure you'll appreciate. I'm getting it done on my back.'

I spluttered. ‘I do not want to see you shirtless!'

Felix wiggled a finger towards me. ‘Your heartbeat says otherwise.'

I crossed my arms, wanting to smother my own heart. It kept on betraying me. ‘So what makes this parlour different to a normal tattoo shop?' I asked instead, steering the conversation away from me.

‘It's not an ordinary tattoo parlour. The tattoos they do there aren't your normal ink, they're magic. You'll see what I mean. The people who run it are lycanthropes. They're very steady-handed and good with art.'

‘Lycanthropes?' I said, my nerves getting the best of me.

‘They're real friendly, nothing like in the story books. None of them are going to bite you. In fact, they'll probably want to check you out, since you smell like such a mix. They'll just be curious.'

‘Right. Just don't leave me alone with them.'

He shot me a wicked smirk. ‘I promise.'

???

The bell above the door jingled as we entered through the doorway, Felix holding the door open for me to walk through. He took off his sunglasses and shoved them in the pocket of his leather jacket. I tried not to stare at the man behind the counter. He was over six feet tall with muscles that strained against his fitted shirt. And he was coated in tattoos, some crawling up around his neck, others winding down his forearms.

But it was his scent that unnerved me. It was a mixture of pine needles, mountain air, and fresh moss, so much cleaner than a child of death's murky, velvet scent. My nose crinkled, trying to understand how someone could smell so much like a Canadian hiking trail. His short hair was styled so it fell over one eye. He pursed his lips at Felix.

‘Haven't seen you in a while,' he said gruffly. His eyes flickered to me, curious. ‘Who's the gal? Finally started dating again, hmm?'

‘Been busy Jace,' Felix replied. ‘She's just a friend.' He jabbed me in the ribs. I scowled up at him. ‘This is Tabitha.'

The man, Jace, stared me down. I shifted uncomfortably. ‘Smells like a faerie to me.'

‘She's a halfling,' Felix shrugged.

When Jace rounded the desk to come forward, I panicked, grabbing for Felix's jacket. I slipped behind him, clutching the back of his jacket in fright. Felix didn't show a flicker of emotion. Jace stopped, cocking his head when I peeked around Felix.

‘What's she scared of?' he asked.

‘Never seen a lycanthrope.'

His face shifted to understanding. He tried to smile at me. ‘You're a newbie? Just discovered your heritage?'

I nodded. ‘I've only known about your world for a week; since Felix kidnapped me.'

Jace frowned. ‘He did what now?'

Felix heaved a sigh. ‘Complete misunderstanding. She smelt good, I had a drink, she remembered everything. You know how a halfling can't have their mind altered.'

Jace looked doubtful. ‘Seems a bit extreme to kidnap her.'

Felix gritted his teeth. I let go of his jacket but felt him slip a hand down to capture my wrist. Jace's eyebrows rose. ‘She's fine with it now. Can we get to the tattooing?'

Jace paused, still looking at me with curiosity. ‘I'll get the chair ready. Wait here.'

He disappeared further into the shop. I could hear the whirring of machinery and then a buzzing sound like that of a needle sinking into the layer of skin below. It smelt like chemicals and sweat inside the parlour. Felix occupied himself with his phone while we waited and I traced my fingertips over designs plastered over the green walls. When Jace returned, he waved us in.

Felix led the way and I dashed after him to keep up, finding his hand with my two sweaty palms. If he found the motion interesting, he said nothing, letting me clasp his large hand with mine.

The shop was small but it was crammed with lycanthropes of all sizes. My nostrils inhaled their interesting scent. Their sharp eyes watched us pass their stations with children of death and other lycanthropes in chairs, getting inked. Snippets of their skin were exposed in all areas. I gripped onto Felix's hand tighter. He squeezed mine back.

Jace led us to a chair at the back as a woman came out from a back room. She had dark honey-brown hair and eerie yellow eyes – bright canary-yellow. I'd never seen something so inhuman. Even the representatives yesterday hadn't unnerved me as much. With a grin to both of us, she gestured for Felix to sit on the chair. I reluctantly let go of his hand as he took a seat.

‘Knew you'd come crawling back soon,' she said, her voice oozing like syrup.

‘Missed you too much,' he replied, an easy smile on his face.

She tilted her head. ‘It's a big piece. You sure you can handle it?'

‘Positive. Work your magic.'

She cracked a grin and started preparing her tools, choosing ink pots and finding a sterile needle. Felix shrugged off his jacket and tossed it onto a stool. I picked it up and folded it in my lap as I sat down on the stool, crossing my ankles. Felix glanced over at me holding onto his jacket. A Cheshire grin appeared on his mouth and he began to peel off his shirt. My tongue clove to the roof of my mouth and I studied my feet, hearing his low chuckle slip out. Dear heart, please calm down … sincerely, Tabitha.

I didn't look back till I heard the buzzing of the tattoo gun. Felix was lying on his stomach, his head facing me. The woman adjusted her seat before she pressed the tip of the needle to his skin. Rich black ink shot out and Felix shivered at the contact. He reached out a hand to me.

Felix wrapped his fingers around my wrist and pulled the wheeled stool towards the tattoo table. When I was close enough, he let go of my wrist and pressed his hand to my bouncing knee. ‘Stop fidgeting,' he said.

‘I've never been in a tattoo parlour full of lycanthropes before,' I whispered back. ‘What am I supposed to do?'

‘Not be afraid?' Felix answered. ‘Relax, I've got you.'

The woman caught the conversation. ‘You're afraid of us?'

I eyed off the parlour and sunk my teeth into my bottom lip. ‘I've only been around children of death, which I am still getting used to. So yeah, this is a big upgrade.'

She laughed softly. ‘That's fair.' With a glance at Felix, she said, ‘Jace said you kidnapped her, Fifi.'

His eyes changed to slits the nickname. ‘It was for her own good. She's thankful now.'

I huffed. ‘Thankful? More like tolerable of your psychopathic tendencies.'

The woman laughed again. ‘I've never met such a feisty girl. Must be the mundane childhood.'

As time passed, Felix kept his hand on my knee. I peered over his bare shoulder to watch the woman, Lauren, ink his skin. She explained she had done Felix's thigh tattoos – that's where most of his were, besides one on his hipbone. He kept quiet as we chatted but his hand kept toying with my fingers .

When Lauren was finished with the tattoo, Felix went over to look at the freshly done ink in two opposing mirrors. The design was of a coiled serpent, its forked tongue flicking out of its mouth. The snake's eyes were black and cold but twinkled beneath the light. The scales over its back were shaded in variations of grey, and for a second I thought I saw its tail flicker.

‘Did that just move?' I asked Lauren.

She just giggled as she cleaned up her workstation.

Felix smiled at her. ‘It looks great, thank you.'

I peered over at it once more. ‘So, how's it magical?'

Both of them laughed, ignoring me again. Felix strode back to Lauren who put some cream over the tattoo before letting him get changed. He pulled his shirt back on and took the jacket from my arms. His fingers wrapped around my wrist as we made our way back to the front of the parlour where Jace was counting change at the till. He glanced between us with an interested expression.

‘She didn't want anything?'

‘No thank you,' I said, trying to smile.

He said to Felix, ‘That's three hundred and fifty.'

Felix drew out cash and threw it on the bench. Jace swiped it up and gave him a curt nod. I let Felix lead me out of the parlour, watching him rake in a deep breath. It was early afternoon, the sun still fairly high in the sky. But the air was cold and I tugged my jacket further around me.

‘What now?' I said as we looked out onto the street.

‘We need supplies,' Felix told me, reaching for my hand. I allowed him to hold it, knitting our fingers together. My heartbeat quickened. ‘We're going to have a party.'

‘A party?'

‘A social gathering,' he stated. ‘You do know what that is, yes?'

My nostrils flared but I didn't snap. ‘I just meant, why are we having a party?'

‘Boredom,' Felix said with a chuckle. ‘Plus Blanche and Talora have some gala on this evening and I thought I'd invite some people over and get you mingling with the Fabled.' His eyes met mine as we strolled down the street, hand in hand. It was the first time he grinned at me with sincerity. ‘And who doesn't love an excuse to drink?'