Chapter 16

"What just happened?"Amos demands, examining my face without taking me out of Fox's arms. I love that he knows when I need to be held by my mate and when it's ok to steal me from him for a hug.

Suddenly my mouth tastes minty fresh. I didn't know Amos could do that, but I'm happy to not have to wait to brush my teeth to clean out the grossness. Another thing to love about my father-in-law.

The convenience of talking stayed in the private realm of the Queen of Bones, so I'm forced to think really loudly toward Fox.

"Gwendolyn snatched you?" Amos demands before I even try.

I narrow my eyes at him. Are you able to hear my thoughts too?

Amos nods like I should have already known that. "I've been attuning to you since Arlington started attuning. It's taken me longer because I'm not around you often, but I'm getting there. In a few months you'll be able to call to me from across the realms."

I see. Thank you, that's very sweet of you. And no, Gwendolyn didn't snatch me. She had some fairies curse me, and now I'm able to teleport to her throne room and to Fox. She wants to negotiate with Tag.

Amos snorts. "What could she possibly have that would be worth his time? She's merely The Mab."

Yeah see, I don't get that. She has a whole title: The Mab, yet she ranks low enough that she doesn't think she could ever overcome the clans above her in rank.

"My love, if you don't tell us what he's saying, I'm going to cage you for a year," Tag threatens.

Amos's mouth drops open and he turns a shocked and offended expression on his husband. "How could you threaten such a thing? I'm helping."

As he explains our short conversation to the rest of the rescue squad, I take in the scene I popped into. Fox holds me with his left arm, and with his right hand, he holds his medium-big sword (I think we've established that I know nothing about swords—this one is curved with a wickedly pointy tip), though he doesn't appear to be threatening anyone specific. Dakota is holding Conall up on his tiptoes by the neck but appears to have forgotten his captive, who's red in the face but not blue, and is struggling to pry Dakota's fingers away. Ashley is wiping my vomit off his boots; it's nice that my landing ruined his shoes and not anyone else's. Bear is holding a warhammer that I promise you he forged himself back when humans were first learning how to work with iron. Holy fuck, that thing is both huge and old. And there's some fresh blood on it.

I grimace at the poor dead guards scattered around with their skulls caved in.

Apparently my disappearance resulted in a little skirmish.

"What does The Mab want?" Tag asks when Amos finishes his recount.

I pull my phone out of my pocket, but the damn thing is dead, so I look at Fox, who gives me a negative response. "Battery life here is seconds, not hours."

That's annoying.

I think loudly at him, recalling the conversation with The Mab and asking again why we think she's a nothing person when she has a well-known title.

Fox interprets for me, and Tag answers my question first.

"The Mab is an inherited title. She is the oldest surviving witch of the Mab line. We call her The Mab, but when she dies, the title will go to my cousin, Laina." As soon as he finishes that explanation, Tag asks, "Do you believe her?"

I couldn't say why, but I really do. I think she wouldn't come to us without something worthwhile to leverage.

"He does," Fox replies for me.

Tag narrows his eyes as he considers his options. He looks at Ashley, who's scowling at me. I smile at that fucker because he needs some sunshine in his life. Obviously living under a lake has turned his insides as murky as the water.

"I shouldn't have responded to your call for help," Ashley decides, annoyed.

I pout at him. Of course he did the right thing by responding. His mistake was trying to take advantage of the situation.

"Romily disagrees," Fox says stoically.

Tag interrupts whatever Ashley was gearing up to say. "Ashley, unfortunately, your hospitality will not be needed today. Shall I send recompense for the soldiers lost, or will your clan care for the families of the fallen?"

That sounds like an innocent enough question, but with the way Ashley stiffens and curls his upper lip, I get the feeling that Tag might've just insulted Ashley and all his ancestors. "Clan Caryn does not need the coin of others to care for our own," he spits.

Tag's smile impresses me with how bloodthirsty it is. "I'm glad to hear it, and if I hear otherwise, I'll return."

That right there is a threat. I may not understand the rules of the byplay, but I know a threat when I hear one.

Dakota suddenly drops Conall, and we all look, having forgotten that he was holding a hostage. Dakota ignores our collective stares and moves to stand in front of Amos's unicorn. "Will you escort my sons home, my friend?"

The unicorn snorts, and Dakota runs his hand over the unicorn's nose from horn to muzzle.

"Thank you," Dakota murmurs, then turns to me and Fox. "This is Trude. She will carry you home. When you arrive, tell Jerome, and he'll take care of her needs. They're friends, and he knows what to pay her."

I get the distinct feeling of dread from Fox, but I don't have time to ask before he and Dakota work together to get me on Trude's bare back. Fox jumps up behind me, wraps his arms around my waist, and gets a grip on Trude's mane.

It's probably a good thing that he decided to get behind me. I definitely would not be able to keep my hands from wandering with him naked in front of me. But, uh, oh… he's naked on the back of a unicorn. I doubt that feels good on his bits. Poor Fox. I'm going to have to kiss everything down there better when we get home.

Sigh. The responsibility of loving this man is so heavy…

Trude turns, trotting down the ramp and gaining speed as she runs out of the courtyard. The landscape flies by, blurs, and then the speed with which we're moving gets to me. I close my eyes and concentrate on not puking again. That would be horrible to do to someone giving me a ride home. Although I admit that I never would have guessed that getting home was as easy as riding a unicorn.

Fox laughs in my head and his mental voice fills the space inside me that is empty when we're not connected like this.

Unicorns are the snobbiest creatures in Fae. The fact that Omp has a unicorn friend is far more concerning than it is impressive. I don't want to know what he did to make friends with her.

I consider the last time Fox had anything to say about his father's relationships. He was worried about Akile becoming his next stepfather. Apparently the fathers occasionally bring a temporary fifth into their polycule. It feels like that would be too many limbs for me. Keeping up with Fox is enough for me; I'm not sure how the fathers manage with the four of them, and adding a fifth seems like more work than it would be worth.

Trude is a girl according to Dakota's pronouns for her,I point out, hoping to dispel his dread.

He's never been picky when he's in a monster-fucking mood.

Now I'm conflicted. On the one hand, Dakota is hot as fuck, and when he gets going with one of his husbands, it's a joy to watch. On the other hand, the image of Dakota fucking an equine, even one as majestic as this unicorn, doesn't bring up good, sexy feelings for me.

Does she shift into a more peopley form?

Fox's feelings on that question come through loud and clear: ick. So much ick.

I've had several unicorns assure me that there is no form more majestic and perfect than their true form and they would never ruin their beauty by taking up shifting, he responds solemnly.

Well, as long as all parties are consenting adults… Maybe we don't think about it too hard?

Trude slows to a stop, and I open my eyes, finding myself outside the front doors of the fathers' estate. The door opens, and Jerome, the butler that takes care of the house, steps out, greeting us formally. "Master Fox, Mister Butcher."

Fox helps me off Trude and holds my hand as he dips a bow to Trude. "Thank you, Trude. Jerome will see to your needs."

Trude snorts, and Jerome descends the steps, greeting the unicorn. "Hello, my dear friend. Would you join me in the stable house?"

As they walk away, Fox leads me up the front steps and into the fathers' mansion. He turns as soon as the door closes behind us and pushes me up against the entryway wall. "You're ok," he says, lifting me up so I can wrap my legs around his bare waist.

I'm ok,I agree. You're very naked and we're not in a private enough room for you to be pressed this close.

Fox chuffs, relieved and amused.

I smile, staring into his intense brown eyes. I play with the back of his longish hair as I slowly rock my hips to press my quickly hardening dick against him. Fox's amusement turns to fire in an instant with the flash of his demon magic in his eyes. Occasionally fire erupts in his eyes like a fun Hollywood graphic, an indication of the intensity of his feelings.

"I didn't like it when you teleported out of my arms," he confesses, pressing in close enough for our noses to touch.

I was also not a fan, though now I have the ability to teleport. I wonder if that's restricted to Fae or if the curse works across the realms.

Omigod. I have magic that responds to my will!

Sure it's a curse, and it makes me sick, but most non-conventional modes of transportation have that effect on me. If I use it sparingly, then I will always have a way to get to Fox. If nothing else, it might be worth keeping because of that. I know, I know, I wanted to break the curse ASAP, but…

Fox huffs again, running his nose along mine. "Romily, curses are meant to be broken."

I'm pretty sure that the people who put curses on others hope they aren't broken.

Fox doesn't respond verbally. Instead he kisses me like he hasn't seen me in a month, and I kiss him back with just as much enthusiasm. It doesn't matter how many times our lips meet and our tongues tangle, every kiss is better than the last. I live for his kisses, exist to bring his life joy and pleasure. No matter what else the universe has planned for me, Fox is my fate, and I am his.

"Hey—oops!"

Our kiss comes to an abrupt end with the startled yelp behind Fox.

I tip my head to the side to peer at Akile wearing nothing but a speedo and a damp towel over his shoulders. Dayum. My bestie is a total twunk.

Fox rolls his eyes at me and releases me. I remain attached, reaching between us to pull his erection between us, and give him a quelling look. He might be fine with everyone seeing him nude and aroused, but I'm not old enough to have gotten over my possessive streak.

It was fine when it was Kristie because we were already finished and she was an authority figure. I know, but it was like being naked in front of a doctor. It happens, and we just ignore it.

That is not how it is with Akile.

Fox returns his hands to my ass, holding me to him like a front-hanging backpack. "We'll join you in a few minutes," he says.

Akile smirks at us as Fox passes him. "Sure. Everyone's in the pool. I was sent to let you know."

As soon as Fox is walking away, I look over his shoulder at Akile, who shoots me a bright smile with two thumbs up, pointing to Fox's ass.

Yep, this is why I'm protecting my future husband's virtue. We're surrounded by thirsty men.

I know, I know. It takes one to know one, but can you blame me? Fox is hotter than an August heatwave.