Page 9 of Temptation Unleashed (Talaenian Fae #3)

Steve stalked closer to his brother. “What, Thad? That I choose to live a happy life with a woman who brings me joy? That I shun the ideas of the Seelie and think they’re all archaic in their perceptions of humans?

That I didn’t bow down and pant after a spoiled fucking princess who fawned over your childhood best friend?

” Steve flicked his hand dismissively and groaned, “Give me a fucking break. Something tells me you’re not in a good place right now if you’re coming here to dispatch your own blood.

Our parents would be rolling in the heavens if they could bear witness to your disgusting behavior. ”

Rori’s interest piqued as she paused precariously between the sofa and Steve.

Long enough to watch Thaddeus’s expression shift and melt into something dark and sinister, like a golden demon.

The temperature in the room dropped, leaving a chill to caress her bare skin.

A conflict of appearance and essence that clashed in an electrical zing that hummed in the air. A warning.

“You know naught of my affairs with Daeanna and have no authority to speak on them.”

“And you think you can come here after a century and deem yourself higher-than-thou to speak on my affairs? Those which you know naught about?” Steve’s snide jab was shadowed beneath his growing frustration.

It was a side Rori had never seen in him before.

“Your princess is dead.” Steve leaned toward his brother and snapped, “ Dead !”

He spun away with a flagrant wave of his arm that knocked Rori back before she could duck away.

She stumbled, lost her balance, and smacked hard into the devil god who had lunged at his brother.

Instant fire exploded beneath her skin as Thaddeus stiffened under her weight, his attack lost as she battled the invasive warmth running rampant in every direction, down every limb, through every nerve and cell and fiber of her being.

She was all too aware of the hard muscles in the arms she clung to, hidden beautifully beneath soft silk.

The sight of an unmoving chest inches from her eyes as he held his breath, all the while his sultry scent permeated her with each shallow breath she struggled to take.

Wisps of that magical blue skittered and faded across his skin, each vein connecting with something deep inside her she couldn’t understand.

Somehow, she grew a backbone and remembered how to use her muscles. She tipped her head up.

And instantly regretted doing so.

Having all the raw intensity bearing down on her—the placid expression, flat mouth, but bright, flaring eyes—shook her to the very core of her soul.

Her tongue felt like a lead weight in her mouth, a mouth dry as sand.

But amidst all she had witnessed, every spark of fear and determination to escape suddenly…

evaporated. The unexpected will to stay right where she was, the enormity of this moment and all it encapsulated, left her entirely stupefied because it didn’t make sense .

A deep breath finally filled his lungs, lighting those golden flecks to life in his eyes.

He reached up to her fingers wrapped tight around his biceps, pinched the tip of her pointer finger between two of his own—she did not just feel zings of energy flitter through her arm at his touch—and peeled her hand away, his lips curling in an expression of absolute revulsion.

For all she surmised, she was nothing more than a spoiled piece of meat ruining his fancy clothes.

“Get this human off me,” he said, the quiet, gravelly husk adding another level of heat to her already tortured body.

The temporary euphoria she had sunk into vanished.

“Human?” She broke free from her awe and the tiny guilty pleasure of being so close to someone so immaculately beautiful and shoved off his chest. She added a smack to his shoulder for good measure as anger bubbled up from some unknown fissure inside her mind.

Anger, fury, frustration. Madness, perhaps.

The onslaught set her on fire with a temper she’d long since smothered.

“Who the hell are you to speak down to me? Who the hell are you to think you are above me in?—”

Steve’s hands clamped down on her shoulders, fingers tight. “Rori?—”

“—a world you obviously have no right to be in, around people who don’t give a shit?—”

“Calm down, Rori.”

“—who or what you are when you threaten to kill your own brother and throw a woman against a wall?—”

“Rori!”

Sharp breaths sieved between her teeth when Steve filled her vision, his face inches from hers, those silver eyes pulsing with concern while filling her with an unwanted sense of calm.

His hands held tight to her shoulders, moving her back until he stopped her next to the sofa.

It took only a second to realize she had been poised to attack, and she vaguely recalled Thaddeus preparing for the same when Steve stepped between them.

Her heartbeat began to slow to a normal pace, her muscles loosening from the grip of tension.

What on earth had gotten into her?

A snapped glance at the beast who had magic ribboning around his hands again reminded her of why she should stay in her lane and escape. Not engage a rabid creature who possessed more ways to mutilate her than Rich’s imagination could ever entertain.

Cutting her attention back to Steve, a chill extinguished all the heat she’d mustered in the last few minutes.

“Take a deep breath, dear. Accept my apology on behalf of my brother’s pitiful behavior and lack of empathy. He’s been brainwashed for a while now.”

“He’s insane, Steve.” Rori circled her finger by her temple. “Batshit crazy!”

“His name is Cael,” Thaddeus muttered. His eyes glowed with feral rage, but at least the magical ribbons had disappeared, and he didn’t seem interested in palming his dagger hilt again.

She leaned to the side and pierced the crazy beast with a stubborn glance, hiding another sucker punch to her libido as she laid eyes on him again.

“He’s Steve until he tells me otherwise, got it? ’Cause I don’t listen to knife-wielding assholes.”

The pressure of Steve’s fingers increased, bringing her back to her place. The place that hopefully wouldn’t get her killed in the next few minutes. He straightened his arms, forcing her to shuffle back another step as he blocked Thaddeus from her view.

Then his arm swung down, a ball of golden light pitching toward Thaddeus, blocking a sneak attack from the lunatic.

Two balls of energy—one gold, one white-blue—tangled together, hissing and crackling, until Steve gave a thrust with his hand, a grunt from his chest, and sent his brother flying.

Thaddeus crashed into the wall, the plaster cracking, webbing.

Dust burst out around him, coating the floor tiles as he dropped to his feet.

“Serves you right,” Rori grumbled quietly, refusing to look anywhere near his face, knowing the murderous glower she could feel burning her forehead.

Steve spun to face his brother, holding up a hand to stop his determined approach.

“Enough, Thad. I’m at the end of my patience with you.

This has gone on long enough. So far, your time here has been nothing of worth to me or to you, nor shall it be.

Not this version of my brother, at least. This is not Dagda’s palace, Daeanna’s bedchamber, or any place where you once held some value in the Seelie world.

You are in my home, in the mortal plane, and Goddess hear me, should you bring another blade into my home with any ill-intent planned toward those I care about, I will strike you down without hesitation and finish the job Thierry failed to complete on the battlefield. ”

To Rori’s surprise, Thaddeus stilled, his shoulders stiffening. Did he just…grimace?

“Well, at least those pointy ears can hear clearly.”

Steve cast her a lingering glance over his broad shoulder, his silver eyes dimming to a slate gray as curiosity crossed his expression. One brow furrowed thoughtfully. Rori rubbed the warmth from her cheek and shook her head.

“Sorry. Out of context.”

“I don’t think it is, Rori. At first, I thought maybe you connected with some sixth sense. Now, I’m beginning to think not.”

“What are you talking about?”

An uneasy feeling slithered through her. She wasn’t sure she liked Steve’s dissecting gaze or the tone of his voice that sounded more intrigued than worried.

And that neither Fae seemed to believe this situation was anything but normal.

“When that door first opened tonight, what did you see exactly?” Steve shifted slightly, angling his body to watch her but keep an eye on his statuesque brother. “Did something change with Thaddeus, or did you see him as he is now?”

“He hasn’t changed. You were the one who changed.” Rori waved a finger up and down his frame. “You still had brown hair when the door first opened. Then a gold glitter filled the air, and when you popped up from behind the sofa, you looked like him. Ears and hair and your glowing eyes.”

How ridiculous. Listen to yourself, Rori .

Steve snickered, his eyes narrowing on her before turning to Thaddeus. “Now this is an interesting development, wouldn’t you say, dear brother? Maybe your visit wasn’t in vain after all.”

That menacing scowl returned to Thaddeus’s lush mouth. “Means naught.”

“Of course, it wouldn’t mean a thing to someone who doesn’t want to accept the signs, even if they smacked him straight across the face. Or arm, as in your case.”

Signs? What the hell was Steve going on about now? What more could possibly come from this night, other than her going home and getting plastered and hopefully waking up from this entire nightmare with a brutal hangover to ensure it was all just that—a nightmare.

“Uh, I’m standing right here. I don’t appreciate being spoken about when I’m in the same room. You can include me in the conversation, since it obviously has to do with me,” Rori said, folding her arms over her chest.

Exhaustion marred her tone, snatching the edge from her words.

She released a long, slow breath and lowered her head to gain her bearings.

She would need therapy after tonight, if this wasn’t some subconscious circus her sleeping mind created.

She closed her eyes and willed herself back home.

In her bed. In her pajamas. The clock on her nightstand glowing with the three o’clock witching hour that would make sense of all of this.

And if, by the power of the universe, this wasn’t a dream, at least to see Steve back to his normal self.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Turned her head up.

And met Steve’s amused silver gaze.

Fuck me.

Behind him, Thaddeus’s soul-splitting glower packed intense abhorrence and maybe even denial.

The wall that had taken a hit by the beast remained cracked and chipped.

Glancing at the sofa, she saw Cassy continued to slumber away.

There were even scorch marks on the ceiling she hadn’t noticed before.

The front door remained knobless, the broken beer bottles swimming in foamy brown Guinness.

Fuck me twice. I’m really not dreaming.

Her shoulders slumped, and she sank to the edge of the sofa once more.

Finally, Steve lowered himself to his haunches in front of her, bringing them eye level. He rested gentle hands on her knees and offered a symptathetic smile of sorts. She wasn’t sure there was anything to smile about.

“I’m sorry for this, Rori. You’ve seen far more than you should have tonight.

Now isn’t the time for me to overwhelm you any more than you have been.

We’ll discuss things in detail tomorrow, after you’ve gotten adequate rest and allowed your mind to try and accept what it is you’ve witnessed.

Unfortunately, none of this is going away.

No glamour will work on you, not after your exposure tonight.

” He released a sigh, his gaze drifting to Cassy.

“Please, don’t discuss anything with Cassy.

Or anyone else, for that matter. They aren’t privy to what you can now see. ”

He gave her knees a gentle squeeze. “Come. I’ll carry her to the car and make sure you get off safely.

I think you’ve had a night’s worth of adventure.

” He pressed to his feet, holding a hand out for her.

She hesitantly accepted his help from the sofa.

“And Rori? You can call me whatever you’d like, but the grump moping like a scolded child behind us is correct. My name is not Steve. It’s Cael.”