Page 9 of V for Vilified (Hunter V #4)

It’s a Fae Thing

“ T hought the Nether Royals finally did what no one could,” she hissed.

Cash offered her a smirk. “Afraid not. Your master must be so chuffed he can finally make good on his promise, aye, Siren?”

Her glare was steely. “Pets of yours?” she asked before her eyes caught on his neck, then mine. “Oh? I thought you of all people would be careful not to be caught out in the Season…with any Fae or whatever this is.”

“This” being me, I guess.

I kept my mouth shut and jaw firmly locked because I didn’t know enough to taunt this bitter bitch, and I’d rather get whatever we came for without starting trouble in a place full of Fae moans and red-skinned beasties.

To my surprise, Cash had her wrapped in his black magic and lifted off the ground before I blinked. “You’ll address my mate with respect, Siren, or I’ll send you back to your master as ashes.”

It was as if the air had been sucked out of the room. None of the Fae around us dared to look now that he had the Siren imprisoned in black. Even the ones caught by the Season had frozen and stopped their lewd activities.

The Siren’s eyes were wide and fearful.

Had he lost his powers before leaving the Fae realm or did Harmony’s swipe of his power make its rounds here? I hadn’t thought to ask, but clearly she hadn’t expected the attack. I only knew that the witch bitch had stolen them and kept him as a love slave. It still made me queasy to think about.

Of course, he’d gotten away at some stage, but where I didn’t know, this realm or mine. Then Cash got caught up with Eros and Phillip. The Organization. Yada, yada, yada. Powers returned. Witch bitch dead.

Here we were.

It made me realize that I’d just fucked a guy I knew next to nothing about, but what else was new. I clearly had a type.

Kate’s mouth was wide open when I glanced her way, shellshocked by the sudden appearance of his mummifying magic.

I’d wondered how she might handle it, and I wasn’t even a little bit surprised to find that she had the quintessential human reaction to it.

I’d been just as surprised by each terrifying creature after only knowing vampires, so I took her hand and offered my support.

Cash’s cat eyes stayed on the white-haired Siren, daring her to give him a reason to do what he threatened. He wouldn’t hesitate.

She offered a curt nod and the black power that encompassed her body receded, never truly disappearing. She sucked in a breath and held her throat. “You—”

“Are no longer subdued.” He leaned back, examining his black-painted nails. “I no longer need stones alone. Your master will do well to remember it, or I will not be as forgiving when next we meet.”

Cash was on his feet, offering me his hand. I took it with a confused eyebrow. He didn’t respond the way I expected. With a gentle tug, his mouth came down on mine without preamble.

Kate made a little noise of both surprise and enabling best friend excitement. I didn’t have to wonder what Kate would do in this instance, because she’d be doing this very thing if given the option.

My noise was a little less enthused as I tried to pull away, annoyed for more reasons than I could count, and not just because of him. But I couldn’t get away. My monster strength was apparently no match for this new version of Cash.

And he took full advantage of it.

His tongue pushed its way past my lips and flicked everywhere sensitive.

The swift claiming heat of the Season whittled away my carefully maintained control.

In less than ten seconds, I was kissing him back with just as much passion, mewling like I didn’t have anything to lose—you know, aside from my dignity.

I blinked in a daze when he finally withdrew and cut his glowing lavender stare the Siren’s direction. “This little dove is mine, and I expect the realm to remember it. An assault on her in any form is an assault on me. And that includes her human friend.”

The Siren’s startled eyes flew to where Kate was still seated, half in shock and half in awe.

If my head hadn’t been so far gone, I’d roll my eyes at how easy she was won over by the Fae Karen gone full villain.

No doubt she’d be wishing it were her in my spot. The girl was a huge dark romance stan.

“Forgive me, Dark King.”

Wait, what? Dark King? Another name that inspired nothing but villain thoughts? Great.

A little paper appeared between two of his fingers as he offered it to her without bothering to move closer or stop touching me. “He’ll come alone to this location in two hours if he wishes to keep his life and everyone he holds dear.”

Cash brushed stray hair from my face, his thumb stroking the line of my cheek. I licked my lips and his cat pupils were immediately blown wide, but he broke eye contact again. I sucked in a grateful breath because it was the only time I felt like I could.

“I will not be insulted twice, Siren.” His usually whiny voice was so deep that it alone could’ve summoned darkness and evil-doing.

“Make no mistake, I’ll go after anyone who has so much as breathed his name in admiration over the centuries and make him watch the life leave them before finally taking his. ”

Her expression was no longer bitchy or cool. Fear pulled at her eyes and mouth the way I’d seen it do to Harmony before he destroyed her.

“I’ll have his power one way or another, but I’d prefer to keep our partnership intact, hmm? I expect you to relay everything I’ve said here, yes?”

Who was this dude and what did he do with my Fae Karen?

I heard Kate mumble “Oh, shit.” Fitting. I would’ve said it myself if not for my head still in a goddamn lustful fog.

Stupid Fae blood.

I tried to pull away again, but Cash dragged me closer and pressed a claiming kiss on my neck.

Kate made another envious sound, and I silently cursed the fact that I’d waited to explain this situationship.

I should’ve known I’d be the unlucky one to suffer sooner than a day or two.

Because the sensation was already too intense to fight.

I leaned in and inhaled a sharp breath when his fangs scraped against my tender flesh.

The slick between my thighs should be sending alarm bells ringing through my head, but instead I was close to begging him to fuck me right here and end the torture.

My thoughts stayed hazy as the Siren disappeared and Cash gestured for Kate to get to her feet.

“Is she okay?” I heard her ask.

It didn’t register, though. I clung to the Dark Fae and drove my face into his chest, sucking in deep pulls of his lush scent.

Why the fuck did he smell so good? Like berries and cream and everything dessert and delicious. Smelling him like a total perv didn’t fully ease the intensifying heat I suffered, but it did make it slightly less urgent. Every bit of contact with him did.

When he reached out to take Kate’s hand, a warning growl rumbled inside my throat. The vibration of his chuckle tickled my face, evidently amused by my bout of possessiveness.

Somewhere in my head I was frantically ashamed and screaming at myself to cut that shit out. It was crazy to growl at my best friend for a dude like Cash. Unfortunately, that sane version of me wasn’t anywhere near the surface.

I bared my fangs and pressed closer to him, every bit the possessive animal claiming dominion over what she thought was hers. Kate’s confusion twisted her face anew.

“Oh, she will be. Fear not, human. I’ll take very good care of her once we return,” he told my friend.

“You two are a thing, aren’t you?” Kate asked, no judgment in her tone.

Cash’s fingers teased the back of my neck as he held me close, content to be my possession. “You’re rather quick for a human.”

“Thanks, Fairy Boy. I do have eyes and ears,” she said sarcastically. She studied me as I ran my nose along his throat and glared at her. “Is it a Fae thing?”

Another chuckle. “Precisely.”

My head was long gone by the time we returned to wherever the fuck this was.

I briefly recalled Cash giving Kate some sort of half-assed excuse for why we’d need a few hours before sending her to another room.

No surprise, she accepted everything without question.

Concerning, but far from the most worrisome thing I was presently dealing with.

I couldn’t think. Urges that only grew more intense the longer I ignored them clawed at every part of me.

It might seem melodramatic to some, but it really felt like I’d die if he didn’t touch me.

Only his caress could soothe the endless burn.

My body was on fire when he finally returned to the room he’d left me in.

“Well, this is quite the complication, my love,” he breathed into my mouth, tongue dipping out to tease mine. I moaned in relief and need, the euphoric feeling of his kiss nothing I could ever express with words alone. “It’s only been a couple of hours.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I murmured, pulling at his obnoxious coat and dragging it down his arms. “Less talking, more undressing, Fairy Boy.”

“If you weren’t so adorable, I’d chide you for that detestable pet name.”

My lips slid up. “No one’s stopping you, Fairy Boy.”

I tugged on his ear with my teeth and raked my fingernails down his naked back.

His muscles flexed and moved under my demanding caress.

He let me take what I wanted, so I did. I teased my fingers around his nipples and down the valley of his stomach, undoing the button and zip of his pants.

The throbbing length of him was strained against a thin layer of fabric, evidence I wasn’t the only one desperate to get on with it.

“Spank me. I dare you,” I egged on, dropping my voice to a sensuous whisper. “Treat me like the brat I am.”

A feral groan left him. “Having you over my knee? What sort of gentleman would I be, hmm?”

“The spanking kind?” I murmured and nipped his throbbing jugular.