Page 42 of WitchBorn

“Fucked to death? Sounds like a great way to go.”

“Hmm,” I grumbled. “I told you to run away.”

“Do you have some former lover you accidentally killed?”

“Anyone I’ve ever killed has been on purpose.”

“Scary. Why does it make you hotter?”

“’Cause you’re a masochist?”

“Maybe. Learn something new every day, I guess.” Finn held out berries. “Want some? I think there are some carrots over there, too.” He pointed a half dozen yards away. “But the trees are really sus’. I feel like their eyes are following me.”

Sebastian’s statue stood a sentinel of serene quiet a meter away. I hoped we hadn’t fucked like bunnies at the base of it giving the Summer king dirty dreams or triggering his heat, though his mate never seemed to mind.

Rows of wispy wildflowers gathered rain drops, leading to a thin line of lavender plants. I stood up to peer over the new growth, startled to find Finn’s perception fitting as creepy faces stared out of carved wood in our direction. Plants grew around them in an array of autumn colors, brush in gold and red, a handful of swatches of fall berries, the greenery of carrot stalks, and wriggling curl of pumpkin vines leading to giant orange gourds.

“This isn’t right,” I said, letting the rain rinse away the sweat and dried come. The cool drip chilled my skin with a gentle caress.

“What isn’t?”

“The Autumn king is my mate.”

Finn tensed. “Okay.”

“Why are you tensing.”

“Cause it’s technically cheating, what we did. You belong to someone else.”

“Ibelongto no one. I’m not property.”

“I mean respect wise. Guy-code. Bro-code. We don’t screw each other’s lovers.”

“Since when? Every man I’ve ever met would as happily screw their best friend’s lover if they could. And you and the Autumn king aren’t exactly cozy. Unless something happened after I blacked out?”

“Nope. Well, lots of snuggling between you and me, but that’s all.”

I squinted at him. He copied me.

“Snuggling?”

“I wasn’t going to keep screwing your unconscious body,” Finn defended. “Hugs are okay, right? Not creepy or rapey…” He coughed to clear his throat and looked away. “Anyway, explain the rest. Why do you think something is wrong?”

“My magic produces growth,” I said and waved my hands at the chaos of plant-life around us.

“Yeah, you warned me your come would make flowers. How cool is that?”

“Cool isn’t what I would call it. But all of this is autumn growth.”

“Isn’t that because we are in the Autumn king’s realm?”

“No. I was born in the spring.”

He opened his mouth, closed it, pointed, and then frowned before he said, “Explain it to me in crayon-eating terms.”

I laughed, unable to ignore his earnest and curious expression. “You’re too young for me. Too pure for a jaded old Stag like me.”

Finn snorted. “Not what you were saying when I had my cock buried in you. And I still plan to eat your ass.” He grimaced. “Maybe once we can bathe? I’ve never come that much in my life. As sexy as the pornos make it look, sucking my spend out of your ass sounds gross. Not that I didn’t enjoy putting it there.” He glanced down at his lap. “New meaning to limp dick. Overworked.” He sighed dreamily. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”