He ground his jaw and glanced at the wolves before me again.
Meaning, he knew he’d be busted if he lied to me.
Ass. Hole. So he wasn’t above telling me lies to get what he wanted.
“I can see the disgust on your face thinking I would lie to you, but that is not what the glance was,” he defended, reading me better than most could. “I was shocked that the two wolves who have fairy mates wouldn’t have known the answers and guarded you better.”
“They came on later after something happened,” I muttered. “My answer?”
“It’s not against either light or dark customs, but it is not looked favorably upon. Mating a vampire is almost unheard of. There are many who will not like you dating one.”
“Noted, and thank you, but I don’t give a flying fuck. Darby is one of the main reasons I survived and made it to where we are. If people want to judge him based on being a vampire, I don’t really care what their opinion is.”
“And no, I don’t drink from her, not that it’s your business,” Darby added. “You clearly wouldn’t have let that go and I won’t take you hounding her. We had an issue and worked through it.”
Neldor actually went pale. “You didn’t know and let him near your neck.”
I looked away, but gave a swift nod. Darby looked pained, and I reached for him. Relief filled me when he took my hand and squeezed it. “Can I have extra sour cream and no cilantro in the guacamole?”
“Have I ever forgotten?”
“Not once,” I chuckled, pulling him down for a kiss.
“I think it best we start at the beginning,” Mel offered when there was nothing but silence again.
I couldn’t hide my shock and hurt. “He does not need to know my past to that point, or my history in foster care, just because my parents decided—”
“Not that, Tams,” she said gently. “Since you came into this world. Let’s start with the night it all went down. He doesn’t deserve the answers about you, and you’re certainly not explaining yourself to him—”
“But he also can’t be much of help if he doesn’t know how much you’ve been through and the full crazy ride it’s truly been for you,” Craftsman agreed. “He’s clearly used to being in charge and a bull in a china shop, and what does that help us if he doesn’t know the head of the school board wanted to immediately breed you? Or a few want you to fail so they can get their hands on the estate and fae dogs.”
It made sense but… There was no way he wouldn’t tear into me, judge everything, and I didn’t need to feel worse than I already did. I was completely dejected and hopeless about all fairies and Faerie. It probably wasn’t fair, but after everything people had told me, what I’d gotten with Neldor wasn’t anything closed to what I’d been promised.
Call me crazy, but I didn’t want to keep going then when it seemed to always hurt me or cost me more.
“I want to talk to Chief first,” I mumbled, pushing to my feet and heading for the garage.
The Alpha of the first pack of fae dogs to swear themselves to me was waiting for me, clearly knowing lots was up. I knelt down and took his paw in mine, filling him in and listening to his thoughts on the situation.
I nodded with his assessment before glancing over at Neldor, who had followed. “There are several packs who answer my call, but haven’t sworn to me. I get the feeling they’re more dark fairy fae dogs. They knew about demons. I’m sure they’ll want to fill you in.”
“I don’t have telepathy,” he admitted.
“Oh.” I frowned. “I guess I thought all fairies had it. I didn’t find that one way or the other. Sorry.”
“No, it’s more common for us than other supes, but still incredibly rare for a male to ever have. It truly is a power for women, as they handle it best,” he explained… And almost complimented?
Though not me. All women.
I looked at Julian next. “Can you do that linking thing and open a portal for me then so I can call the dogs later?” I big back a groan when several people who had also come with me gasped. “Shit.”
He knelt down next to me, cupping my face and kissing my hair. “It’s fine, love. I wasn’t hiding it for me, but you, since you aren’t sure you can forgive me. Yes, I’ll open all the portals you need linked to you. I might need to charge with any crystals or reservoirs you have.”
“I used the reservoirs yesterday… Fuck. I left them all there, and the crystals, but I have charged others.” I rolled my eyes when Zack and Ray both snorted. “I have a lot. It’s not being paranoid when so many are gunning for me.”
“Nope, but you also never stop and rest,” Zack drawled.
I shot him a nasty look. “And what the fuck were the hobgoblins to do if I got caught or killed? They were screwed again, so I was working on a backup plan should the Underground get me, or Alpha Asshole, or the other one, or the councils, or the list of people. It seemed prudent.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “You’re hearts too big, that’s all I’m saying. You’re not wrong, but you’re gonna put yourself in an early grave with all that you take on yourself.”
He wasn’t wrong either and I nodded.
Chief gave a bark and I focused on him again, letting out a bunch of cursing. “The demons have been back. They checked the property, knowing this is my main residence. He told the other pack and they went hunting. Shit. We
