

The Dark Fae Series

Book 1

Ella Price

This book is a work of fiction and does not represent real events. Characters, names, places, and incidents are works of the author's imagination and do not depict any real event, or person living or dead.

Copyright © 2017 by Ella Price

All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form.

First Edition: April 2014

Cover by Designs by James at www.theauthormarket.com

# Chapter 1

My mother talked excitedly about the new home we were currently in route to. I was not as excited as she was. While it was easy for adults of my kind to blend into new packs, it wasn't easy for young werewolves like me. Not only was I a young werewolf, I was a half breed, and that made everything even worse. My mother was a normal werewolf and my father was human. Half breeds couldn't change at will; they could only change on the full moon. I couldn't even do that. I was so weak; I couldn't even change when I was supposed to. I was going to be nineteen in a week, and I hadn't changed yet. It was pretty pathetic, but true. Half breeds were also more sensitive to silver, and they were weaker than regular werewolves and original werewolves.

The pack my mother married into was full of original werewolves and normal werewolves like my mother; instead of half breeds like me.

"Scarlett, Scarlett," my mother said as she watched me. I hadn't even realized that she turned around in her seat to look at me. I was lost in thoughts of my impending doom.

I sighed. "Yes, mother."

She smiled. "Why aren't you paying attention? Aren't you excited about meeting new people?"

I rolled my eyes and slumped down in my seat. "Yeah ... sure," I muttered.

She sighed annoyed. "Scarlett it is not all about heritage. Where we are going no one will care about you being a half breed. Isn't that right, Dominic?"

Dominic glanced back at me. "They won't care. Dakota and Kylie's pack is different from most."

Dominic was an okay guy, but I was pretty sure he would say anything to get my mother to go with him. He seemed to really like my mother, which was a good thing.

"I was happy where I was," I said as I watched out the window. The forest was getting denser, and I was pretty sure we were close to the town. I could've technically stayed behind. I was almost nineteen, so I was an adult by human standards, but by werewolf standards I was still underage.

"You'll see ... it will be better than you think. There will be all kinds of kids your age. My children are looking forward to meeting you." Dominic was obviously trying to cheer me up.

"I bet," I grumbled. I wasn't going to cheer up. I knew it wasn't going to be all sunshine and rainbows like they claimed.

It was after midnight by the time Dominic pulled into the driveway of his house. My mother squealed excitedly and hopped out. I reluctantly followed. I was glad it was dark, so I wouldn't have to deal with nosy neighbors. I liked to keep to myself, unlike my mother. I followed them into the house.

Dominic walked through the house flipping lights on. "Your room is upstairs on the right, Scarlett. Your things are already here. You just have to unpack."

"Great," I muttered relieved. I no longer had to play the nice stepdaughter. I hurried upstairs to my room. I was surprised by how nice the room was. I felt a little bad for how grumpy I was being toward Dominic. Obviously, he was trying to make me happy. There was a big bed, an entertainment center, shelves with books, and a dresser. I even had my own bathroom. The floor was covered with boxes of my things. I decided I should start getting unpacked. It wasn't like I had anything else to do. All my friends were back home, and I was now stuck here in the crappy town of Luna.

# Chapter 2

I woke up to my mother barging in my room. "You need to get up and be social. It's after eight. Dominic and I are going to the diner for dinner. You should come with us." She stood in front of my bed with her hand on her hip.

I groaned and pulled the pillow over my head. "Go away."

She sighed heavily. "You need to stop acting like your life is over. You're upsetting Dominic." She turned and marched out.

I cussed and sat up. I knew I might as well take a shower because I knew my mother wouldn't give up easily.

After my shower I stood in front of the mirror. I had long, wavy black hair. My black hair went well with my red eyes. My red eyes were odd. Neither my mother nor father had red eyes, but I was born with them, hence the name Scarlett. Well ... at least I didn't think my father did. My mother didn't really know who my father was, but she says no one she was with had red eyes.

I did the makeup around my eyes dark, so my eyes stood out more. I put on a pair of jeans and a dark red corset. I had the perfect hourglass figure. I looked good, but in packs that didn't matter as much as a werewolf's heritage. I rolled my eyes at my reflection and put my black hoodie on. I opened my door and peeked out. I listened for a minute and when all I heard was silence, I stepped out. I was hoping they would be gone by the time I came out of my room. I wanted to go explore the woods, not go be social.

I found the back door. It led out into the thick woods. If there was one good thing about this place it was all the woods. It wasn't like I could really enjoy it. I pushed the thought away and set off into the woods. I didn't have to walk far before I found the perfect tree. It was huge, and it had a branch that would be perfect for sitting on or even lying on. I climbed the tree and got comfortable on the branch. I sighed. This was what I liked ... peace and quiet ... no one else around. After a few minutes, the sound of male voices arguing caught my attention.

"Just because your mother is a bleeding heart doesn't mean I should suffer," one male growled.

The other guy scoffed. "Why should I be the only one that has to go talk to the new girl? It's always me. You can come with me for once."

The two males came into view. They both looked about the same age, which was a little older than me. The first one was tall and broad. He had light blond hair and from where I was, it looked like he had blue eyes. He was muscular with tattoos. He looked like the bad boy type, and he was hot ... really hot. The other guy was tall and handsome. He looked lean and fit instead of bulky like the first guy. He had light brown hair and gray eyes. A smile played at his lips like it was his natural look. He was wearing a leather coat even though it was hot out. I was beginning to think wearing the coat was an image thing.

They were close to my tree, but they hadn't noticed me yet. "What is the half breed's name anyway?" The brown-haired male asked. A rush of anger surge through me even though I attempted to push it away. They obviously cared about me being a half breed, or they wouldn't have said anything.

The blond shrugged. "Charlotte, I think."

"It's Scarlett, and you can turn around. I don't need anyone to talk to." I made sure I sounded as annoyed as possible. I wanted them to know they weren't welcome.

They both looked up at me startled. It was obvious they didn't realize I was anywhere nearby. "Damn, he didn't mean that." The blond sounded apologetic as he watched me.

"I'm sure he didn't. Now go away ... you're ruining my peace and quiet," I muttered.

"Are your eyes seriously red?" The brown-haired male asked.

I looked at him trying to decide whether I wanted to be rude or not. "No, I decided to make myself more of a freak," I said sarcastically.

"We don't think you're a freak," the blond male said quickly.

The brown-haired male grinned. "I do."

The blond guy shot him a dirty look, then looked back at me. "My name is Eli and this moron is Richard, we call him Ricky."

I smiled a little at the look Ricky gave Eli when he called him a moron. "Like I said before, my name is Scarlett. I know my mother probably sent you. It really isn't necessary."

Eli smiled. "Well ... I'm the pack leader, Dakota's, son. I normally greet newcomers."

"Jeez, don't brag or anything. My father was a pack leader too, before the whole united bullshit," Ricky countered.

I narrowed my eyes at them. "It doesn't matter who you are. I can promise I don't like either of you."

Eli looked a little confused, and Ricky looked like he thought it was funny. I was sure every girl liked him and Ricky as well. They were the princes of the pack.

"Look, babe ... why don't you come down. We can go get dinner, that way our parents get off our back." Ricky was still smiling.

I glared at him. "My name is Scarlett. I'm not your babe, honey, or whatever disgusting term of endearment you can come up with. I would like to be left alone, and you can tell my mother that if you like."

"We're really sorry for offending you." Eli sounded even more apologetic.

Ricky continued to grin. "He is. I'm not. You're kind of a haughty little bitch. No one likes haughty little bitches."

"Damn it, Ricky!" Eli growled glaring at him.

I watched Ricky not sure what to say. He was pretty blunt that was for sure. "I think there was a reason your parents named you Richard."

Ricky grinned obviously unfazed by my insult. "You can't talk about my name. Someone used real imagination when they looked in a crayon box for your name."

"Just ignore him, please. I would like to get to know you," Eli said, shooting Ricky a dirty look.

Ricky rolled his eyes and retrieved a pack of cigarettes, but he didn't comment.

"Why do you care? I'm nothing but a half breed," I said snidely.

"At least you're decent to look at. You could be a haughty bitch and an ugly bitch ... I've seen a couple of those," Ricky said amused as he lit his cigarette.

"We care. We want you to feel welcome. I know it's difficult moving to a new pack. Please just come down, and we can go wherever you want." Eli was pleading with me as he brushed Ricky off.

I sighed, relenting as I jumped out of the tree. I landed not far from them. I stood and looked them over now that I was on the same level as them. They were definitely hot. Ricky was even better looking close-up.

Ricky smiled. "Like what you see?"

"He's kind of hot," I said nodding at Eli. "You're okay." I made it sound as if he wasn't that great.

His face fell a little. "Do you wear the hoodie in the middle of the summer because you're flat chested?"

"Ricky!" Eli warned.

"It's okay. I'm not insecure about how I look, and I was just getting ready to take it off." I unzipped my hoodie. Ricky's eyes of course went immediately to my chest. My breasts were already big, and the corset made them bigger.

"Damn." Ricky stared at my breasts. He was so brazen, it was irritating.

"Let's go to the diner," Eli said quickly averting his eyes. He was attempting to be a gentleman, and not look when I was looking at him.

"You're a dog." I scowled at Ricky as I marched past him and followed Eli.

Ricky laughed. "You have no idea Fifty-Fifty." He followed me and Eli.

I scowled at the nickname but didn't comment. Eli shot him a look but didn't say anything either.

"Did you have a boyfriend?" Eli asked breaking the silence after we were walking for a few minutes.

Before I could answer Ricky scoffed. "I doubt it."

I turned and glared at him. "You're an ass."

"And you have a nice ass. The view is really nice back here, Fifty-Fifty," Ricky called after me.

I pressed my lips together and let him pass. I wanted to knock the smile off his face, but I fought the urge.

Eli smiled. "Just ignore him, Scarlett."

I nodded and continued to follow Eli and Ricky toward the diner.

The diner came into view after a few minutes. I immediately regretted agreeing to go. It was crazy busy like everyone in town was there all at the same time. I didn't really see how we were even going to get a seat in the place.

Eli held the door, and Ricky went in first. Eli rolled his eyes as Ricky passed. It was apparent they were friends even though Eli didn't approve of half the things Ricky said. I followed and smiled at Eli as I passed him. The diner was extremely loud, and I noticed several eyes landed on me. Eli put his arm around my shoulders to guide me forward. I could smell his cologne, and I had to fight the giddy feeling in my stomach.

Surprisingly, there was a booth free. I slid in across from Ricky, and Eli slid in next to me.

Eli handed me the menu. "The root beer floats are good here."

"That sounds good," I said softly.

I glanced around trying to shake the feeling that I was being watched. All the eyes on me were unnerving. It was kind of expected since I was new in town.

"You could come to my house after dinner," Ricky said suggestively.

I felt Eli stiffen next to me. I glanced up at Ricky, then back at my menu. "I want to do that about as much as I want to stab myself in the eye with a fork," I said unfazed by his move.

Eli stifled laughter. Ricky looked both offended and amused. "You don't know what you're missing," Ricky countered.

"A silver bullet I'm sure," I said acting as if I was bored of the conversation.

"I have to get in on this conversation. I hear someone insulting Ricky, and I must meet her," a blond-haired girl said sliding into the seat next to Ricky. She actually resembled him. I was guessing she was related to him. Ricky rolled his eyes in annoyance, like a big brother would.

Eli smiled. "Scarlett, this is Ricky's sister, Anna."

"Nice to meet you," Anna said offering her hand.

I returned her smile as I accepted her hand. "You too."

"So, I love the Ricky bashing, please keep it up. His ego doesn't need to be inflated any more than it already is," she said amused.

I smiled. "I'm trying, but he's hard to faze."

"I agree. Oh Eli, are you coming for a run tonight?" she asked looking at Eli. "Lea and Hannah are driving me insane. They think I didn't invite you."

Eli smiled slightly. "You didn't."

"Well I am now, so you better come," she said haughtily. "You can come too, Scarlett."

Ricky scoffed. "Fifty-Fifty can't change without a full moon, Anna."

I scowled at Ricky. "Stop calling me that." I decided not to mention that I couldn't even change during the full moon.

He just smiled but didn't respond.

"Oh bummer, well I'll see you guys around," Anna said and flounced off.

"She's such an air head," Ricky said sounding annoyed.

"Don't say that, she's nice," Eli countered. He sounded a little like he might have a thing for her. She did seem kind of cool.

I set my menu aside. "Why don't you ask her out?"

"She's my sister." Ricky was looking at me like I was an idiot.

"I meant Eli ask her out, now look who's being the air head," I countered.

"What? No, Anna is just a friend, besides like Ricky said she's his sister. We grew up together. It would be weird," Eli said softly.

"I'm here," a woman in a waitress uniform said hurrying over.

"Bout time, Pam," Ricky chided playfully.

"You better watch yourself, Ricky. I will tell your mother if you're rude," Pam warned.

Ricky grinned. "I bet I could convince you not to tell."

Pam giggled and blushed at his suggestion. The interaction between the two of them was a little annoying, but I attempted to ignore it. We ordered once Ricky was done being perverted.

Eli left the table to go talk to Anna's group. I had a feeling he liked her, but he refused to do anything about it. Ricky and I were silent as we waited for our food. I looked up, and he was staring down my shirt. I rolled my eyes and put my hoodie back on and zipped it all the way up.

"Hey ... you took my entertainment," he pouted.

"Go get a girlfriend and look at her boobs," I countered.

He gave me a cocky smile. "I don't do the girlfriend thing."

I leaned back and watched him. "Good, I would feel sorry for the girl."

"Hey, Ricky. Are you coming to the run tonight?" A girl with long black hair and pale blue eyes asked nervously as she glanced at me. Her eyes were exactly like Eli's. I was guessing it was his twin sister. Dominic told us about them and their parents.

"No, Hope. You know I don't go to those things," Ricky said curtly. He looked away from her like he was hoping she would just disappear.

I could tell by the way the girl looked at him that she liked him. He was being such a dick to her. It was hard for me to keep my mouth shut. "Hi, I'm Scarlett," I said introducing myself.

She smiled nervously. "I'm Hope, Eli's sister."

"Do you want to sit with us?" I was trying to be as friendly as possible. I knew it would annoy Ricky.

"Sure," she said happily as she took a seat.

Ricky glared at me, and I smiled sweetly at him. He smiled and shook his head as he looked away. Pam brought our food. She brought Eli's food to Anna's table, so I was guessing he was no longer hanging out with us.

"You can have some of these." I pushed my fries over toward Hope.

"Thank you." She glanced at Ricky. "So did you just get in town?" She glanced at me again.

I nodded. "Got here last night actually. It's not a bad place. The male inhabitants could use some improving," I said nodding toward Ricky.

She tried to hide a smile as Ricky glared at me. "I'll have you know, I'm a sought-after male. I have perfect genes Fifty-Fifty."

I cleared my throat trying to keep from laughing. "Really? I would've thought there was a fuck up somewhere along the line. Maybe your grandma got busy with a coyote hence the personality disorder."

Hope giggled as Ricky showed the first signs of a blush. "You're one to talk. I would worry about what's in your own line, Fifty-Fifty," he growled, then he stood and marched off.

Hope watched me. "He's so touchy. You don't mind him calling you that?"

I shrugged. "I can't make him stop."

She sighed. "My mother says he's like his father. I kind of like him," she said dreamily.

I laughed. "You should find someone nicer, he's an ass."

"I know. It's just every time I see him, I try to be nice and he ignores me. I don't really understand." She sounded desperate like she really didn't understand.

"Men are like that. The more attention you pay to them the less they want you. Ignore them or treat them like they don't matter, and they want you more," I said dryly.

"Is that why he likes you?" she asked curiously.

I looked at her confused. "He doesn't like me, believe me. Eli forced him to come talk to me because your parents apparently forced Eli."

The front door dinged, and I didn't know why I looked up, but I did. A vampire walked in the diner. He was a handsome elegant looking man, No one seemed to care that he was here; in fact, many people greeted him. I went immediately on guard. Something about vampires made me nervous. I tried to avoid them at all costs.

"I'm out of here. I'll catch up with you later." I tossed money on the table.

Hope looked at me confused. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I forgot to do something." I put my hood on. I wanted to avoid being noticed by him if possible. I really didn't like them. I never had. It was strange that he was in the middle of pack territory like he belonged. She didn't argue. I slipped out of my seat and walked the long way around. He walked to the counter, so I was able to easily avoid him and slip out the side door. Once I was clear of the diner, I slipped my hood off. I tried to shake the odd feeling I got when vampires were around. It always happened, and I never knew why.

I hurried back through the woods the way I came. It was dark, but I was able to easily navigate thanks to my werewolf side. I walked in the back door.

My mother looked up from what she was doing. She smiled. "There you are. Did you meet Eli and Ricky?" I figured she was behind the whole thing.

I nodded. "Yep, had lots of fun," I said sarcastically.

She sighed in annoyance. "You could at least try being happy."

"Yeah, I'll try it." I walked out. I was determined to get away from her as soon as possible. I didn't want to have this conversation again. I hurried up the stairs to my bedroom. It hadn't been a terrible night. Everyone else was going on that stupid run, so it was pointless for me to stay out.

# Chapter 3

I woke up when I heard a high-pitched cry. It was the howl of a wolf, a male wolf. He wasn't far from my house. I climbed out of bed and looked out my window. Ricky stood near a tree at the wood line He was wearing a low-cut pair of jeans and no shirt. The moonlight bounced off his perfect chest. He had tattoos like Eli. I didn't notice them earlier because he had the leather coat on. He was watching my window like he was waiting for me. He motioned for me to come out. I bit my lip trying to make up my mind. He grinned at me, and I groaned and opened my window. There was no way I was walking downstairs, so my mother would know I was leaving. I was in a tank top and boy shorts. I wasn't going to change this late. I slipped out onto the roof of the house, then climbed down the trellis. His hands grasped my waist making me gasp in surprise. He lifted me off the trellis and set me on my feet in the soft grass. I looked up at him. His scent hit me, and I felt a little unsteady.

"What are you doing here?" I asked trying to ignore the feeling.

He smiled playfully. "I was bored, so I figured I would bother you."

I scowled crossing my arms. "You know I can't change."

He smiled and moved closer to me. "You don't have to change to do what I want to do."

I rolled my eyes and turned to climb back up the trellis. "I'm not having sex with you. I barely know you."

He laughed as he caught my arm. "Not so fast. I meant we could go for a walk."

I looked at him and smiled. "You're a liar, but I'll go for a walk with you."

"Good, come on." He took my hand. I relented and let him lead me into the woods. The moon was high, and it was getting close to the full moon. My stomach knotted at the thought. He might want me to change with him. I would have to tell him I couldn't. I wasn't sure if I could tell him that.

He led me deep into the woods and down an embankment. He stopped near the edge of a river. He sat down in the soft grass and pulled me down next to him. The view of the moon over the river was breathtaking.

He watched me smiling slightly. "I found this place when I was young. No one else knows about it."

I smiled. "You mean, no one but the other girls you've lured here with your charm?"

He smiled. "I haven't had to work this hard before."

I sighed and leaned back on my elbows, so I could look at the sky. "It's beautiful here."

"I could think of something more beautiful," he said playfully.

I giggled. "You're good, but you aren't that good."

He sighed and flopped down on his back. "Why are you so difficult?"

I smiled as I settled down next to him. "Because it wouldn't be any fun if I wasn't."

He laughed. "Oh it would be fun. I can assure you of that."

I sighed. "Yes, then it would be over, and you would turn back into the egotistical asshole like you are with Hope."

"She was a fun time, and she knew it. She just can't let it go," he muttered.

I laughed. "I'm not a fun time. I'm a commitment."

"Damn," he muttered as he watched the stars.

I giggled. "Yeah, I know ... damn."

He looked at me for a minute. I wasn't sure what he was thinking. "What kind of commitment? Like a week, a month, a year? I need numbers."

I smiled biting my lip. "Until I trust you."

"Damn," he muttered and looked back up at the sky. "How long did it take your other boyfriends on average?"

I sighed. "I've never had a boyfriend." I never really wanted one. I knew what they wanted for the most part especially when it came to a half breed. No one wanted a half breed in their blood line. I would be like Ricky said ... a fun time.

He rolled onto his stomach, now more interested in me. "Really? So have you ever..." he trailed off like he didn't want to finish his sentence.

"Had sex? No. I've actually never been kissed." I played with a blade of long grass. I looked up at him. He was closer to me than I thought. I could tell what he was going to do by the look in his eyes.

He smiled slightly. "I can fix that."

I froze as he moved in and pressed his lips to mine. I relaxed as he coaxed me to kiss him back. He deepened the kiss. His tongue filled my mouth. I felt my heart start to race. His hand trailed down my side as he continued to kiss me. His touch was distracting. Between his touch and his kiss I was overwhelmed. He pressed his hips into me. My cheeks heated up when I felt his hard cock press into me.

"Ricky," I protested as I broke the kiss.

He groaned and rolled off me, so he was back to lying on his back. "Oh this is going to be hard," he moaned.

I was panting trying to recover from his kiss, but his words made me smile. "I'll go," I said sitting up.

He caught my hand. "No ... I'll get used to walking around with a hard on. I would rather have you around." He looked sincere and it made me smile.

I settled back down in the grass. "That was a good first kiss," I said unable to hide my happiness.

He sighed. "That was a good kiss in general. That was a great fucking kiss. Does making out cross the line? I mean I will try not to touch too much," he begged as he rolled back on his elbows and looked down at me.

I smiled. "Okay, we can make out."

"Thank god," he said relieved. He pressed his lips back to mine, and my pulse went crazy as he touched and kissed me. My body was on fire as I playfully ran my hands over his back and tangled my fingers in his hair.

It seemed like we had been there forever, but I knew it had only been less than an hour. The sound of a wolf howling in the distance caught his attention, and he broke the kiss. "Damn, that's my dad. I have to go." He didn't sound happy about it.

I smiled up at him. "It's for the best," I teased.

He sighed. "Yeah ... maybe. Come on." He stood. He pulled me to my feet and led me back up the ravine. He led me down the path toward my house.

I smiled at him. "You don't have to walk me home."

"I do too," he countered. I didn't argue. I let him lead me the rest of the way home. He stopped just inside the tree line. I smiled up at him, and he pressed his lips to mine again. He kissed me aggressively. "Man ... this suck," he whispered against my lips.

"Go before you get in trouble," I ordered and pushed him away. He smiled as he backed up.

He smiled playfully. "I'll see you later."

I nodded, then he turned and took off running. I snuck back to the house, up the trellis, and into my bedroom. The night had gotten a lot better than I expected.

# Chapter 4

I woke up around dusk the next night. I could smell my mother cooking downstairs. I dressed and hurried down. I was actually hungry. I didn't eat the night before because of the appearance of the vampire. The memory made me shiver a little. I didn't really understand why I was so nervous around them.

I walked into the kitchen and my mother looked up from the pan she was stirring. "Why don't you set the table? Dominic's kids, Alex and Lea, are joining us for dinner."

I nodded and got to work. My mind kept wandering to Ricky and his lips. I was wondering if I would see him again tonight. I wasn't going to go find him. I didn't want him to think I was smitten with him.

My mother, Dominic, Lea, and Alex walked in the dining room. I was already sitting, waiting for them.

Dominic took a seat. "Scarlett, this is my daughter Lea, and my son, Alex."

I looked at them. "It's nice to meet you." Alex was handsome like his father, and he had the same expression. Lea didn't look like Dominic, so I was guessing she took after her mother. She gave me a snide look, then rolled her eyes. I didn't really know what I did to offend her but apparently, I did something.

Everyone sat down and served themselves. It was a little awkward at first; at least I thought it was.

"Daddy? Do you know if Ricky is competing with Eli in the rankings?" Lea asked, looking hopeful.

Dominic smiled. "He says he isn't. Brayden is trying to convince him of course."

Lea sighed. "Ricky is so dreamy. I wish he was more like Eli; you know for the pack and all."

I felt a little jealous, and I really didn't like the feeling. I had to bite my lip to keep from saying something.

"You need to look at the other boys. Ricky will do nothing but break your heart like he did to Hope," Dominic said firmly.

"He really was a jerk for that," Alex chimed in. Alex looked like he was around my age, possibly younger. It was hard for me to tell. His eyes made him look young.

"Every girl has to have a run in with a jerk, but if you can avoid it, you should try." My mother smiled and turned her attention to me. "So Scarlett, what did you think about Eli?" I didn't miss her suggestive tone.

I didn't look up from my plate. "I think Eli likes Anna."

"I agree. He's been watching her for a while. Rumor has it, he finally asked her out last night," Dominic said as he cut his chicken.

My mother sighed. "You're always so rational. You can like him even if he likes someone else."

I looked at her confused. "What would be the point? He isn't interested in me."

She made an annoyed noise. "Never mind. You're just too dense sometimes."

Alex grinned at my confusion. He obviously had the same thoughts about what she said as I did. "You don't look dense to me."

I smiled and shook my head. He seemed friendly enough. I wasn't so sure about Lea. She seemed to make it a point to ignore me. I really just wanted to get through dinner and go back up to my room.

After dinner, my mother assigned Alex and me to do the dishes. It was a little annoying, but I didn't argue. She was all about trying to make us a family. I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not.

Alex handed me another dish to dry. "You're really quiet for a girl."

I looked at him and smiled. "I don't have that much to talk about."

He scoffed. "Every girl has a ton to talk about. Mostly they talk to other girls, but when another girl isn't available, they'll talk to anyone."

"It seems to me like you're the one who likes to talk," I teased.

He grinned. "Okay, maybe I do."

I decided to take advantage of his talkativeness and ask him some questions about Ricky. "So what was Lea talking about when she asked if Ricky was competing with Eli in the rankings?"

He shrugged. "Ricky is a year younger than Eli. It's the first year Ricky can compete in the rankings. Everyone seems to think he will challenge Eli because they are basically on the same level."

"I've never really been in a pack. What does the rankings mean?" I never really paid much attention to packs. My mother always participated in whatever local pack we were near, but I didn't.

He smiled ruefully. "It's really all about dominance. There isn't a real point to it. It's not like they can defeat the top guys like Dakota and my dad. So they just get dominance over the little guys like us."

"Why don't you compete?" I asked confused. If his father was so important in the pack, I would've thought he would compete.

"I'm only eighteen. You have to be twenty-one to compete. I still have a few years." He didn't sound like he was very happy with the idea of waiting so long. I kind of knew the feeling. I was always the lowest ranking because I was a half breed.

I sighed. "Well at least you'll eventually get old enough to compete. I will never rank anywhere."

"It's not that great. It's really bad if you don't live up to the expectations. I would rather not have any like you," he said dryly.

I smiled and shook my head. He obviously didn't know how lucky he was to be born into a strong family, instead of just being one of his parent's flings. There was a knock on the back door distracting me from my thoughts.

I looked up and Eli was standing there. He gave me a small wave. I dried my hands and walked to the door. "Hey, Eli ... what are you doing here?"

He shrugged as he stepped in past me. "I didn't have anything to do, so I figured I would come see what you were doing."

"Oh, I'm not doing anything. We were washing dishes. Where's Ricky?" I asked confused. I thought Ricky and Eli were best friends. I wasn't really sure why he would come see me over Ricky.

"He's around," he said dryly. "Do you want to come to my house and watch a movie?"

I was a little startled by his sudden suggestion. I thought he was seeing Anna. Then again, maybe I was reading too much into it. He could've just been asking me as a friend. "Yeah, I guess that would be okay." I wasn't going to ask him his intentions and make an ass out of myself. He seemed like he was just being friendly. "Alex? Will you tell my mom if she asks?"

Alex nodded and smiled. "I will."

I followed Eli out the back door and into the woods. "So where is everyone?" I was trying to figure out what was going on. He had to have someone other than me to hang out with. He was the son of the pack leader. They always had more friends than they needed.

He shrugged. "Around. Everyone is just busy with the rankings coming up. Are you going to be there?"

I looked at the ground trying to decide how much to tell him. "Probably not. I don't really participate in things like that." I wasn't ready to tell anyone I couldn't shift. My mother didn't even know. It was better that way. She ignored what I did, and for the most part I ignored her. Our relationship worked that way.

He looked confused as he contemplated it. I could tell he wanted to question me, but he didn't. I followed him out of the woods to a house similar to mine. We went in through the back door. I was a little nervous about being at his house. I knew he was the pack leader's son. I tried to avoid pack leaders. It seemed like they were the most judgmental about my heritage.

"Don't worry, my parents are out," he said obviously sensing my discomfort.

I smiled nervously. "Was it that obvious?"

He nodded. "My parents won't care about your heritage. They aren't like that."

"I didn't say they were, it's just they are original wolves, and I haven't really met any that like me," I said quietly.

"Well mine will. Come on." He started up the stairs.

I followed wondering why we weren't just going to the living room. He led me into his bedroom. There was a huge entertainment center on one wall. He walked over to the TV and started hitting buttons. I sat down on the edge of the bed and looked around. His room was done in blues and blacks. He had posters of supermodels and cars. It looked like a typical guy's room.

He sat down next to me. "So what do you want to watch?"

I smiled. "You pick." I really wasn't big on watching TV, so I didn't know a lot about movies. I didn't want to seem like an idiot.

He chose some science fiction movie I never heard of. I settled down on the bed and attempted to get comfortable. It was kind of amusing watching the movie. He was commentating like he had seen it one too many times.

Midway through the movie, I heard a loud noise downstairs. It was obvious Eli heard it too because he jumped to his feet and listened. He looked a little uncertain. "It might be my dad."

Whoever it was sounded like they were stomping and slamming things. I caught Ricky's scent, and I knew he was angry. I was slightly confused. "It's Ricky."

Eli looked like he wanted to question me, but the door slammed open, splintering by the force. Like I thought, Ricky was angry. His eyes were glowing, and he looked like he was barely holding onto his control.

"What the hell, Ricky?" Eli sounded confused as he looked at the splintered door.

"What the hell are you doing with her?" Ricky growled.

I suddenly had a horrible feeling Ricky was pulling some asshole dominance move because of me. "We were just watching a movie," I said quickly, getting to my feet.

Eli scowled. "What does it matter? You don't own her," Eli countered making things worse.

Ricky got in his face and shoved him backwards. Eli's temper started to flare as he shoved Ricky back. "I'm seeing her, and you know that!"

Eli scoffed. "She didn't mention you. Obviously, she doesn't feel the same way."

"Whoa, both of you stop," I said firmly stepping up to them. They were getting ready to start swinging at one another. I didn't want them fighting over me. I didn't understand why they would fight over me anyway.

Neither of them even glanced at me. They didn't care. Eli lunged at Ricky and they went crashing across the room. I attempted to separate them, but I was knocked backwards. I cussed as I quickly recovered and watched them. They were locked together hitting one another. It was ridiculous and barbaric. They were breaking the chairs, and desk, and everything else in the room. I attempted to pull them apart again, but I was shoved backwards again. They knocked me backwards with such force, I tripped and fell face first to the ground. A searing pain through my abdomen made me gasp. I wanted to scream, but the pain was too intense. My hand immediately went to the source. I felt the wet heat, and I knew I was bleeding. I got to my knees attempting to avoid injuring myself anymore. My hands went to the hilt of a dagger. It burned and I couldn't pull it out. Ricky and Eli were still battling completely oblivious to me.

"Ricky," I cried desperately trying to get his attention.

Ricky froze and looked over at me. "Fuck!" he growled as he knocked Eli off him. Eli froze, then rushed over to me when he realized what happened.

"Get it out," I begged.

"I don't know if you should do that. Let me get my father," Eli said frantically as he knelt next to Ricky and examined the wound.

"It's not silver. It's that stupid iron dagger Elijah gave you," Ricky countered as he grasped the hilt.

"There's a lot of blood," Eli said looking worried, as Ricky prepared to pull it out of me.

"She will heal once it is out," Ricky growled annoyed.

"I want it out," I said in barely a whisper. The wound felt like it was on fire. I never experienced such intense pain.

"Hold her still, Eli," Ricky ordered.

Eli moved, so he was above my head. He pinned my shoulders and I grasped his forearms. Ricky yanked the dagger free. I screamed in agony. The pain was almost overwhelming. It felt like he ripped my chest open more.

"She's bleeding heavier!" Eli said panicked as he stripped his shirt off and pressed it to the wound.

"She should be healing." Ricky sounded confused. He looked as panicked as Eli, and it made me panic more.

"Call my mother," I begged trying to speak through the pain.

"We need to call Maggie!" Eli scrambled to his feet and started looking for his phone.

I scowled. "Who's Maggie?" I wanted them to find someone to help me, not another person that didn't know what to do.

"The pack healer. We need to go. Her house isn't far." Ricky picked me up. He carried me out of the room and down the stairs. Eli followed trying to call Maggie.

Ricky hurried through the woods carrying me. I was starting to get dizzy. I was losing too much blood. The wound still burned, so I closed my eyes trying to ease the pain.

Ricky shook me. "Whoa ... open your eyes, Scarlett. We're almost there."

I groaned in annoyance and opened my eyes. The treetops were starting to spin. It was incredibly bright even though the woods were dim.

"Maggie!" Eli called as he hurried through the door. He held the door, so Ricky could follow him in.

"In here," a cheerful woman's voice called from the other room.

"Maggie, we have an emergency!" Ricky carried me deeper into the house.

"Oh dear what happened?" Maggie asked as Ricky laid me on a bed in the room Maggie was in.

"She fell on a knife. It was an iron knife. It wasn't even silver, but she isn't healing," Eli said, as he hovered over me. Ricky was still holding my hand.

Maggie ushered them out. "Both of you, wait outside. I need to remove her shirt."

"I want to stay," Eli protested.

"I'm her boyfriend. I get to stay!" Ricky cut in.

"Both of you go now. Get your parents, and get her parents," she ordered firmly. They obviously knew better than to fight because they both scowled and marched out. She turned her attention back to me. "I'm going to remove your shirt." She produced a pair of scissors.

I could barely nod. She cut my shirt off and examined the wound. She looked grim and it made me even more nervous. "Can you fix it?"

She forced a smile. "I will do what I can."

She pressed more gauze to the wound, and I groaned in agony. The room started to spin. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath trying to push the nausea away.

"I'll be right back." She laid a blanket over me. She hadn't done anything yet. I was beginning to think I was going to die from it. Obviously, I was a lot weaker than I thought. Normal werewolves would've healed already.

It felt like hours passed before the door opened again. I couldn't open my eyes, but I could hear voices. "Are you sure it was iron?" a male voice asked confused.

"I'm sure," Eli said softly.

"There's nothing I can do for her. I've never seen anything like this. I could treat her like a normal human. We could do blood transfusions and stitch her up. Maybe she'll heal on her own." Maggie sounded unsure.

"Do it. I will go see if Elijah can do anything," the male voice said, then the door shut. Everything suddenly went completely dark and quiet.

# Chapter 5

I woke up to a burning sensation in my mouth. Someone was holding my face. If I could imagine what swallowing boiling water felt like, I imagined it would feel like this. I struggled pulling away. A cry of agony escaped my burning throat. I coughed up whatever was in my mouth, and someone pinned my shoulders.

"This is never going to work if she keeps spitting it up," an annoyed male voice growled. I felt my pulse quicken. I could sense him. It was a vampire ... I knew it was. I struggled harder clamping my mouth shut.

"I think you're hurting her," Eli said. He sounded further away than the vampire I heard speaking.

"Eli leave if you cannot handle this. I'm trying to help," the vampire ordered. I heard the door open and shut. Fear shot through me ... I was alone with the vampire.

"Don't," the male I heard earlier spoke again. I was slightly relieved when I heard his voice. I wasn't as alone as I thought.

"What do you mean don't, Dakota? You called me here, remember?" the vampire growled impatiently.

Dakota sighed. "I know, Elijah, but she's lost so much blood and the minute you try to give her your blood she starts fighting. There's something wrong. What if she can't take your blood?"

"That is absurd. Everyone can take my blood. That isn't how it works," Elijah snapped.

"I agree with Dakota, this isn't working. We need to try something else," Maggie said firmly.

I felt the vampire release my face. I attempted to open my eyes, but they felt so heavy I could barely get them open, and everything was blurry. A cold rag touched my face, but I was too weak to pull away. "She is burning up. It's like that knife gave her an infection somehow," Maggie said confused.

Elijah scoffed. "That knife is nothing special. I found it in a store. It had nothing magical or special about it."

"A witch. We need a witch," a female voice said. I hadn't heard her voice before. "I know one that lives in a pack north of here ... in Edward's pack. We could contact her and see if she will come."

"What if it is too late, Kylie?" Dakota asked quietly like he was saying what everyone else was afraid to say.

"We have to try, Dakota. Eli and Ricky are blaming themselves for this. It was an accident, but they don't see it that way. Her mother couldn't even stay because she was so upset. We have to do all we can," Kylie said firmly.

"I will contact the witch. I have dealt with her before," Elijah said dryly. I heard the door open and shut. I relaxed a little when I could no longer sense the vampire's presence.

I groaned and attempted to move. "Don't try to move. I'll give you something to relax you," Maggie's soft voice said. I felt the pinch of a needle in my arm. Everything slowly went dark again.

# Chapter 6

I woke up and I felt a little better. I looked around trying to adjust to the sunlight spilling in the room. Ricky was sitting in a chair next to the bed, but his upper body was lying over the bed. He was asleep. I slowly sat up. I looked under the cover at my abdomen. The wound was barely a pink scar now. I used my foot to nudge Ricky in the arm.

He sat up straight and looked around. He looked confused and half asleep. "Scarlett!" he said excitedly when he registered that I was awake and looking at him. He rushed over to me and pressed his lips to mine. "I was so worried. You've been out for two days."

I laughed softly. "I was a little worried myself."

"How are you? Are you feeling better? I didn't mean for that to happen," he said quickly.

I touched his arm to calm him down. He was obviously upset. "I am fine ... I think."

The door opened and Eli came in. Ricky scowled at him, and Eli met Ricky's gaze with a scowl of his own. "Both of you stop," I ordered. Their ego was what got me there in the first place, but I wasn't going to say it. I knew they both felt bad.

Eli sat down on the opposite side of the bed. "Maggie will want to know you're awake," Eli said smiling as he touched my hand.

"Then go tell her," Ricky cut in.

"I just got here, why don't you?" Eli countered.

I sighed impatiently. "This is getting ridiculous. You two are best friends, stop fighting."

"Not anymore," Ricky muttered.

"Whoa, why not anymore?" I was slightly startled. When I first met them, they seemed like they would be friends for life.

"He's a dick," Eli growled.

Ricky stood glaring at Eli. His hands were balled tightly into fists. "You're the dick. You think just because you're the pack leader's son, you get some special privilege."

Eli was about to say something, but the door opened. A woman came in. She looked from Eli to Ricky and raised her eyebrows. "What are you two fighting over now?"

"Nothing," Ricky muttered sitting back down.

"Yeah, nothing," Eli agreed and looked back at me.

The woman glanced at Eli. "Eli? Your father is looking for you."

"Okay, mom," he said sounding slightly annoyed.

I was a little surprised that the woman was Eli's mother. She looked really young, but she looked intelligent enough to be the head female. "Ricky, your father is looking for you as well. I suggest you both go see what they want." She said it like it was a suggestion, but they knew it was an order.

Ricky muttered something that I couldn't quite hear as he got to his feet and stalked out. Eli smiled at me apologetically, then hurried out after him. "You look better," Eli's mother said softly as she shut the door.

"I feel better. Is my mother around?" I was hoping to see her. I remembered them saying she freaked out and had to be taken home.

She hesitated like she was thinking about something. "I'll see if I can find her. I'll also send Maggie in." She stood abruptly. She hurried out leaving me alone.

I still felt weak and tired. I didn't really understand why my mother wasn't here since I was better. The door opened catching my attention. Maggie smiled at me as she walked toward me. "You look much better. Maybe a little pale, but you'll brighten up with more rest."

"Thank you for all the help." I watched her move around the room.

"Not a problem. Those boys were in pieces. They thought you were going to die. I wasn't so sure myself. I have a friend looking at that knife to see if they can tell what was on it. Maybe a poison of some sort." She offered me a cup of tea.

"I'm sure it was just because I'm weak." I was trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

"I don't think you're as weak as you think. I'll be right back with something to eat." She hurried out leaving me alone again. I sighed and lay back against the pillows. I didn't think she was right ... I was weaker than I thought.

Maggie brought me soup and I ate by myself. My mother still hadn't shown up, and I was getting tired of waiting. There were some clothes laid out, so I got up and dressed. As I finished dressing the door opened and Dominic came in. He looked kind of flustered like he was irritated or upset.

"What's wrong?" I was suddenly really worried about my mother.

He shook his head. "Nothing, you shouldn't be up yet."

"I want to go see my mother. They said they were getting her, but I haven't seen her," I was trying to figure out what was wrong with him.

He ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "Scarlett, your mother is pregnant. She's on bed rest. She was really upset about you getting hurt."

I watched him a little startled. I didn't even notice she was pregnant. I couldn't believe she didn't tell me. "I want to go home and see her."

He nodded. "I'll take you home, but once you get there and have seen her, you're to go back to bed yourself," he said firmly.

I nodded. "I just want to go home."

I followed him out of the room. Maggie was waiting for us, and so was Eli's mother.

"Is everything okay?" Eli's mother asked.

Dominic smiled. "Everything's fine. Thanks for all the help, Kylie."

Kylie nodded, then looked at me. "The boys will be by later I'm sure." She sounded amused by the whole thing. Maybe it was a natural male thing they had going.

I looked at her and Maggie. "I'm sure they will. Thanks for everything." I was hoping Eli's and Ricky's feud would even out. I liked them both, and I wasn't going to let them quit being friends because of me.

Maggie smiled. "Not a problem. Come by any time. I love the company."

I followed Dominic out to his waiting truck. I was anxious to get home. I was a little upset at my mother for not telling me she was pregnant, but I was also worried about her.

# Chapter 7

As soon as I got home, I rushed upstairs to my mother's room. When I walked in her room, she looked up at me and smiled. She was sitting in bed reading a book. "Oh you look so much better." She sounded relieved.

I went over and hugged her, then sat down in a chair next to her. "Why didn't you tell me about the baby?" I was trying not to sound too hurt. For the longest time it had been just my mother and me. Now I felt a little left out since she had Dominic.

"I thought you had enough to worry about with the move, then you got hurt. It just never seemed like the right time," she said sounding apologetic.

She was right in a way. I was so preoccupied; I didn't even notice she was pregnant. She probably didn't have much longer. I was born early in the season. This baby would probably be later. My birthday was in two days. It was on the full moon. The thought didn't sit well with me. I couldn't shift, and I knew Ricky would want me to run with him. I pushed the thought away. "You're right. I'm sorry I didn't notice."

She waved her hand. "You have your own life to worry about."

I hugged her again, then I left her to continue reading her book. I was a little antsy about the whole thing, but I was glad she was okay. I walked to my room even though I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be able to stay in bed.

I laid watching TV for a little while. My mind was still racing. All I could think about was the upcoming full moon, and the fact I couldn't shift. There was a knock on my window. I looked over and Ricky grinned at me.

I felt a little rush of excitement as I stood and walked to the window. I opened the window and he climbed in. Before I could even speak, he pulled me into a kiss. His lips were soft, and his mouth tasted sweet. I could really get used to kissing him.

He broke the kiss and grinned down at me. "I've decided to enter the rankings. Will you come watch me kick Eli's ass?"

I felt my chest tighten a little. I knew the ranking would be on my birthday, the full moon. I was planning on hiding the entire night. I pulled away from him and sat down on my bed. "I don't go to those things."

He looked a little let down. He sat down next to me and took my hand. "I'm entering the challenge for you. I want you to be there to see me win. It will be the full moon too. After the challenge, we could go for a run. It will be fun." I looked away trying to decide what to say. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I didn't want to embarrass myself either. He nuzzled my neck when I didn't respond immediately. "Tell me what's wrong," he begged.

I sighed. "I can't shift." I couldn't meet his gaze. It was so embarrassing to be a werewolf that couldn't even turn.

He looked at me confused. "Not even during the full moon?"

"It's never worked before. I doubt it will work now," I said dryly. I stood up and moved away from him. I felt like a leper.

He watched me for a minute before he finally spoke. "What if you aren't a werewolf? What if you're something else?"

I looked at him confused. "What do you mean something else? That's insane. My mother is a werewolf."

"But you don't know what your father is. I was doing some reading when you got sick. Something about the way you reacted to the knife, and how Elijah couldn't heal you with his blood didn't seem right. I think I might know what you are," he said cautiously. He sounded like he was saying it, but he didn't want to sound insane.

"What?" I asked slightly interested in what he was saying. It would be nice to find out I wasn't just a weak werewolf.

He looked a little embarrassed like he didn't really want to say it. "I know it sounds crazy, but what if you're a fairy?"

I looked at him for a minute. I wasn't sure what to say. As far as I knew fairies weren't real. I, at least, never saw one. "Fairies aren't real, are they?"

He slowly stood. "That's why I'm not sure, but I was reading legends or accounts that claim they are. They described some of them as having red eyes, and their weakness is iron. That's awful similar to your situation."

"Would anyone in the pack know if they exist?" I asked still a little skeptical.

He shrugged. "Maggie is the oldest. We could see if she has heard of them."

"Let's go then." I took his hand and practically dragged him down the stairs. It wasn't that I was hoping I was a fairy. I was just hoping there was an explanation for how weak I was.

"I may just be reaching, Scarlett." Ricky sounded unsure as we hurried through the woods.

"I know. I'm not going to get my hopes up. I would just like to believe something other than the fact that I'm just weak. I don't want to be weak," I said quietly.

He stopped walking and forced me to stop. I looked at him slightly annoyed. He pulled me into his arms. "You're not weak. Even if it's not possible that you're a fairy, and you're just a half breed werewolf, it won't change how I feel."

I smiled softly trying not to blush. "You're a pack leader's son. You can't have a weak girlfriend."

"I can do whatever I want," he said playfully. He pressed his lips to mine, and I relaxed into his kiss.

I wanted to believe what he was saying, but I knew better. Packs had a way of segregating the weak from the strong. He would eventually be drawn to a stronger female. Even if there was a slight chance that I was something else, I still wouldn't fit into the pack. I pulled away breaking the kiss. "Come on, you made me anxious to find out."

He smiled and we continued through the woods to Maggie's house. Ricky didn't even knock. He walked right in, and I followed. Maggie was in the kitchen cooking. She smiled up at us as we walked in. "You're supposed to be resting, missy. No doubt Ricky is to blame for you being up," she said wagging her finger at me.

"She forced me to come, I promise," Ricky said feigning innocence.

I rolled my eyes. "He gave me an idea, and he said if anyone knew anything about it you would." I was hoping she would have the answers I was looking for.

She eyed him. "I have no doubt he was part of it somehow."

He smiled sheepishly. Obviously, he got in a lot of trouble because everyone seemed to think he was trouble. "After Scarlett got hurt and wouldn't heal, I did some research. I was wondering if it was at all possible that she is part fairy."

I was kind of glad he asked because I really didn't want to be the one to ask what sounded like a silly question.

"I thought the same thing," Maggie said happily.

It was not at all the response I thought she would give us. I thought she would just laugh at us and call us silly kids. I honestly thought we were being silly kids. Of course, it didn't seem that far out there for a fairy to exist if vampires and werewolves did, but they've never been seen, and that was the problem.

"Really?" Ricky asked curiously.

"Really. According to legend a fairy's weakness is iron like the knife Scarlett was stabbed with. There are some accounts that say they have red eyes, which is a very rare trait. The only thing I didn't see was any markings to indicate she was one," Maggie said as she continued what she was doing.

"What kind of markings?" Ricky asked before I had a chance.

Maggie shrugged. "Some legends indicate tattoos that they are born with, and even some tattoos on the back that look like wings."

"Oh." I was a little disappointed. I didn't have any markings at all. I would've considered this a possibility sooner if I did.

"But she could be mixed and that could be why she doesn't have markings." Ricky sounded like he wanted to believe I was a fairy.

Maggie looked like she was considering it. "I suppose, but she doesn't have any powers that we know of either. Legend says some fairies can heal, or persuade much like vampires, and even control elements such as fire."

The more she described them, the more I began to think I wasn't one. It was a little disappointing. I knew the possibility was far-fetched.

Maggie smiled. "I know, Elijah should know more about this. Why don't you go ask him?"

Ricky's expression brightened at the idea. "No," I said quickly before I even really thought about it.

They both looked at me a little confused. "Elijah helps protect the pack. I grew up around him." Ricky was trying to reassure me.

"I don't like vampires," I said firmly.

"That's interesting." Maggie walked around the counter. "Have you had a bad experience with one?"

I wanted to say yes considering when I was dying Elijah tried to feed me his blood and it felt like I was swallowing boiling water, but that was recent. I haven't liked vampires since I first encountered one. I had no real reason I just didn't like them. "No, I just avoid them if I can."

Maggie pursed her lips. "The legends say fairies and vampires are natural enemies. It never says why, but it is mentioned quite a bit."

"Well, she has more indicators that she is a fairy than she isn't, so maybe she just doesn't have the marks because her mother is a werewolf. How could we find out for sure?" Ricky asked as he looked from me to Maggie.

Maggie shrugged. "I have no idea. I suppose there really is no way. I wouldn't really worry about it too much. Just have fun being a young werewolf." She walked by me and patted me on the arm.

I looked at Ricky a little disappointed. Her advice really didn't help me solve my problem. I could tell Ricky wanted to tell her. I was going to protest, but he spoke before I could protest. "She can't shift Maggie."

Maggie hesitated and looked back at us. "Well it's not unusual for someone who is only part werewolf to only shift during the full moon."

"She can't shift at all," Ricky cut in annoying me even more.

"Ricky, I don't want everyone knowing that," I said testily.

"Your secret is safe with me," Maggie said reassuringly. "That is a little odd. She should be able to shift during the full moon. Perhaps there is something stopping you. Have you ever tried shifting with others?"

I shook my head. "I avoided packs. I stayed to myself. It just never happened, and I didn't do anything about it."

"Well you could try shifting with Ricky. Sometimes the energy of a stronger wolf can make it easier for a weaker wolf to change. I suggest you try during the full moon and if that doesn't work, then we will consider other possibilities." She smiled, looking from me to Ricky.

I wasn't sure what to say. I wasn't really sure if I wanted to be naked in front of Ricky. I really liked him, but we weren't at that stage yet ... at least I wasn't.

Ricky smiled. "Thanks, Maggie."

She nodded. "I have some patients to check on." She continued on her way out of the room.

Ricky smiled. "Come on, Scarlett. We can discuss this on our way back to your house. If Dominic finds out I'm the reason you aren't resting, he will have a fit."

I sighed deciding there was nothing more I could find out without going to a vampire.

I followed Ricky out of Maggie's house and back into the woods. Once we were in the woods, Ricky wrapped his arm around my waist. I leaned into him and breathed in his scent as he led me back toward my house. I felt a small rush of excitement. I was really beginning to like him despite the fact I knew he was an ass.

"So are you willing to attempt to change with me?" he asked playfully.

I smiled. "You just want to see me naked."

He laughed. "That's a very big reason why I'm encouraging this course of action, but I also want you to be happy."

I sighed. "You have to go to the rankings, and I'm not going. I would be humiliated, and you know it."

He sighed like he was trying to decide what to do. "That's true."

We walked the rest of the way in silence. As we approached my house, I saw Dominic standing outside talking to another male. "Great," Ricky muttered under his breath.

"Is that your dad?" I asked suddenly seeing the resemblance.

"Unfortunately," he said dryly.

Dominic and Ricky's father looked over at us as we approached. Ricky still had his arm around me. I figured as soon as he saw his father, he would have pulled away from me, but he didn't. It made me feel a little bit better. He was at least not ashamed to be seen with me.

"You are supposed to be resting," Dominic said firmly when we got close enough.

"I know, I just didn't feel like staying in bed," I said brushing him off. I liked Dominic, but I didn't consider him my father.

"I thought your mother told you to let her rest," Ricky's father said watching him. He looked like he could be a strict father. He looked almost exactly like Ricky, just a little older.

"I wanted to check on her. She's fine," Ricky countered sounding slightly annoyed.

I saw Ricky's father's expression darken. Obviously, Ricky talked back a lot. I got the feeling he and his father didn't get along very well.

Dominic glanced from Ricky to his father. "Brayden, I'm sure he was just worried about here."

"I'm sure," Brayden said gruffly. "Walk her upstairs, then we need to talk."

Ricky rolled his eyes, then took my hand. He led me in the house, past them.

I glanced at Ricky as he led me inside. "So you and your dad don't get along?"

He shook his head. "Not really."

I walked up the stairs and he followed me. I would've just been glad to have a dad. Ricky didn't know how lucky he was. I stopped in front of my door, then I turned and looked up at him.

He smiled playfully and pressed his body to mine. "You could invite me in," he teased.

I smiled and pressed my lips to his. "Your father is waiting for you."

"He can wait, he would understand." He grabbed my ass and kissed me again.

My mother cleared her throat behind us, startling us apart. I felt my cheeks redden as she raised her eyebrows at me.

"I'll see you later, Fifty-Fifty," he said playfully. He slipped past my mother and hurried downstairs out of sight.

"Fifty-Fifty?" she asked skeptically.

"He thinks it's funny," I said trying not to grin like an idiot. I was getting attached to Ricky. I knew it wasn't a good idea, but I couldn't stop myself. He was too much fun.

She looked worried. "Do we need to talk?"

I felt my cheeks redden. "No, mom, I know how everything works. I'm not sleeping with him."

She laughed. "Not yet, it's only a matter of time and he knows it."

I rolled my eyes. "I like him, but he knows it's going to take a lot more than looking good and flirting to get me." I opened the door to my room as I spoke.

"Uh huh," she said dryly. It was obvious she didn't believe me. Then again, she never really paid much attention to me to know anything about my personal life.

I walked in my room and shut the door behind me. I was still thinking about everything I learned about fairies. It really sounded out there, but it gave me a little bit of hope. I just wanted to be anything but a weak werewolf.

# Chapter 8

I woke up to the sound of knocking on my window. I sat up and looked toward the window. Ricky was waiting for me. He looked like he'd been in a fight. I hurried to the window and opened it. He cussed in pain as I helped him inside. It was mid-morning probably around nine. Most werewolves were already in bed or headed that way.

"What happened?" I asked worried, as I helped him to my bed.

He had several serious gashes. His face was bruised and swollen. It looked like someone had done a number on him. "My father is a little pissed at me." He was speaking through gritted teeth. He attempted to laugh, but he ended up groaning and clutching his side.

"Why would he do this?" I asked angrily as I surveyed the damage. His entire chest was cut up and bruised. He looked like more than one person got ahold of him.

He groaned. "I told him I changed my mind about the rankings."

I looked at him startled. "Why would you do that?"

He smiled; well it looked like he was attempting to smile. "I wanted to spend the full moon with you."

I felt my chest tighten at his words. He got his ass beat for me. It wasn't very smart, but it was kind of romantic. "Ricky, you shouldn't have." I brushed his hair out of his face. I leaned forward and gently kissed him on the lips. He deepened the kiss as he tangled his fingers in my hair. I closed my eyes and pressed my body to his. I wanted to kiss him until he was better. I felt tears threaten to fall. This was all my fault and I wanted to fix him. It would take a couple days for him to heal from this. I could feel his broken ribs as I moved my hand over his side. I pressed my tongue into his mouth and a warm tingling sensation overcame me. I wanted him, but I knew he was in no condition to be with me, so I just kissed and caressed him.

I broke the kiss as I opened my eyes and looked down at him. I felt my breath catch and I quickly moved away from him. He looked normal. He was healed. He was still covered in blood and dirt, but he was healed. His face wasn't swollen; he had no cuts or bruises.

"Baby, what's wrong?" he asked worried as he sat up. He must have realized he didn't hurt because he touched his side, then he looked down at his chest. He looked up at me startled, then he grinned. He climbed off the bed and hurried to my vanity and examined himself in the mirror. "You healed me."

"I didn't. How could I?" I asked confused.

He smiled. "You're a fairy."

I scowled. "Fairies are myths." I had convinced myself earlier that I was nothing special, and I wasn't about to get my hopes up again.

"Look at me, Scarlett. I couldn't heal myself this fast even if I focused on it. You touched me and kissed me and now look at me. It's like I never even got in a fight." He was excited.

I raised my eyebrows. "You're all bloody and dirty. Why don't you go clean up?"

He hurried over to me and pulled me into a kiss. I felt my body heat up at the aggressiveness of his touch. "You have to believe you're something special," he whispered.

I looked at him trying to decide what I felt. I honestly didn't know. It could've been him who did it, not me. "Let's go ask Maggie. I just think you could've healed yourself."

He scowled. "I'm going to shower, then we are going. I know she will agree with me."

He hurried off to the bathroom and shut the door. I heard the shower start. I sat down on the bed trying to fight the urge to go in the bathroom and join him. He made me feel important, even when I felt useless.

There was a knock on my door. I didn't really want to answer, but I knew I didn't have a choice. I opened my door and Kylie, my mother; and another woman was standing there.

"Hey Scarlett, we are looking for Ricky. Has he come to you?" Kylie asked looking worried.

I watched her not sure what to say. They knew he was beat to a pulp, they had to.

"I'm his mother, Marie, and I'm really worried about him. Brayden lost his temper. Please ... if he's in there tell us. I just want to get him to Maggie," the third woman with them said frantically.

"Um, he's in the shower," I said nervously glancing back at the bathroom door.

"He shouldn't be alone," Kylie chided as she pushed past me. Marie followed. They obviously thought he was seriously injured.

"You should've told me he was here," my mother growled as she followed them.

I rolled my eyes, then hurried to the bathroom door blocking them. Kylie scowled, and so did Marie. I raised my hands trying to calm them. I knew he would be pissed if they all walked in while he was showering. "I promise he isn't as bad as you think. Just give him a minute, and he'll be out." I sounded like I was pleading with them. I kind of was ... I knew they could all beat me easily if they wanted to.

"You're overstepping your bounds, young lady," my mother growled.

The door opened before I could respond. "Scarlett..." Ricky started, but hesitated when he saw my mother, Kylie, and his mother.

Confusion crossed all their faces when they looked him over. I turned quickly and looked up at him. He was naked except for the towel wrapped around his waist. "I tried to get them to wait." I attempted to keep from blushing as I looked at him.

"How are you healed?" his mother asked, as she pushed me aside and stood in front of him.

He looked at me like he wasn't sure what to say. I shook my head gently hoping he would get the message. I wasn't ready to claim responsibility for healing him. I honestly had no clue if it was me even though he seemed so sure. "I have my ways," he said curtly as he crossed his arms. He really did look incredible. There wasn't an imperfection on his body. I was trying not to notice, but it was incredibly hard not to.

Kylie scoffed. "You aren't that good, Ricky, despite what you think."

His mother scowled. "There's an explanation, and I want it."

He shrugged. "Maybe I wasn't as bad off as I looked, and I healed. Why's that so hard to believe?"

I was relieved he was deflecting. I looked away from him relieved. That was until I realized they were all watching me. "Do you know anything?" his mother asked sharply.

I shook my head. I decided it would be best if I didn't speak. I wasn't good at lying. My mother eyed me like she didn't believe me. I didn't really know what they thought I could do. To them, I was a half breed werewolf.

Ricky gave them his usual cocky smile. "All that matters is that I'm fine, now can you leave so I can get dressed?"

His mother eyed him. "I suppose we don't have a choice."

"He's hiding something ... they both are," Kylie said firmly as she looked from Ricky to me.

"You will never find out what unless they want to tell," my mother said sounding slightly amused.

"I agree," Kylie said still watching me. She obviously thought I was the weak link. She probably thought if she looked at me long enough, I would crack under pressure.

"Just go," Ricky said sounding annoyed. "We aren't hiding anything. If we were, Scarlett wouldn't have let you in."

They all looked like they didn't believe him, but they left anyway. I hurried to the door and closed it behind them. I turned and looked at Ricky. "What are we going to say?"

He smiled. "We don't have to say anything." He dropped his towel.

I clamped my eyes shut and turned around. "Ricky," I growled impatiently.

He laughed. "Don't worry, I'm putting my pants on." I waited for him to tell me I could turn back around.

I felt my heart skip a beat when he wrapped his arms around me and buried his nose in my hair. "Maggie's can wait. I'm sure she's asleep anyway. Why don't you come to bed with me? I'll behave. I just want to make out with you, and maybe feel you up," he whispered.

My cheeks were burning, and my heart rate was going crazy. "Okay," I agreed. I didn't mind making out like we did the other night. That was a lot of fun.

He led me to the bed. He climbed on the bed, then pulled me down on top of him. I giggled as his mouth found mine. I loved how he kissed me. He pinned me to the bed and ran his hand up my thigh. He stopped right at the edge of my boy shorts, gently running his fingers over the delicate seam. I ran my fingers over his perfect body enjoying the feel of every muscle and contour. I felt his erection pressing into my thigh. I had the sudden urge to touch him. I knew it probably wasn't good idea, but I didn't care. I felt his breath catch as I ran my hand over the bulge in his pants.

"That's cruel," he whispered against my lips.

I felt my cheeks redden. "I just wanted to know what it felt like to touch a guy."

He smiled, and his eyes sparkled with mischief. I heard his zipper slide down and I knew what he was doing. He took my hand in his. I gasped in surprise when he placed my hand on his hard, smooth shaft. I looked at him, wide-eyed and unsure. "Don't be afraid to grip me," he whispered as he tightened his grip on my hand, forcing me to tighten mine. He slowly encouraged me to move my hand. His lips were parted as he kept his eyes locked with mine. His breathing was slow and deep. He liked what I was doing. I liked it a little too much as well. I quickly figured out how he wanted me to move my hand. He let his hand fall away, and I took control. I looked down at his throbbing cock. I felt my cheeks burn. I felt like I was doing something inappropriate. His cock looked huge in my small hand. A moan escaped his lips, and I looked back up at him. His eyes had softened, but his body was tense. I released my hold on his cock, and I heard him groan in disappointment. "You didn't have to stop," he whispered.

I smiled biting my lip as I sat up and climbed off the bed. He watched me as I walked to the door to make sure it was locked. I walked to the window and pulled the curtains closed, so the room was dark. I was ready to go further with him. I didn't care what the consequences were. My body was aching with need. I wanted to know what it felt like to go all the way with him. I slipped my tank top off, then I shimmied my shorts off and tossed them aside. I climbed back on the bed and lay on my back next to him. He was propped up on his side. He looked me over, and then his eyes met mine. I took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

He looked hesitant. "Are you sure?"

I nodded and ran my hand over his side. He reached over and placed his hand on my hip. He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. He kissed me gently. His hand trailed down and brushed the soft skin between my thighs making me gasp. He stood up and slid his pants off, then he climbed back over me.

I looked up at him trying to steady my breathing. His hot body was pressed to mine. I felt him hard and ready between my thighs. I relaxed and spread my legs to allow him more room. "Are you positive, Scarlett? I can wait. I will wait for you," he whispered against my lips as he fought the urge to push his throbbing cock inside me.

"I want you," I whispered as I ran my hands over his back.

He pressed his lips to mine. I tangled my fingers in his hair. I gasped when his cock slowly began to fill me. Sensations rushed over me making my body tingle. I gripped his body tighter, and he moaned as he continued to fill me. Once I was full of him, he pulled back easing out of me. I loved how he felt inside me. It didn't hurt like I thought it would ... it felt good. My body clenched in anticipation of release. He barely did anything and I was reeling with anticipation. He pushed forward and it was enough to send me over the edge. Pleasure and pain tore through me. I went to scream, but no sound came out. My body felt like it was on fire. Ricky howled in pleasure as he released. I looked up at him. His eyes had changed to a wolf's eyes. He rolled off me onto the floor. He doubled over as he cried out in agony. His body cracked and twisted. He was changing, but he was fighting it.

"Don't fight it, Ricky," I cried starting to panic. My body was still burning, but I pushed the feeling away. I wanted to help Ricky. I crawled to him and touched him. He looked up at me; the pain in his eyes scared me. He continued to shift, but he seemed to relax. With one last cry he collapsed to the floor panting. He was a beautiful chestnut wolf. I laid over him and closed my eyes. The pain was easing, but I felt weak. I closed my eyes, and everything went black.

# Chapter 9

"Scarlett! Scarlett!" Ricky's worried voice echoed in my head.

I slowly opened my eyes. He was cradling me as he watched me worried. "What happened," I rasped. My throat was dry, and my head ached.

"I don't know." he sounded a little out of it.

I sat up and leaned forward. I felt him stiffen as he touched my back. "What are you doing?" I asked pulling away. He was tickling me.

"You have wings," he said softly as he continued to trace my back.

"What?" I asked confused as I climbed to my feet. I walked to the mirror and turned trying to see my back. I was a little startled to see he was right. It looked like I tattooed fairy wings on my back. They were delicate lace wings. I realized my body had marks in various places. My breasts had odd characters that looked like they were tattooed on me. My lower abdomen had the same markings. I turned and looked at Ricky trying to get an explanation. He looked a little dazed as he examined his own arms and chest. He had similar marks on him.

"What the hell is going on," he mumbled as he looked up at me.

"I don't know. I felt like I was on fire. It felt good and hurt all at once. I remember you changed, and then I passed out." I sat back down on the bed.

"You have to be a fairy," he muttered. "Now you have the wings, and the markings to prove it. The only thing I don't understand is how I got them all over me."

I blushed as he looked at me. He was obviously blaming me for the marks. There was no way I could know it would happen. "I didn't know," I said apologetically.

He climbed to his feet rubbing his head. I looked him over trying to figure out what was off. Then I suddenly realized it. He was bulkier and taller. He used to be slim, but now he was bulkier than Eli. He was also taller than he originally was.

"Ricky, you're big," I said quietly as I took him in. He was incredibly good looking, even more attractive now.

He smiled. "Thank you, I like compliments like that."

I rolled my eyes. That had gotten bigger too, but it wasn't what I was referencing. "I meant your entire body," I said dryly.

He scowled at me like I had lost my mind. He looked in the mirror and his eyes widened. "What the hell did you do to me, Scarlett?" he asked accusingly.

I blushed at his sudden change in tone. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. At least you look good."

He scowled as he snatched his pants up. He attempted to get them on, but they were too small. He glared at me and I pressed my lips together. "I'm sorry," I said again quietly.

"We need to go to Maggie's now. Go get me some of Dominic's pants. He is about the size I need," he ordered.

I nodded as I got to my feet. I pulled my bathrobe on and slipped out of my room. I was hoping Dominic and my mother weren't home. I didn't want to explain why Ricky needed Dominic's clothes. I found a pair of jeans and a shirt, then I hurried back to my room. I tossed them at Ricky, and he started to dress. The jeans and shirt were still a little tight, but they looked good on him. "Are you mad at me?" I asked as I dressed.

He shook his head. "I'm not mad. I'm just a little confused."

"If I had known I wouldn't have done anything with you," I said quietly.

He glanced up at me as he ran his fingers through his hair. He hesitated when he looked at me. His expression softened and he sighed. "It wasn't your fault. Neither of us could have known what would happen if we were together. Let's just go see if we can get some answers." He looked at me and offered his hand.

I felt a little bit better since he wasn't being so cold. I slipped my hand in his, and he led me down the stairs and out into the woods. It was around ten at night. The woods seemed relatively quiet. Tomorrow night was the full moon. Usually wolves stayed in human form on the days before the full moon. It was so they could save their energy for the gathering on the full moon. Ricky was silent, but I could tell he was on guard as we moved through the woods.

Maggie's house came into view. The light was on in the kitchen. Like usual, he didn't bother knocking, he just walked in.

Maggie looked up from what she was doing and hesitated. "Uh oh, this doesn't look good," she said sounding slightly worried.

"You're telling me," Ricky growled impatiently.

"What happened?" She left what she was doing and walked toward him.

He glanced at me like he wasn't sure how to say it. "Scarlett and I decided to take our relationship to the next step, and when we did this happened."

She looked over at me. "I take it you got marks like I described?"

"Yes, wings on my back and odd writing in places on my body," I said nervously.

"Where on your body?" she asked as she walked to a bookshelf and selected a book.

"On my breasts and lower abdomen," I said trying to keep my tone even. I didn't really like discussing it, but I was guessing it was important.

"I have marks too, on my arms and chest," Ricky said as he took a seat.

"I got this book when you came to me the other day. I wanted to do some more exploring on the topic. Ah! Here it is!" she said smiling. "You are a dark fairy. There are dark and light fairies. The dark fairies' powers involve using weaknesses against others. The marks on your breasts and lower abdomen mean your powers center around lust."

"You really think I'm a fairy? I thought they didn't exist," I said confused.

She nodded. "There are accounts, but they are not common, that does not mean they don't exist. From what I understand, they attempt to blend in."

"So am I evil?" I was hoping I wasn't. I didn't feel evil, but the whole dark fairy thing was ominous.

She shrugged. "Not necessarily. The line you come from is evil, but you weren't raised by them, so you have a choice."

"That's nice and all, but that doesn't explain what happened to me," Ricky said sounding impatient.

Maggie smiled a she closed the book and handed it to me. "She enslaved you. You're bound to her."

"What!" he growled alarmed as he glared at me.

I was speechless I didn't know what to say. I had no clue how I did it, or even how to change it.

"Her power is based off lust. Your mother said you were healed after your encounter with your father. I'm sure Scarlett kissed you or touched you which healed you, correct?" she asked as she looked at me.

I nodded. "I wasn't trying to do anything though."

"You didn't have to; you care about him. Was he the first boy you've been with?" she asked looking from me to him.

He scowled. "Yes."

"Well, that's why this happened. You brought her power to light. So really, it's your fault. You had an inkling she was a fairy, yet you went ahead and let the brain in your pants take over," Maggie said chiding him.

He glared at her. "How was I supposed to know she was some dark lust fairy?"

Maggie shrugged. "You really couldn't have, and neither could she since she was unaware of what she is. All I'm saying is you are both to blame, so quit being so hard on her."

Ricky's expression softened as he looked at me. He looked back at Maggie. "How do we fix this?"

"I don't know. You may not be able to. The only one who can reverse what she has done is Scarlett, but without guidance from another fairy it will be almost impossible for her," Maggie said as she went back to what she was doing.

"Then we find another fairy," Ricky snapped sounding annoyed.

Maggie laughed. "Yes, because it was so easy to find the first one."

"You're no help," he growled. "Scarlett let's go. We have to try to reverse this." He stormed out and I followed him. I wasn't sure what he thought I could do. I didn't even know how I did it in the first place.

I followed him through the woods. He was moving quickly like he was incredibly angry. "Ricky, I didn't know," I called after him wishing he would slow down.

He stopped and turned toward me. "I know, but I can't stay enslaved to you."

I rolled my eyes. "You aren't enslaved. That's just some mumbo jumbo in a book. Maybe because we had sex something rubbed off on you. Maybe it will go away after a while."

He scowled as he stepped closer to me. "What do I tell my parents? Hell what do I tell yours? They are going to be even more suspicious now. An adult male doesn't just grow a foot and widen overnight."

I bit my lip to keep from smiling. He was angry, but he was also incredibly hot. "I think you look good."

He looked like he wanted to be mad, but he smiled and shook his head. "I can't even be mad at you."

I walked to him and hugged him. "Even though it completely messed both of us up, I'm glad you were my first."

He kissed the top of my head. "I'm glad I was too. Come on, we're going to have to ask my parents for help."

"I don't think your parents like me," I said nervously.

He scoffed. "My parents don't even like me."

"That isn't true," I said nudging him.

He wrapped his arm around me and squeezed the air out of me. "You haven't been around them long enough to figure it out."

"They're going to be mad at me." I wasn't looking forward to going to them. I knew how werewolves were. I thought it would be great to be a fairy, that was until this happened.

He sighed. "It doesn't matter. If they don't help, we'll find the way ourselves."

We walked through the woods in silence. He obviously knew where he was going. I didn't have a clue. He stopped at the wood line near the diner. I caught his arm before he could step out.

"Let me go talk to my mom. If I'm a fairy, then she has to know who my father is. I mean she had to know this would happen," I said quickly.

He looked at me for a minute, and then he nodded. "I'll wait here. If it doesn't work out, come get me and we'll go to my parents."

I stood on my tippy toes and brushed my lips against his. "I'm sorry," I whispered again.

He smiled. "I'm not really. It's annoying, but it was kind of worth it."

I rolled my eyes. "You say that now."

I walked toward the diner. I was hoping I would catch my mother by herself. I didn't really want to discuss this with Dominic around. I walked into the diner and looked around.

My mother was sitting in a booth, and Dominic was next to her. I sighed and walked toward them. I sat down across from them and my mother smiled at me.

"Hey mom, can I talk to you alone for a minute?" I asked as I glanced nervously at Dominic.

She pursed her lips. "Whatever you have to say to me you can say to Dominic. We don't have any secrets."

I scowled then shook my head. "Fine, I need to know if you know who my father is."

She looked a little startled. "Scarlett, I told you I didn't. Now is this necessary?"

I nodded. "I need to know everything you know about him."

She glanced nervously at Dominic, then she scowled at me. "I don't know anything about him. I told you it was a bad time in my life. I wasn't making very good decisions."

"You didn't know he was a fairy?" I asked hoping if I told her I knew then she would tell me something useful.

She looked at me for a minute, then she burst out laughing. "Scarlett are you feeling okay? Do you mean the little guys with wings?"

I pressed my lips together in annoyance. She was making fun of me. "Just forget it," I growled as I stood.

"Scarlett, fairies aren't real, and even if they were, I think I would know if your father was one," she said matching my annoyed tone.

"I'm sure you would," I muttered as I walked away. The way she immediately wrote me off made me angry. I walked back outside. I hesitated when I saw Kylie and Dakota approaching.

"Hi, Scarlett," Kylie said smiling. Obviously, she was back to being nice.

"Hi," I said softly watching them.

"Is something wrong?" Dakota asked obviously sensing my discomfort.

I decided to ask them general questions and see what they had to say. "Do you think fairies exist?"

Dakota said yes, and Kylie said no in unison. They both looked at each other. "I have never seen one," Kylie said skeptically.

"That doesn't mean they don't exist. I met someone I thought was a fairy, but I could never prove it," Dakota said as he looked at me.

"Why do you want to know?" Kylie asked as she watched me. The suspicious look was back in her eyes.

I sighed. "I'm pretty sure I'm a fairy as insane as it sounds, but I didn't know I was one, and I accidently changed Ricky a little."

Dakota raised his eyebrows and Kylie looked like she was trying to keep from laughing. "Changed him how?" Dakota asked sounding more curious than anything.

"He's bigger, and he has tattoos like me. He is hiding in the woods if you want to see," I said hoping they had some advice to offer.

"I want to see," Kylie piped up. She thought it was funny. She probably thought I was insane.

"I do too," Dakota said watching me.

I turned and walked back toward the wood line, and they followed. Ricky straightened when he saw us approach. "That's not your mother," he growled.

"My mother thought I was being funny. She wouldn't even hear me out," I said impatiently.

"Wow," Kylie said as she looked Ricky over.

"That is one word for it," Dakota said as he approached Ricky.

Ricky was taller and broader than Dakota. "Do you have any idea how to fix me?" Ricky asked sounding hopeful.

Dakota smiled. "You aren't broken."

"I'm enslaved to her according to Maggie," he said sounding worried.

"How do you figure that?" Dakota asked as he examined the symbols on Ricky's arm.

"She said I'm a dark lust fairy or something, and when we were together, I enslaved him somehow." Saying it out loud made me feel like an idiot.

"Does he do what you say?" Dakota asked.

I shook my head. "At least I don't think so."

"I don't," Ricky said sharply.

Dakota looked up at him smiling. "I don't think you're enslaved. The lore about fairies is different in every book you read. I have to admit this crossed my mind when she had such a severe reaction to the iron and vampire blood, but she didn't have the symbols," he said like he was thinking. "You know some lore states that fairies with red eyes are actually royalty, and when their powers manifest, they choose a protector. Perhaps she chose you as a protector, and that is why you changed to fulfill your purpose."

"So you actually think she's a fairy?" Kylie asked skeptically.

Dakota nodded. "How else would you explain this?"

She looked at him, then back at us. "I have no idea."

"My mother is no help. She said she doesn't know who my father is. You would think she would remember a fairy," I said dryly.

"That's not necessarily true. Fairies are believed to be myth because they are incredibly good at disguises. If you think about it you walk around assuming the identity of a werewolf and no one questions you," Dakota said as he turned and looked at me.

"What do we do now? What do we do about him?" I asked indicating Ricky.

"There is nothing you can do except try to learn more about yourself. At this point, I don't think there is anything we can do for you, Ricky," Dakota said looking back at him.

"This is just great" he muttered and stalked off into the woods.

I sighed. "This is ridiculous. He thinks I enslaved him."

Kylie smiled. "He'll get over it. Just give him a little bit of space. He'll come around. Besides I think you made improvements."

Dakota smiled. "I agree. I'll look into this more and see if we can find anyone that actually knows what it all really means instead of just the myths and lore in books."

"Thank you for helping me. I could use all the help I can get," I said relieved.

He nodded. "Why don't you get home and rest. I'm sure things will be better tomorrow."

I nodded, then I turned and hurried through the woods. I considered looking for Ricky, but they were right. I needed to give him his space. I still had the book Maggie gave me. I wanted to find out as much as I could, even though most of it was probably fiction.

I spent most of the night reading. I was hoping there would be some sort of magic answer that would help me fix Ricky. I didn't like that he was so upset at me. I really didn't think he was enslaved. In the book Maggie gave to me the ones who were enslaved were completely dedicated. Ricky wasn't dedicated to me like that. If he was, he would've been with me, not hiding from me.

I woke up with a start. Someone was pounding on my door. "Scarlett, open this door," my mother growled.

I groaned as I set the book aside and climbed out of bed. I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep. I opened the door and my mother was glaring at me. "You're a fairy!" she yelled angrily.

I rolled my eyes. "You should've known this. You slept with the fairy."

She scoffed. "I don't recall sleeping with a fairy. They said you did something to Ricky. What did you do?"

"If I knew I wouldn't have come to you for help. I have no idea what my powers are," I said matching her tone.

She placed her hands on her hips. "You need to go find him and apologize," she said firmly.

"I didn't hurt him, if anything I improved him. I'm sure he has every girl in the pack on him by now," I said angrily. "Now if you can't think of anything else to do but yell at me, I'm going back to bed!" I slammed the door in her face and locked it. I was extremely upset, and she didn't seem to care that I was having a hard time. She was too worried about her image.

# Chapter 10

The next time I opened my eyes it was after dark. There was a light knock on my door. I didn't really want to answer it, but I did anyway.

Eli smiled at me when I opened the door. "Hey, I was checking on you."

"Oh, I'm fine. Shouldn't you be at the rankings?" I asked confused.

"I've got a little while. I was coming to see if you wanted to come with me. We could go to the diner for a little bit, then head to the rankings after," he offered. He looked hopeful like he wanted me to agree.

I wasn't really in the mood, but I decided to go. "That sounds fun. It will at least get me out for a little while." I was already wearing a nice summer dress. I slipped on some shoes and followed him down the stairs and out of the house.

"Have you talked to Ricky?" I asked hoping he had. I wanted to know how Ricky was doing. I wasn't sure if I should go find him myself. I worried he wouldn't talk to me.

"Yeah, he's fine. He finally realized the benefits of how he changed," he said dryly.

"Oh," I said quietly. I was hoping Ricky would come talk to me, but he still hadn't shown up. It was both a little disappointing and irritating.

Eli changed the topic to the rankings. He was describing how they worked and what the process was. I was never involved in anything like it, and by his description it seemed interesting.

The diner came into view and like always it was crowded. There was a lot more people sitting outside than inside. I spotted Ricky and my heart clenched. He was surrounded by girls and by the looks of it he loved the attention.

"He's an ass. Try not to pay any attention to him," Eli said as he nudged me.

I forced a smiled. "I'll try not to."

Ricky looked in our direction. His expression darkened a little as he stood. He walked toward us. "I thought you weren't coming out tonight," Ricky said as he looked at me.

"Eli changed my mind," I said quietly.

Ricky looked at me like he was trying to decide what to say. He glared at Eli, then shifted his gaze to me. "Can we talk in private?"

I nodded. I looked at Eli. "I'll be right back." I followed Ricky away from the crowd.

"I see you're having fun." I said quietly once we were alone.

He scowled at me. "Don't try to start a fight with me. I didn't ask for this."

"You're not enslaved," I said angrily.

"How do you know?" he countered.

"Because if you were, do you really think I would allow you to flirt with other women? The men in the books who are enslaved bend to the Fae's every whim. You don't; therefore you aren't enslaved," I snapped.

He shook his head. "You just haven't figured out how to make me obey. I think it would be better if we stayed away from one another," he said firmly.

I felt my chest tighten. He was basically breaking up with me. I knew better than to trust him, but I did it anyway. I balled my hands into fists and glared at him. "Fine, I should've never trusted you. You are just as horrible as they all say!" I walked away before he could reply.

I walked out across the parking lot. I wasn't going in any particular direction I was just trying to get away. "Scarlett, wait," Eli called.

I stopped and turned toward him. "I think I'm going to pass on tonight. I'm not in the mood," I said apologetically. I turned to leave again, and he caught my hand.

"Please, don't go," he pleaded.

I looked at him trying to decide what to say. The sound of screeching tires caught my attention. I turned just as a van pulled up to the side of us. Four men jumped out. Two jumped on Eli. I screamed and attempted to go to him, but the other two grabbed me. They knocked Eli out, and threw him in the back of the van. I fought as they dragged me toward the van. They forced me in the van. I scrambled over to Eli. He was passed out, but he was breathing. I glared up at the men who attacked us. There was one in particular that caught my attention. He looked to be about my age, and he had my red eyes.

He smiled. "Hello, Scarlett."

"Who are you?" I asked angrily.

"I'm your father of course." He said it like I should've known. Honestly, I had a feeling he was my father the minute I saw his eyes, but I thought it would be best to play stupid. I had a feeling he wasn't a very nice individual.

I looked at the man claiming to be my father. "You thought kidnapping me was the best idea?"

"It was the only idea. Your protector isn't very strong," he said dryly indicating Eli.

"He isn't my protector. He's just a friend," I said quietly.

The man raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Your protector isn't supposed to leave your side. Perhaps you chose the wrong man."

"I didn't choose, it just happened, and he isn't happy about it. Why does it matter anyway? Why couldn't you just come talk to me? I would've been willing to talk. I have no idea what I am, it wasn't like I was avoiding you." I was rambling because I was upset. I was upset that they kidnapped me, and I was upset that they knocked Eli out.

"I figured you had been told about how evil your line was. I didn't want to waste my time," he said dryly.

"So you are evil then?" I asked trying not to sound too nervous.

He smiled and shrugged. "It depends on who you ask."

"Where are you taking us?" I looked at the men sitting next to him.

He smiled. "We are going to my house, to talk. I would like to get to know my daughter. Perhaps offer you some guidance since you have been oblivious to your heritage this entire time."

"You could've stopped by and mentioned it. My mother didn't even know what you were," I said quietly.

He smiled. "Your mother isn't very smart, but she suited my purpose. It's all way above her head. We aren't meant to have long term mates like the werewolves. She would have been annoying if I stuck around. It was better to let her raise you, then when your powers manifested, I would find you like I have."

I watched him for a minute. He didn't seem evil, but that didn't mean he wasn't. He seemed stuck up and a little narcissistic. "I'm not going to turn evil or anything if that is what you are planning."

He laughed like he thought I was being cute. "We don't turn evil; we are just considered evil because we are self-centered. You just haven't grown into your powers yet. When you do, you will understand."

Eli moaned catching my attention. I helped him sit up. I pulled him closer to me away from them. I didn't want them hitting him over the head again. "What the hell is going on, Scarlett," Eli mumbled as he rubbed his head.

"We're okay. It's just someone who wanted to talk to me. He just has no manners apparently." I glared at the man claiming to be my father.

He looked from Eli to me. "My name is Erik, and you care for him. Why isn't he your protector?"

"I don't know how to make a protector. I think I made Ricky a protector, but he is being an ass about it, and he wants nothing to do with me." I was trying not to sound too annoyed.

"You can revoke the right to be a protector by making another your protector. You should make this male your protector. He would be a good choice," Erik said like it was simple.

I scowled at him. "I don't think you get that I have no clue what I'm doing. I didn't make the first one my protector on purpose. How am I supposed to revoke the first one's ability, and make a second one?"

Erik's smile widened. "The same way you made the first."

He meant I would have to have sex with Eli. I wondered if he even knew that was how it happened. I felt my cheeks start to burn. There was no way I was discussing this with him; especially when Eli was sitting right next to me. "I can live without a protector."

His expression darkened. "That is where you are wrong. There are going to be some people who are not happy that another royal Dark Fae has made it to adulthood. Most are killed before they even realize their powers. You need your protector, one who is reliable."

The van suddenly stopped before I could respond. The back doors opened, and they climbed out. Eli looked at me unsure. "It's okay ... I think," I said cautiously as I climbed out.

Eli followed me rubbing the back of his head. He was eyeing the men standing around like he was ready to kill them.

"Come, come, we don't have all night," Erik said amused as he walked up a set of stairs.

The house in front of us was huge. It looked more like a palace. I didn't really understand how a place like this went unnoticed. I slowly followed Erik, and Eli followed me. He stuck close to me. He was so close; he was almost bumping into me. He obviously didn't like the situation any more than I did.

"What is your power?" I asked as I followed Erik through the lavish house.

He smiled. "My specialty is in illusions. Your friend can only see this house because I allow him to. To the non-fairy folk, it looks like an abandoned farmhouse."

"So Maggie was right about our kind hiding," I said more to myself than anything.

"We hide in plain sight. It has worked for centuries. For the most part we even fool the vampires." He opened the doors to a huge sitting room. "Have a seat. I will get us drinks." He indicated the couches.

I sat down, and Eli sat next to me. He was sitting so close to me I could feel the heat of his body. "Are you going to let us go?" I asked watching Erik as he made drinks.

"You're my daughter, Scarlett. You're not my prisoner. If you choose to leave after speaking with me that is entirely up to you." He smiled at us.

"Why didn't you come around earlier?" I asked as I accepted a drink from him.

He sat down in a chair across from us. "There is only a small chance that a half fairy's power will manifest. If your powers didn't manifest, then I would have no reason to seek you out."

He was basically saying he only wanted me because I had power. If I stayed normal, he would have never shown himself to me. "So that's it? I'm only worth something to you because I have powers?"

He sighed impatiently. "You do not understand our people. We do not associate with our children. They grow up without knowing their heritage for a reason. It helps them develop properly, so when their powers manifest, they are not improperly influenced."

"What do you want from her?" Eli asked starting to sound impatient.

Erik shifted his gaze to Eli. "I really don't see why you didn't choose him. I suggest you fix that error as soon as possible." He was ignoring Eli's question.

"What is he talking about?" Eli asked me as he stiffened a little.

"Nothing," I said quickly. "How do I know what my powers are?" I asked changing the subject.

He shrugged. "You don't, at least not until you explore them. How did they manifest?"

I felt my cheeks redden at the question. "I was with a guy, the one I made my protector."

He laughed like he thought my embarrassment was funny. "Your powers are obviously related to lust or passion. You can be very powerful if you use them properly. Fairies don't learn much from their parents. They learn by exploring the powers themselves."

"Scarlett, we need to get out of here. My parents are going to be worried, and so are yours," Eli said quietly.

I looked from Eli to Erik. I wasn't ready to go. I wanted to stay and ask my father more questions. I needed to know more about him and about me. "I'm not ready to go yet. You should go and tell everyone I'm okay."

"I can arrange a car to take you," Erik said watching Eli.

"I'm not leaving her here," Eli said sharply.

Erik smiled. "Perhaps you would like to make a phone call. It will give me a moment alone with my daughter." A man walked into the room. He waited patiently like he was waiting for Eli.

"Go, I will be fine." I smiled reassuringly.

Eli watched me for a minute. "I guess I need to tell them we are okay."

"You should. I'm sure they're worried. I'll be fine. If he wanted to hurt me, he would have," I said quietly.

Eli nodded and stood. He followed the man out of the room.

I turned my attention back to Erik. "You said people would be looking to hurt me. Who are those people?" I asked hoping he would tell me.

"Vampires, other fairies, there is actually a number of enemies out there after our line." He said it was nothing unusual.

"Do I have any grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, or is it just me and you?" I asked hoping there were others.

He looked away. He looked like he was thinking about something. "We are the last of our line. We are the royal family. Like I said, most were killed before their powers manifested. Others died fighting."

"How did you survive?" I asked quietly.

"It is simple. I hid. My power of illusion has saved my life on several occasions." He sounded distant like it was a painful memory.

"How come no one ever came after me?" I asked confused.

"Because your powers never manifested like they were supposed to. They didn't come until now. Normal young fairies begin to see signs as early as ten. You didn't show anything. Because of that, you remained safe," he said simply.

A man walked into the room and cleared his voice. He was handsome. He had long, white hair, falling almost to his rear. He was tall and slim, but he was toned. His features were so soft they were almost feminine. His eyes were a deep purple. It was a color I had never seen before. Then again, I knew he was Fae, not human or werewolf. I didn't think I had met any Fae.

Erik smiled. "Ah, Laurie, there you are. Scarlett this is Laurie. He is from another royal line. He, of course, is one of the last of his line like we are."

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Scarlett," Laurie said in a soft tone.

"It's nice to meet you as well," I said a little hesitantly. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. I didn't know a thing about fairy customs.

"I was just trying to catch Scarlett up on all things Fae. She is a little confused, being that her powers manifested so late," Erik said sounding apologetic.

"I am just glad they manifested at all. We were beginning to lose hope," Laurie said softly.

Erik shot Laurie a look that suggested he should quit talking. Erik looked back at me and forced a smile. "Perhaps you and your friend would like to stay the night. I can have a room prepared for you," Erik offered.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," I said quietly shifting my gaze from Laurie to Erik. "I would like to go home."

Laurie looked at Erik like he wanted to protest. Erik raised his hand to silence him. "Scarlett, I am sure you are fond of the people you grew up around, but they are not your people, we are. Perhaps it would be best if you stayed here a couple days."

"I want to go home, and Eli wants to go home. I will consider everything you have said, and I will let you know if I have questions," I said firmly.

"Scarlett, it isn't safe..." Erik started.

"I want to leave," I said firmly. I was starting to get a little nervous because of his insistence that I stay.

He sighed relenting. "Very well. I have no intention of forcing you to stay. I will give you a car so you can come to me whenever you need to speak with me."

"Thank you," I said standing. I glanced at Laurie. He was standing there stiffly. He looked like he was furious, but he was keeping his mouth shut.

Eli walked back into the room and hurried to my side. "Is everything okay?" He obviously sensed the tension in the room.

I nodded. "We're going home."

"Good, my parents are worried," Eli said softly.

Erik smiled. "I will show you to your car." His mood had gone back to his usual smiling self. Laurie was no longer in the room. I didn't even see him leave.

Eli took my hand and we followed Erik back outside. There was a black sports car waiting. He offered me the key, and I took it. Eli went to the passenger side and waited for me. I looked at Erik not sure what to say or do. "Thank you for letting me leave."

He laughed. "Scarlett, I'm your father not a tyrant. I never had any intention on imprisoning you."

I smiled. "I wasn't sure. Your introduction was a little blunt."

His smile widened. "Like I said, I wasn't sure you were willing to talk to me."

"Well I was. I will come back in a day or two. There are still a lot of questions I have," I said quietly.

He nodded. "I will see you then."

I walked to the car and got in. I drove away from the ridiculously huge place. I didn't really want to go, but I didn't want to stay either. I knew Eli was anxious to get home. I was sure my mother was worried. I kind of hoped Ricky was worried, but I wasn't sure if he would be.

I sped back toward the pack territory. I was lost in my own thoughts. I didn't speak and neither did Eli.

"Scarlett, pull over," Eli said in barely a whisper.

I looked over at him. He was doubled over. I could see his eyes had changed. I suddenly remembered the full moon and cussed. He was about to shift. I slammed on the brakes and pulled off the road. He stumbled out of the car. I got out of the car and hurried over to him.

"I'm fine. I'm just shifting. Get home, I'll cut through the woods," he said through gritted teeth.

I nodded. He completely shifted, then ran into the woods. I shut his door and walked back around to my side of the car. I set off for pack territory. I knew Eli would be okay on his own.

I pulled into my driveway and like I expected the house was dark and vacant. Everyone would be out because of the full moon. It was better this way. I didn't want to explain anything to anyone right now. My mind was already racing. I had so many questions. I knew the only person that could answer them was Erik.

# Chapter 11

I heard the door downstairs open and close. I glanced at the clock; it was a little after six in the morning. I was guessing it was my mother and Dominic coming back from their night out. I kind of wondered what happened with the rankings. I wondered if Ricky fought Eli. I hoped they didn't fight. They were good friends before I arrived, and I didn't want to come between them.

There was a light knock on my door. I sighed as I got up and walked to my door. I opened the door waiting for the interrogation that I was sure would ensue. I was a little startled to see Hope standing there. "Hey, Scarlett. My mother asked me to get you."

I looked at her confused. "What's going on?"

She looked worried. "Ricky hurt Eli in the stupid rankings. She was hoping you could heal Eli like you did Ricky. Whatever you did to Ricky made him invincible. I couldn't believe watching them fight."

"Where is Ricky?" I was beyond angry, I was furious. I couldn't believe Ricky abused his power like that.

She looked a little startled by my outburst. "His house, I think, but Eli..." she started.

"I will get to Eli after I deal with Ricky." I was trying to control my anger as I hurried down the stairs. I was so angry I could barely see straight. Hope followed behind me quietly. She was either worried about Ricky, or she was worried about me. I was guessing she was more concerned with Ricky's well-being, than mine.

I easily found Ricky's house. Hope was still with me. She seemed determined to come with me. I was debating telling her to go away. I didn't want her to get in the way because she liked Ricky. I was ready to hurt Ricky. I knew there wasn't much I could do to him, but I could give him a piece of my mind. I knocked on the door loud enough so Ricky would know it wasn't someone friendly.

Ricky opened the door and smiled at me. "I take it you're mad about poor little Eli."

I scowled. "You're a dick! You hurt him on purpose!" I snapped as I shoved him. I didn't even budge him, but I felt a little better.

"He wouldn't back down," Ricky growled standing up a little straighter.

"I didn't make you bigger and stronger so you could beat up on people. This is not what the power I gave you was meant for!" I said angrily. I didn't really know what it was meant for, but I knew it wasn't meant for what Ricky was doing.

Ricky scoffed. "It doesn't matter what it was meant for. I can do whatever I want," he countered.

I suddenly realized Erik was right. I did make a mistake making Ricky my protector. According to Erik, there was only one way to change it, but I didn't want to make the same mistakes again. I was so angry I could barely focus.

"If that's all then you should go," he said haughtily. He turned to walk away, but I reached out and caught him by his wrist.

I didn't know what made me do it. My eyes locked with his. I wanted to yell and scream, but no words came out. I felt a sudden rush of energy. He cried out and went to his knees. He started cussing and trying to pull away, but I had a grip on his wrist.

"Scarlett," Hope said nervously as she watched our interaction.

"Leave if you can't handle it," I said darkly. I watched as Ricky's tattoos disappeared, and his body went back down to his normal size. Everything I did to make him my protector faded away. As soon as the sensations stopped, I released his wrist. I wasn't even really sure what happened. I knew I took his power away; I just wasn't sure how I did it. Erik said I had to make another protector, but he was wrong.

He collapsed completely to the floor, as if he passed out. "Is he okay?" Hope asked in barely a whisper.

Somehow, I knew he was okay. It wasn't my intention to hurt him. "He's fine," I said softly. "Stay with him if you want. I'm going to check on Eli." I hurried back towards the woods. I wasn't sure what just happened. I felt a little disoriented and out of it. My body was still tingling. It was the oddest sensation. I had no clue how I did what I did just then, just like I didn't have a clue how I did it the first time. I was going to have to go back to Erik and ask him. I would have gone immediately, but I had Eli to worry about.

I walked into the backyard of Eli's house. Alex was waiting by the door. He smiled nervously. "I was told to wait for you and Hope. Where is Hope?"

I sighed. "With Ricky, he and I had a bit of a falling out."

I walked past him before he could question me. I hurried up the stairs to Eli's room. The door was standing open. There were several pack members standing around. Some of them I knew others I didn't. They all watched me like I was something terrifying. I walked into the room that everyone seemed to be congregating near. Kylie was sitting at Eli's bedside. Dakota, Brayden, and Dominic were at the end of the bed conferring with one another. They all looked up when I walked in.

"Oh thank god. We sent Hope a while ago," Kylie said impatiently.

"I had to take a detour. What happened?" I asked as I looked over at Eli. He was pretty beat up, and he was lying motionless.

"What do you think happened? Whatever you did to Ricky made it an unfair fight," Brayden snapped.

I had the feeling before he didn't like me. Now, I was pretty sure I was right. I would have thought he would have loved it if Ricky won, but I was apparently wrong.

"There's no point in placing blame, Brayden," Dakota said softly. He shifted his gaze from Brayden to me. "Can you at least attempt to heal Eli? He didn't deserve what happened."

"I can, but I need to be alone with him," I said quietly.

None of them looked like they wanted to leave me alone with him. They didn't have a choice. I wasn't sure how to heal Eli. The last time I healed Ricky it was by accident, and it was by physical touch. I wanted to try to heal Eli without getting physical with him. I found a way to take Ricky's abilities as a protector despite what Erik said. Maybe I could heal Eli just by touching him, and not kissing him like I did Ricky.

"I want to stay," Kylie said firmly.

There was no way I was going to attempt this with his mother in the room. "I have to be alone with him," I insisted.

"Kylie, Eli trusts her, I think we should leave her with him. She isn't going to hurt him," Dakota said softly.

Kylie watched me for a minute, then she stood. "You better not do anything funny," she warned as she went to Dakota's side.

"I would never hurt him," I said slightly offended. I hadn't been in the pack long, but Eli was one of my only friends, other than Ricky. I wasn't so sure Ricky was my friend anymore. I was sure after tonight he would be furious with me.

Everyone filed out of the room leaving me alone with Eli. He looked so small lying on the bed bruised and beat up. The longer I looked at him the more furious I got at Ricky. I couldn't believe he would do this to someone he called a friend.

"Eli?" I whispered as I ran my hand over his chest. He groaned and shifted. His eyes barely opened as he looked at me. My chest tightened. The thought that he was in so much pain made my chest hurt.

He smiled faintly. "I'm okay." I knew he saw the worry in my expression.

I laughed harshly. "You don't look okay. I didn't know Ricky was going to do this."

He scowled slightly. "He's an ass. He caught me off guard once, it won't happen again."

"You both need to quit fighting," I said firmly. I attempted to focus on healing him. I was hoping if I just closed my eyes and willed it to happen, it would. I didn't feel any different after a few minutes. I opened my eyes and he was in the same condition. I scowled trying to think of a different way.

He smiled at me. "Having issues?"

"Maybe, give me a minute," I said haughtily.

"I heard it didn't take you long to heal Ricky," he teased.

I rolled my eyes. "I was kissing him. I'm not kissing you, now am I?" I said trying not to sound annoyed.

He smiled weakly. "You can kiss me. I don't mind."

I smiled and shook my head. "I have to learn to do this without kissing. My father said I have to explore my powers. If I just rely on one method, I'll never learn."

I closed my eyes and focused on healing him. When nothing else happened I groaned in annoyance.

"I vote you just kiss me, and get it over with," he said playfully as he watched me.

I smiled at him. "You would like that wouldn't you?"

"I would really like that," he said in barely a whisper.

He was getting tired, and it made me worry a little. I leaned over him and pressed my lips to his. I kissed him gently trying to keep it as chaste as possible. I didn't need to complicate things any more than they already were. I didn't know what I was going to do with Ricky. I didn't need to throw Eli into my mix of half assed decisions and mistakes.

He tangled his fingers in my hair pulling me tighter against his lips. He deepened the kiss. I felt the warm tingling sensation overwhelm me. I felt it start to intensify. I pulled away quickly. I was afraid I would make Eli my protector like I had Ricky. I didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

Eli let me pull away. He smiled lazily at me. His face was healed. I was sure the rest of him was healed as well. "Better?" I asked in barely a whisper. My mouth was dry, and the tingling sensations were still rushing through me. I wanted to kiss him again because it felt so good. I fought the urge and stood, so I could move away from him. I had no clue what my powers were. I couldn't afford to screw up again. Everyone was mad enough at me as it was.

"Much better." He slowly sat up watching me cautiously. He knew I was on edge because of all that happened. "What are you going to do about Ricky? You should talk to him. He's out of control, and he will listen to you."

I scoffed. "He won't listen to anyone, and I already dealt with him."

He watched me a little confused. "What did you do?" he asked sounding a little worried.

"I put him back to normal. Everything I did to him is gone." I made it sound much simpler than it was. I couldn't even explain what I did.

"Is he okay? What did he say?" Eli asked as he stood. He sounded like a worried friend. Ricky should've been the same way with Eli, but he wasn't.

I shrugged. "He passed out. I left him with Hope. I assume if there's a problem she will let me know. I don't really care what he has to say. I didn't know what I was doing, and I should've never changed him."

Eli ran his hands through his hair watching me. He looked like he wanted to ask more questions. He had to know I didn't have any answers. I was still trying to figure everything out myself.

The door opened without a warning. Kylie came storming in like she was ready to fight. She looked like she was about to say something, but she stopped herself when she saw Eli. "Eli!" She sounded relieved as she threw her arms around his neck.

"I'm okay, mom. I was fine before what Scarlett did. I was just a little beat up. It isn't like it's never happened before," Eli said sounding slightly amused.

"I should get home. I haven't seen my mother since everything happened," I said quietly.

"You should go," Kylie agreed. Eli looked like he wanted to protest, but Kylie nudged him, and shot him a look. I had a feeling Kylie didn't like me anymore. No one seemed to like me. I didn't do anything intentionally for them to dislike me. I just had bad luck.

I walked quickly out of the room and down the stairs. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't even want to talk to my mother. I just made an excuse to get out of the awkward situation. I felt a little better once the cool morning air hit my face. I hurried through the woods toward my house. I was tired, and I had so many questions, and almost no answers.

I walked into my house through the back door. Like I suspected, my mother was waiting for me. She hurried over to me and pulled me into a hug. "We were so worried. What happened?"

"Erik, my father, took us. He just wanted to talk, and he didn't think I would come willingly so he kidnapped us." Now that I thought about it, it was kind of funny.

She scowled as she looked me over. "He claimed to be your father?"

"I'm pretty sure he was my father. He looked just like me," I said watching her.

She pursed her lips. "I know I was never with anyone with red eyes."

"His gifts are illusion. He probably didn't look like his real self," I said tiredly.

She looked even more confused. "Gift?"

I shrugged. "You know, ability, power, whatever you want to call it."

"Oh, what's yours?" she asked watching me.

I shook my head as I ran my fingers through my hair. "I don't know. I can heal, but that is all I have figured out."

She glanced at me as she walked to the fridge. "What about what you did to Ricky?"

I walked over to the table and sat down. "I made him my protector, I guess. After what he did to Eli, I took his abilities."

She looked at me, and she looked even more confused. "Why did you make him your protector in the first place?"

"It was an accident." I thought about Ricky, and it made my chest ache. I wondered how he was. I pushed the thought away and stood. I didn't want to think about any of it anymore. I just wanted to go to bed. "I'm going to bed."

She looked like she wanted to ask me more questions, but instead she just sighed. "If you need me you know I'm here. I may not know much about the whole fairy thing, but I do know about boys and love."

I forced a smiled. "I'm going to avoid that subject from now on, but if I do have questions, I'll ask you."

She smiled and nodded. "Go get some rest."

I turned and hurried up the stairs to my room. I was both relieved and a little disappointed that I was alone. The sunlight was spilling into my room. I pulled my curtains closed so the room was dark. I climbed in bed and attempted to get some rest. I had a feeling my problems were just beginning.

# Chapter 12

I woke up to the sound of voices outside my door. "She's asleep," my mother insisted.

"I just need to talk to her," Ricky pleaded. He sounded odd like he was upset.

I climbed out of bed and hurried to the door. I was both nervous and excited about seeing Ricky again. I didn't think he would come see me after everything that happened. I pulled the door open. "I'm awake."

My mother smiled. "I am sure you are." She walked past Ricky, back downstairs. Ricky was back to his normal self. He looked a little pale and less amused than he usually did.

Ricky watched me like he wasn't sure what to say. "I just wanted to talk."

"Come in." I moved aside so he could walk past me into the room. I didn't want to talk where my mother could hear me anymore than he did.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked quietly.

I sighed and shook my head. "I'm not mad, Ricky. I'm more disappointed than anything."

"Give me another chance." He moved closer to me and put his hands in mine.

"Ricky, I don't think it's a good idea." I was trying not to sound offended. The only reason he even came to see me was because he wanted me to change him back. The only problem was he wasn't acting like my protector. He was being a bully, and that was about it.

"I made a mistake the first time. I know that now. Please just give me another chance. I won't disappoint you this time," he pleaded.

I shook my head and pulled away. "I think it's better if I don't use my powers for anything until I know what I'm doing. I should've never changed you in the first place. I'm not going to make the same mistake again."

"Scarlett..." he started, but the sound of someone coming up the stairs caught our attention. It was obvious whoever it was, was angry.

My door burst open. It was thrown open so hard it sounded like it was going to splinter into a million pieces. Ricky's father, Brayden, glared at me, then he turned his attention to Ricky. "I told you not to come here," Brayden growled.

"You can't tell me what to do," Ricky countered as he squared with his father. He looked like he was getting ready to start a fight.

"She's no good for you. You were lucky to get out of her grasp the first time," Brayden snapped.

I was trying to keep my temper under control. Brayden was acting like I was some sort of monster. They were werewolves and he was acting like I was the one that was dangerous. "I didn't mean to change Ricky, and I fixed him when I figured out how."

"I don't want to be fixed," Ricky said coming to me. He caught me by my wrist and pulled me against him. "I want to be with you," he pleaded.

"No," Brayden snapped pulling Ricky away from me. "You're not thinking straight boy. That girl is tricking you. Fairies cannot be trusted."

I looked at Brayden both shocked and a little annoyed. "I'm half fairy, and how do you know anything about us?"

"I know you all do whatever it takes to meet your own needs. I know you will do nothing but use Ricky. He's just too lovesick to see it. I'm not going to lose him to your kind," Brayden said watching me.

I rolled my eyes. "Go then, take him. I had no intention on turning him back anyway."

"Scarlett!" Ricky pleaded.

"Just go, Ricky. He's obviously going to do nothing but cause problems," I said watching Brayden.

"I'm an adult," Ricky snapped yanking his arm out if his father's grasp. Brayden growled low in his throat like he was ready to fight. He was warning Ricky, but Ricky didn't care. "You're not going to bully me," Ricky said firmly.

Brayden stiffened like he was considering what his next move should be. "Fine, stay with her. Just don't come crying to me when she breaks your heart because she will. It's in their nature. They are cruel and unforgiving, they just make it seem like they care," he spat, then stormed out leaving Ricky and me alone.

I sighed. "He really doesn't like me."

"He doesn't like anyone," Ricky said as he watched me.

I turned away from him. I didn't like the pleading expression he had on his face. It would've been better if Brayden convinced him to leave. "Ricky, it's not going to happen."

"What about Eli?" he asked sounding a little hurt.

"What about him?" I asked as I sat down on my bed and looked at him.

"Are you seeing him now?" he asked in barely a whisper.

I scowled. "I'm not seeing anyone, and I don't plan to see anyone. I need to figure out what I am. I don't know anything about my fairy side. I think I should focus my energy on learning."

He looked away like he was trying to think of something to say. "I should go," he said quietly after a few minutes.

"Okay." I wasn't going to argue. I didn't know what else to say to him. He wanted something I wasn't willing to give again. I was too afraid of what it would do to him.

He looked at me one last time, then he turned and walked out. I sighed and walked to the door. I needed to talk to Erik. I debated leaving immediately, but I was sure my mother was waiting for me downstairs. She was always in my business, and I knew she would have questions. I looked out the window. It was getting dark out. I would give my mother time to get bored and go out to the diner. I would leave as soon as she was gone.

I heard my mother and Dominic leave. As soon as they left, I hurried downstairs. I took the car Erik gave me. I vaguely remembered where Erik's house was. I wasn't familiar with the area, but I made it a point to memorize the way to my father's house.

The house came into view. The house was still a shock to see. It sat in the middle of nowhere. It looked so out of place because of its size and grandeur. I pulled into the driveway and walked to the door.

I knocked on the door, looking around nervously as I did. I was a little surprised when Laurie answered it. He looked as surprised as I did.

"Hi, Laurie, is Erik here?" I asked trying to keep the nervousness out of my tone. The color of his eyes was odd. They were hard to look at.

"He will be back in a few minutes. You can come in if you like," he said quietly, stepping aside.

I walked inside and waited for him. He closed the door and glanced at me. "What made you come back so soon?" He turned to walk down the hall. I followed him to the sitting room. It was the same one I had been in the last time I was here.

"I have questions. I was hoping Erik could give me some answers." I sat down on one of the couches.

He smiled. "Perhaps I could help you. I am a Fae as well, although I am not considered a Dark Fae." He had a nice smile. He was really elegant for a man. He almost reminded me of a vampire, minus the bad feeling I got whenever a vampire was around.

"You're not? What are you then?" I was a little confused. I wasn't sure what made each Fae different. I had no clue what made them dark, or whatever else they were.

"I am the opposite of a Dark Fae. Some call us Fae's of the Light. It really doesn't make a difference. The only difference between you and I is lineage, and of course abilities," he said simply.

"So obviously, Light Fae and Dark Fae get along?" I asked still confused. It seemed like if they were opposites then they would be enemies.

"Not all Fae get along. It doesn't really matter what lineage you are from. Some houses get along, others do not. I suggest you err on the side of caution, and do not trust any Fae unless your father knows them as well." He was watching me as he made himself a drink. "Would you like a drink?"

I nodded. "Erik said I could take one protector's power by making another, is that always the case? Do I have to make another?"

"Yes. In order for one's power to be revoked you have to bestow it on another. Have you decided to go with the boy you were here with the other night?" He handed me a drink.

I shook my head. I didn't really want to go into the why and why nots of the whole situation. I just wanted to know how I took Ricky's abilities without making another protector. "Where is your protector?" I asked changing the subject.

"Males don't have protectors. You seem to be avoiding my question about your friend. What was his name?" He sounded more curious than anything.

"Eli, and why don't you have protectors? Why do females need them?" I was trying not to sound too dense.

He shrugged. "I don't make up the rules. I assume it is because females are ordinarily weaker by nature, so they need someone they can rely on to keep them safe."

"Oh." I thought about it as I looked at my drink. I suppose he was right. In almost every race, females were viewed as weaker. I still hadn't asked about Ricky, and how I could take his abilities without picking a new protector. I looked at him debating on whether I should ask him.

He smiled slightly. "You look like you want to ask me something, but you don't trust me."

I sighed as I looked at my drink. "It isn't that I don't trust you. I just..."

"You just don't trust me," he said sounding more amused.

I rolled my eyes and sat back. "I don't really trust anyone. I haven't exactly made the best decisions lately."

"You are new to all this. It will take a few years before you get used to everything. If you are talking about making the wrong boy your protector, you can change that. Just choose the one you think is better suited." He said it like it was simple.

I watched him as he took a sip of his drink. I kind of wondered why he was calling Eli and Ricky boys. They had to be around the same age as him; he was maybe a little older. I was sure if he said that to their face it would offend them. Maybe it was part of being a fairy. He seemed a little arrogant, so did Erik. "What if I don't think any are better suited, and I just took the abilities of the protector I made a mistake making?"

He furrowed his eyebrows like I was confusing him. "You can't just take his abilities without making another protector. It doesn't work like that."

I shifted nervously as I watched him. I still wasn't sure what I should and shouldn't say to him. "What if I already did by accident?"

He raised his eyebrows. "I am guessing you are saying 'what if', but it has already happened."

"It has. I was angry because Ricky was acting like an idiot. I just grabbed him, and something happened, then he was back to normal." I knew I sounded like an idiot. I didn't know the technical term for anything in the fairy world.

He looked like he was thinking about it as he watched me. "I am not sure how to advise you, or even what it is you want to know."

I sighed. I wasn't even sure what I wanted to know. I was beginning to think I wanted to be reassured everything would be okay. It seemed like everyone in the pack was afraid of me or didn't like me because of what I was. I was also worried about Ricky. He seemed so upset when I spoke to him earlier. I was worried I hurt him in some way. "I don't really know what I want to know. I guess I'm just confused."

Laurie looked up when Erik walked in.

Erik smiled. "Ah, Scarlett, I was wondering when we would see you again. It is much sooner than I expected."

I returned his smile. "I was just trying to figure some things out. I thought maybe talking to you again would help me."

Laurie smiled as he walked toward Erik. "I am afraid I haven't been any help. Apparently, she took her protectors abilities without making another, but I do not think that is her main concern."

He was right it wasn't my main concern. I was more worried about the fact that everyone looked at me like I was a monster.

Erik looked slightly concerned. "That is unusual, but is there something else bothering you?"

I shrugged as I looked down at my drink. "Some of the people in the pack don't like me. They treat me like a leper. I haven't done anything to hurt anyone. I mean I messed up with Ricky when I made him my protector, but that was an accident. I even fixed that, and they still seem like they are afraid of me, or they don't like me; I'm not sure which."

Erik came over and sat down next to me. "I told you once before, they are not your people. I didn't tell you that to be mean. I told you that because I knew exactly what they would do once word of what you are got out."

"So what, I just leave the pack?" I asked confused as I looked up at him.

He watched me for a minute, then he looked at Laurie. They had some type of silent exchange. His eyes shifted back to mine. "We both believe that would be best, especially if you no longer have a protector. That doesn't mean you cannot see your friends, but you should stay here."

I looked away trying to decide. I knew my mother would be extremely upset if I left the pack. I wasn't all that far away. Maybe they were right. I needed to be around people like me. I didn't know how I was ever going to learn my abilities if I was constantly worried about hiding them because the people that I was around didn't like me. "I guess I could stay for a while."

"Excellent. Laurie and I will see that a room is made up for you. Perhaps you would like to call your mother, and let her know you are safe," he suggested.

"I can do that." I set my drink on the table and retrieved my cellphone. They left the room, so I could call my mother. I wasn't looking forward to this conversation, but I had to do it.

The phone rang, and I was hoping she wouldn't answer. "Hello," she said cheerfully.

I rolled my eyes. "Hey mom, do you have a minute to talk?" I could hear all the noise around her. I knew she was at the diner. That was where everyone always was in that town.

"Um, it's a little loud. Could I call you back in a little while?" she asked.

I sighed. "Yeah, sure," I muttered.

"Call you later," she said happily, then she hung up.

Erik came back in after a few minutes. "Did everything go well?"

"Um, mom was busy. She's going to call later." I stood, then I shoved my cellphone back in my pocket. I looked at him nervously. I had no clue how to act here either.

He raised his eyebrows. "She was too busy to talk to you?"

I shrugged. "We kind of do our own thing. She has her life, and I have mine."

He scowled like it annoyed him. "I see. Well your room is almost ready. Dinner is being served, so if you would like to join Laurie and me, I would like that."

I smiled nervously. "That sounds good."

"Good, right this way." He turned and walked toward the door. I followed him out of the room and down the hall. He led me to a grand dining room. The table was so big it looked like it could seat fifty. Food was being served on just one end of the table. Laurie was sitting on one side of the table. Erik took his seat at the head of the table, and I sat across from Laurie.

"Do you guys have a lot of guests?" I asked as I looked around. The entire house seemed like it was made to entertain.

"Not lately. It seems like many of our kind have gone into hiding," Erik said dryly.

Several people came out carrying plates of food, and jugs of wine. They served dinner, and I remained silent until they were gone.

"Is it that bad for Fae?" I asked a little confused. I didn't really have problems with outside threats. My issue was with the people I lived among.

"Some think so. Please help yourself," Erik said indicating the food.

There was such a variety of food it was crazy. Erik said he was royalty, and he lived like he was. The entire place reminded me of palaces I use to read about. He was waited on by the other Fae. I wondered what made them all different. I wondered if it was just lineage like Laurie mentioned. I served myself some of the food. Everything was incredibly good. It was all freshly cooked. I was guessing Erik had a private chef as well.

"You are awful quiet. I would have thought you would have more questions for us," Erik said after a little while.

I looked up at him. I had been pushing my food around my plate for a while. I was considering a lot of things silently. I had questions, but I didn't know how to ask. I didn't want to sound like an idiot. "I do have questions ... I just haven't figured out how to ask them yet."

He raised his eyebrows like he was confused. "You could start by asking."

I smiled weakly. "I don't know what to ask first. It is all so overwhelming still." I thought of everything I had learned, which wasn't much. Then I thought about what Brayden said when he came to get Ricky. He said fairies couldn't be trusted. I wondered why he thought that. It didn't make any sense. He didn't even know me, and he was claiming he couldn't trust me. "There are some in the pack who think fairies can't be trusted. Do you know why they think that? I mean they all act like I'm something dangerous."

Erik cleared his throat like he was considering what to say. "Fairies overall cannot be trusted, but they should be judged on an individual basis, not just because they are fairies."

"But that isn't how it works," I said softly.

"No it isn't," Laurie cut in. "We are all judged based on what the majority of our people have done. It is simply a reality we have to live with."

I looked at him. "Many people don't even know we exist. Why not try to build alliances with others instead of hiding, and letting them think we are some kind of monsters?"

"Alliances have gotten us nowhere in the past. Believe me when I say our way now is the only way. We would all be dead if we lived with the notion that others could accept us," Erik said curtly. He sounded like he didn't want to discuss the topic anymore, so I said nothing else.

"Could I show you the garden?" Laurie asked as he set his napkin aside.

I forced a smile and nodded. "That sounds nice." I set my napkin aside and stood up. Laurie stood and I followed him out of the dining room. Erik didn't protest, he seemed like he was in too much of a mood to protest.

"He is right you know," Laurie said after a few minutes. He held the door to the garden for me, and I stepped through. The place was incredible. All the flowers were in bloom. It was like it didn't matter what season it was.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I looked around.

He smiled slightly. "Fairies don't make alliances. We do better on our own. Others don't understand us. They think we are all evil. The mindset we have run into is the same as you have experienced."

I sighed. "I just want to fit in somewhere. All my life I've never fit in. I've never felt like I belonged no matter where my mother went. When I first realized I might be something other than a werewolf, I thought I might finally fit in, but I don't. I'm more confused now than I was, and then I find out my kind is hated."

"We aren't hated. It is more like we are misunderstood," Laurie said simply.

I stopped and looked at him. "And you don't want to do anything about that? You just don't care?" I asked even more confused.

"I have accepted what I am and eventually, you will too." He smiled slightly, then he reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear.

I scowled and turned away. "I will not. I'm not happy just hiding like Erik. Right now it is the only thing I can do, but I will not stay here forever."

I felt him move up behind me. He was close to me. I could smell the light scent of his cologne. "I'm sorry you feel this way, Scarlett, but you are not as alone as you think."

I felt a small rush of panic and excitement at his sudden intimate advance. I turned and looked up at him. His dark purple eyes were hard to look at, but I held his gaze. "You have to be lonely, Laurie."

He reached out and cupped my cheek. "I am not alone anymore."

I was confused by his advances. He made it seem like we were supposed to be together. It didn't make any sense. I didn't really think about being anything but friends with Laurie. Guys were not at the top of my list right now. To be honest, he seemed like he was way out of my league anyway. He was beautiful and majestic. I was just me. "I don't understand," I said confused.

He smiled slightly, then turned and continued down the path. "You will understand eventually; when you get older."

A thought suddenly hit me. I wondered how old he was. Vampires could live for hundreds of years. I wondered what a fairy's life expectancy was. "How old are you?" I asked catching up with him.

He laughed. "Why do you ask?"

I shrugged. "Not to insult you, but you remind me of a vampire. You know ... you seem a lot older than you look."

He smiled. "I am older than I look."

"How much older?" I started to wonder how old my father was as well. I didn't even think to ask.

He stopped and looked down at me. "I am the oldest of our kind. The oldest that is left anyway. I will be nine hundred and seventy-two in a couple weeks."

I felt my mouth fall open. Part of me didn't believe him, and another part of me did. "Are you serious?"

He smiled. "Very." He continued walking.

I had another million questions flit across my mind. I pushed them away and hurried after him. "How old is my father?"

He glanced at me. "Around two hundred, he is still young."

He wasn't young. He was just young compared to Laurie. I still didn't really believe Laurie. It seemed too far out there. "Do you have children?"

He shook his head. "I am not like your father. The idea of having a child and not being a part of its life is not appealing to me. I am waiting for the right person I suppose."

I laughed. "I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels that way. I don't see myself having a baby and giving it up. I really don't see myself only wanting it if it showed some type of power." When my father explained the reason that he wasn't in my life, it irritated me. He made it seem like it was the standard fairy behavior. I was hoping it wasn't. I didn't feel the same. I was thinking it was the werewolf side of me.

"It was what your father knows. He didn't do it because he didn't care," Laurie said obviously sensing my annoyance.

I scoffed. "I wouldn't know what I was if I didn't get powers. He never would've told me he was my father. I don't think that's fair. It makes me wonder how many other children he has abandoned."

Laurie took a seat on a small bench in front of a pond. I sat down next to him and watched the fish swim around. "You are his only child as far as I know. I don't think he ever had any intention of abandoning you."

"He basically said it," I said skeptically.

Laurie sighed. "Scarlett, there are things you don't understand about us. You are more special than you think. He was just hoping your powers would manifest, so he left you until they did. In reality, you were only able to survive because he stayed away. There are people who would have ensured your death if they knew you were part fairy."

"I don't understand. Why is everyone so cryptic?" I stood and started to pace. I was so tired of all the confusion and riddles.

"I think your father should discuss this with you. He will tell you why you are special, when he thinks you are ready." He was completely unfazed by my impatient tone.

I scowled. "I don't think he will tell me anything. He has this idea that I will discover my powers on my own, but he's insane. I can't do anything on my own, and when I do something it is by complete accident."

"You are learning. Like being a vampire, being a fairy takes years to master. Your father and I weren't born this powerful. We were born with no powers just like you. They eventually manifested, and we worked on them from there," he said casually.

His tone was starting to irritate me. It didn't matter how mad I got he was staying cool and calm. "How do I keep from making mistakes? How do I keep people from hating me?"

He watched me with his soft gaze. "You can't stop either of those. All you can do is do your best to survive. You have to survive for your people. You have to work on your powers, so when you are ready, you can take your place among us."

"Who is us? I'm confused because the only people I see other than you and Erik are the servants," I said impatiently.

He slowly stood. "You will figure everything out eventually. You are tired. Perhaps you should go get some rest."

I knew he wasn't going to tell me anything else. "Could you show me to my room?" I asked sharply.

"Of course." He was unfazed by my tone. He walked back up the walkway toward the house. I followed behind him. I was annoyed, and I wanted to know what they were hiding. Maybe they weren't hiding anything, and I was just being paranoid. They were both so cryptic, it was extremely annoying.

I followed Laurie up the stairs to the second door on the left. He opened the door for me and ushered me in.

"Wow," I said a little shocked. The room was fit for a queen. The bed was huge. The frame was some kind of metal and it looked like vines and flowers. The furniture all looked hand carved. The place momentarily took my anger away. It was incredibly beautiful in a fanciful sort of way, but there were still all the modern amenities.

"If you need anything, let Erik or me know. Have a good night." He shut the door behind him before I could say anything.

I walked over to the bed and sat down on the soft mattress. It felt like I was sitting on air. The blankets were silk. It was all incredibly lavish. I wasn't used to this type of stuff. My phone rang pulling me from my thoughts. I took it out of my pocket and looked at it. It was my mother. My mood suddenly went back to gray. I didn't want to have the 'I'm not coming home' conversation.

"Hey, mom," I said quietly.

"Hey, hon, I'm at home. I figured we would talk, but you aren't here," she said laughing lightly.

"I know. That is what I need to talk to you about. I've decided to stay with Erik for a while." I squeezed my eyes shut waiting for her anger.

The phone was silent. I knew she was still there. She did this whenever I told her something she didn't like. "The man claiming to be your father?"

"Mom, he is my father. I don't fit in with the pack. Everyone there looks at me like I'm a monster. I belong with the fairies, not the wolves," I said simply.

"Young lady, you are still half wolf. You may be half fairy, or whatever as well, but you still belong with this pack," she said angrily.

"You don't understand. How could you? You have always been normal. You aren't some awkward weirdo like me. I don't feel like as much of an outcast here. I need to feel like I belong somewhere. I know you don't understand, but I'm not far away. I'll come visit, and if you need me, you can call," I said firmly.

"Scarlett ..." She was trying to come up with an argument. She had to know I was right. She knew I didn't fit in. She knew it every time I hid instead of participating with the pack.

I sighed. "I love you, mom. I'll come see you in a couple days."

She sighed relenting. "Okay, if this is what you want, then I won't fight you. I love you too."

We said our goodbyes and I hung up. I was both a little relived and a little sad. I loved my mother, but she was kind of oblivious to my problems. She had her own problems to worry about with the baby on the way.

# Chapter 13

I woke up after only sleeping a couple hours. The sun was starting to come up. Rays of light came through the curtains lighting up my room. I climbed out of bed and walked to the window. My window looked over the vast gardens that Laurie showed me the night before.

I spotted Laurie standing in the garden. I was a little startled to see there were several animals standing around him. It was like they were attracted to him. He was feeding the deer in front of him. There were rabbits, birds, squirrels, raccoons, and every other manner of creature around him. It was a very beautiful sight. The sun was glinting off Laurie's white hair making him even more beautiful in the sun's light. I felt a little like I was intruding on a private moment. He was obviously out at the crack of dawn because he didn't want to be bothered. He suddenly shifted into a white wolf and ran off into the woods.

I straightened when I saw him do it. I knew he wasn't a werewolf, but he was able to shift. He said he was old, maybe that ability came with age. It was a little annoying considering I was part werewolf and I couldn't shift, and he could. The other animals spread out, some following him, others wandered off. I sighed and turned away from the window. I was wide awake now. I wondered if I could ask Laurie about it, or if he would get offended that I was spying on him. I decided not to mention it. I walked to the bathroom to take a shower. I was awake, so I figured I might as well do something.

I was surprised there was a variety of clothes and shoes for me. Most of the clothes were dresses. I wasn't a big fan of dresses. I preferred jeans, but there didn't seem to be any in the vicinity; other than the ones I had been wearing.

I settled on a pretty pink dress. It was a little more delicate than I was used to, but it went well with the brown leather sandals. I still felt odd in the house. It was so big, and it didn't exactly feel like home. I peeked out the door. It was early in the morning, and I wondered if anyone else was up. I was sure no one was, other than Laurie, and he wasn't here. The last time I saw him he was running into woods in wolf form. I kind of wondered if I should ask him. I knew I shouldn't, but it was going to bother me. I wondered if he could teach me to shift. If he could, then I might feel more like I fit in with the pack. I didn't encounter anyone in the hall. My father seemed like a night person like me. I really didn't understand why I was awake myself. I only went to bed a couple hours ago.

I walked down the hall, then down the stairs. I wanted to explore the house, but I was worried I would go somewhere I wasn't supposed to be. They both acted like I was welcome anywhere in the house, but it still felt awkward. I decided to remain in the parts of the house I knew. I walked down to the main sitting room. I looked around the room. I didn't realize how beautiful all the furniture was. The paintings were also very beautiful. They all seemed genuine, not knock-offs.

"Your father hand painted those," Laurie said as he came into the room.

He startled me a little. I didn't think he would be back so soon. I looked at him and smiled. "They are beautiful." I looked back at the painting.

He came over and stood next to me. "They are. I wish I had a talent like that."

I sighed. "I do to. I didn't think anyone would be up."

He smiled. "I don't sleep much. I was actually surprised you were awake."

"I know." I wanted to ask him about what I saw in the garden, but I wasn't sure if I should. "What are some of your gifts?" I asked changing the subject. I was hoping I could get him to tell me without me asking.

He shrugged. "I have been alive a long time. I have a variety of different gifts."

I wanted to ask him more questions, but it was obvious he wasn't going to tell me anything. He was really secretive, and I realized for the first time that I was curious about him. "I can't really figure any of mine out." I walked over to the couch and sat down.

"You will figure everything out. Give it time." He sounded more confident than I felt.

I scoffed. "I don't think so."

He smiled slightly. "I think so."

There was a loud knock on the door that distracted both of us. Laurie looked a little surprised. He got up and walked toward the front entrance. I decided to follow since I had nothing better to do. I stood near the entrance to the sitting room, while he answered the door.

"I need to speak to Scarlett," a male voice said from behind the door. I recognized his voice. It was Eli. I was a little surprised he came over to see me so soon.

I hurried over to the door before Laurie could say anything. "Eli!" I said excitedly as I hugged him. I felt bad about leaving without saying goodbye.

"I will give you two a minute," Laurie said softly, then he left us.

I ushered Eli outside so we could talk in private. "What are you doing here?" I shut the door behind us.

He hesitated. "I came to bring you home."

I smiled nervously. "Eli, I just don't belong with the pack."

"You do to. They were all just a little freaked out. No one in the pack ever saw a fairy before. They will get past it. You don't belong here. Please come home," he pleaded.

I sighed. "Eli, these are my people. Your people are wolves. My people are fairies."

He scowled. "Fairies, wolves, what does it matter? You were with us first. I know they are trying to keep you here. Don't you think it is odd that they show up after eighteen years? Why didn't they want you before that? The wolf packs have been there for you since you were a child."

"I don't fit in with the wolves. I can't even shift, Eli. I'm not sure if I fit in here or not, but I want to know if I do. I'm not that far from the pack. I told my mother I would come visit." I didn't want to argue with him, but he was going to make it difficult.

"Visiting isn't good enough. I don't trust them. I want you to come back to the pack," he begged.

"Eli, your mother even hates me. No one in the pack likes me except you and my mother. I'm treated like a leper there. Here the people at least understand me," I said quietly.

He watched me like he wanted me to argue. There really was no argument. He knew what I was talking about. He knew I didn't fit in with the pack. I didn't even attend pack meetings. I felt completely alone within the pack. At least here with Erik and Laurie, I felt like I fit in to some degree.

He watched me for a second. "There is nothing I can say?"

I shook my head. "I'm going to stay here for a while. We could hang out sometime if you want."

He ran his fingers through his hair as he watched me. "That sounds good, I guess. Just come by any time."

I nodded, then he turned and ran off into the woods. I felt a little bad that I wasn't going with him, but I knew I was making the right choice. His people weren't my people, it was that simple.

The door opened and Laurie stepped out onto the front porch. "Is everything okay?"

I nodded as I looked out toward the woods where Eli just disappeared. "He wants me to come home."

He moved up next to me. "Do you want to go?"

I glanced up at him. "Yes and no."

"Yes because you care about him and no because you don't fit in?" he asked watching me.

I shook my head. "I don't know if I care about him. I said yes because it is all I know. I have done nothing but grow up around wolves. Being here makes me uneasy. I feel like I both do and do not belong. I guess I just haven't found my place yet."

"I promise you belong here." He moved closer to me. He was close enough that his body was almost pressing against mine. I felt my pulse quicken. This was the second time he came close to me like this. He was so confusing. I knew nothing about him, yet he sounded so sure I belonged here.

"How do you know that?" My voice sounded weak. I hated sounding weak and unsure. It wasn't how I meant to sound; it was just what came out.

"I know a lot of things," he said playfully.

I laughed nervously. "I would hope so. If you were an idiot as old as you claim to be, then I would worry." I turned slightly and looked up at him when he didn't comment. He looked like he was deep in thought about something. I was curious about what he was thinking. Before I could ask, a rustling sound not far from us caught both of our attention.

I looked up and a man dressed in black stood not far from the porch. I wasn't sure how I knew, but I immediately knew he was Fae. He had the same look about him that Laurie did. He looked elegant like a vampire, but I didn't have that odd feeling I got when vampires were around.

"So the rumors are true," the man said as he looked me over. He was tall and slim, like Erik and Laurie. His hair was a deep brown, complementing his pale blue eyes.

Laurie stepped in front of me protectively. "I don't know what rumors you speak of Christopher, but you have no business here," Laurie said sharply. Obviously, Laurie knew the man, and I could tell by his reaction that he didn't like him.

"Do you and Erik truly believe you can hide her from the rest of us," Christopher's cool tone indicated Laurie wasn't a threat in his eyes.

"We are not hiding her from anyone. She wants to be here with us," Laurie said haughtily.

I didn't really understand what was going on. I was considering asking, but I didn't want to look like an idiot. They were both acting like I was something special. Something they were obviously willing to fight over. It really didn't make any sense considering I was only half Fae.

The door behind us opened and Erik walked out. His expression was dark. He didn't like the visitor any more than Laurie did. "Leave my land," Erik growled as he stood next to Laurie.

Christopher smiled and shifted his gaze to me. "You haven't said anything, darling. Either you are indifferent to the situation or unaware. From the look on your face, I say you are unaware."

I didn't know what to say to him. He was right. I was unaware of what was going on. It was like there was a big secret no one was telling me, and I was the only one who didn't know. "She does not have to speak to you. Now leave, or I will make you leave," Laurie said darkly. His tone surprised me a little. He never sounded as dark and angry as he did now.

"I will go for now, but you will see me again," Christopher said simply. He looked at me one last time, then he was gone.

"Damn," Erik muttered. He turned and hurried back into the house.

"What is going on?" I asked Laurie as I watched my father retreat back into the house.

Laurie looked at me unsure like he didn't want to tell me anything. "Your father will explain when he is ready."

I scowled in annoyance. I didn't like that he was brushing me off. There was obviously something going on, and they weren't telling me. "Who was he? Why were you guys so defensive? I could tell he was Fae," I argued hoping he would tell me something.

"He is Fae. He is one of the ones who give us the reputation you hate so much. If you ever see him, do not speak to him. Find me or your father." He turned and walked into the house without another word. It was obvious he wasn't going to tell me anything.

I cussed in annoyance and followed him into the house. If he wasn't going to answer me, then I was going to talk to my father. I didn't like the fact that they were hiding things from me. They claimed it was dangerous for me, but they never said why. I wanted to know why they acted like they did, and why they seemed to think I was in danger.

The terrible part about having a ridiculously huge house is the fact I couldn't find my father. There was a maze of rooms, and I had no clue where to even begin looking. Laurie disappeared, obviously attempting to avoid me as well. I had a feeling my father was doing the same thing. I ended up walking through the house searching rooms for almost an hour. I finally gave up and went back to my room. By the time I got there, I was so angry I could scream. I paced my room trying to come up with a plan. I was going to demand answers from them. If they weren't going to tell me, then I wasn't going to stay where I was going to be lied to.

After I calmed down a bit, I walked back downstairs. There was still no sign of Erik or Laurie. I walked to the dining room; they weren't there either. I was about to give up when one of my father's servants or whatever he was walked in. He saw me and turned as soon as he did. He was going to attempt to avoid me as well.

"Wait!" I called hurrying over to him.

"Can I help you, miss?" he asked politely.

I scowled. "I want to see Erik or Laurie. Do you know where they are?" I knew he did by the look on his face. I also knew he was going to lie.

"They are out, I believe," he said hesitantly.

I crossed my arms in annoyance. "Fine, then when they get back tell them I'm looking for them."

He gave me a quick nod, then he turned and hurried out. I was beyond annoyed now. I knew he was lying. They were both somewhere in the house hiding because they didn't want to answer my questions. I hurried back up to my room. I didn't want to stay in an empty house. I decided to go visit the pack. I got my car key and hurried back downstairs. If they wanted to avoid me, then I would avoid them as well.

# Chapter 14

It wasn't quite dark yet, but it was early evening. I figured the diner would be the best place to go. I wanted to see Eli, but I didn't want to go directly to his house. I figured his mother wouldn't appreciate that. The diner was already busy. I was pretty sure it constantly stayed like that. It was the meeting spot for the pack, when they were in human form that is.

I stepped out of my car and looked at the diner. I was having second thoughts. I was angry on the entire ride over, and now I felt something else. It felt a lot like nervousness and fear. I didn't want to be rejected. I hated the feeling of rejection. After being me for eighteen years, I thought I would get used to it, but it never went away.

I gathered my courage and walked toward the diner. I took a breath and opened the front door. I was hoping Eli was around. If he wasn't, my entire trip would be pointless. I was sure no one else wanted to see me. My mother probably wasn't even up yet. The diner quieted when I walked in like it usually did. Relief washed over me when Eli stood.

He hurried over to me. "Is everything okay?" He sounded worried.

"I just needed to see a familiar face," I said nervously as I glanced around. His parents were watching us. Ricky was too. He was sitting with another group. He and Eli were obviously still fighting.

Eli opened the door. "We can go talk."

I nodded and followed him out. I didn't want to talk in the diner. It would be way too uncomfortable. "Thanks for coming to see me earlier. It was nice to know someone cared," I said as I followed him toward the woods.

"I still think you should come back. This will all blow over." He glanced at me as he continued on. I wasn't sure where we were going. I was just following him. He seemed like he knew where he wanted to go.

I laughed harshly. "Obviously you didn't see how they looked at me or sense the tension in the diner."

"They just fear what they don't know. It's stupid. It's obvious you're not trying to hurt us." He sounded a little annoyed when he spoke. I was sure he had this conversation several times with several different people.

"I kind of get why they call the Fae secretive. I'm trying to get information out of Erik and Laurie, and they are being impossible," I said slightly amused.

"Are you and Laurie a thing?" he asked as he continued deeper into the woods.

I looked at him confused. "No, we are friends. Why?"

He shrugged. "He just had that look when I came to see you this morning."

"What look?" I asked a little more interested than I was before.

He smiled. "You know the 'that's my girl, back off' look."

I laughed. "I think you may have read him wrong. I'm sure he could get any fairy girl he wanted. He doesn't think of me like that."

He looked at me like he didn't believe me. "Whatever." We came into a clearing. He walked over to a low hanging tree and ducked under the branches. It was a Weeping Willow. I followed him under. He sat down at the base of the tree. It was huge, and the branches shielded us from the outside world.

I sat down next to him and looked around. "This is a great spot."

He nodded. "I found it when I was a kid. My sister and I used to play here a lot. So why did you come to see me?"

I shrugged as I played with a blade of grass. "This sounds stupid, but Erik and Laurie were hiding from me in that ridiculous house, and I felt lonely."

He smiled. "They were hiding ... why?"

I sighed in annoyance. "Some guy came by after you left. He said something about me not knowing about the situation. Of course, when I tried to get a straight answer out of Laurie, he directed me to my father, but my father hid. Then Laurie hid. It was all really annoying. Now, I have no idea what the big deal is, or what's going on."

He laughed. "Maybe it's nothing. If your father didn't tell you it could just be him being weird. You know how parents can be."

I thought about what he was saying. He could've been right. It could be nothing. My father was very secretive as it was, but Christopher made a point to say something to me. Laurie also acted like he was protecting me from something. I just had no clue what.

He nudged me gently. "I take it you don't think it's nothing."

I sighed. "No, I don't think it was nothing, but maybe I should just let it go."

He watched me for a minute. "You know the only person that might know what's going on would be Elijah."

My eyes widened, and I shook my head. "I don't trust vampires," I said firmly.

"But I do, and you trust me, right?" Eli asked nudging me again.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course I trust you. That's way different then trusting a vampire. Vampires are dangerous." I shivered at the thought.

"Said the fairy who everyone thinks is scarier than the resident vampire," Eli said dryly.

I looked up at him and smiled. He was right. I was treating the vampires like the pack was treating me. I never really met one, or even talked to one. I just didn't like them. It was like it was ingrained in me.

"Come on. Elijah is awesome, and he should be awake by now." He stood and offered me his hand. I looked at it for a minute, then I sighed relenting. I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet.

He led me away from the seclusion and safety of the Weeping Willows branches. He continued on deeper into the woods. I kind of liked that he was holding my hand. It didn't feel awkward or weird, it felt nice.

Elijah's house came into view. Once it was in view, the feeling of fear and dread I seemed to get, whenever a vampire was around, hit me. I hesitated and Eli gave me a questioning look. I swallowed hard and forced a smile. "I'm okay," I lied trying to push the feeling away.

"He won't hurt you." He continued toward the house. He had to know I was on edge. Werewolves had a way of sensing feelings. I really didn't want to be here, but if Elijah knew something, I wanted to know.

He released my hand as soon as we made it to the door. I looked around nervously as Eli knocked gently. The door opened almost immediately, and Elijah looked out at us. I took a small step back. He was a gorgeous man, but I knew he was dangerous, and that made me uneasy.

"Eli, this is a surprise," Elijah said focusing his gaze on me a little longer than I liked.

"Yeah, I know. I haven't been by in a while. I was hoping you might be able to give us some information," Eli said glancing from me to Elijah.

"I will try to help, please come in." He stepped aside, so we could go inside.

Eli took my hand and led me inside. He probably thought I wouldn't walk into the house without him coaxing me. We followed Elijah to a living room of sorts. It was a lot fancier than a normal living room. It reminded me of Erik's house.

"Can I get you a drink?" Elijah asked as he walked to the small bar.

Eli smiled. "Yes, please." He was completely at ease.

I didn't understand it, and I certainly didn't feel the same way. "No, thank you."

He made himself and Eli a drink. He walked over to us and handed Eli his drink, then he sat down in a chair across from the couch we were sitting on. "What is it you think I can help you with?" His tone was nothing but polite, but it still made me uneasy.

Eli glanced at me like he thought I might take the lead. When I didn't speak, he did. "We were wondering if you knew anything about what is going on in the fairy world right now."

"I've heard rumors, but nothing concrete." Elijah looked at me. "I do not understand why you don't just ask Erik if you have questions. All I can do is tell you the rumors."

"He won't answer my questions. For some reason he thinks he's protecting me by keeping me in the dark. I don't like it, and any information might help me figure out what's going on," I said quietly.

He watched me for a minute like he was considering what he should say. "The reason they are trying to keep you in the dark is because they think they are keeping you safe. Unfortunately, with all that has happened, word of your presence is spreading quickly among the Fae and the vampire."

I looked at him confused. "Why? What does it matter? Why do I matter?"

He laughed. "I find it hard to believe Erik has told you nothing. It seems a little foolish."

"He won't tell me anything. If he did, I wouldn't be asking you," I said quietly.

"That is why he is foolish. He had to know you would seek answers, thus putting yourself in more danger. Fae really don't make sense sometimes," he said dryly.

Eli smiled. "We agree, that's why we are here."

"The reason there are rumors flying and your father is trying to protect you is because you are supposedly the last of your kind," Elijah said simply.

I was even more confused now. I knew I wasn't the last Fae. I knew of three alone. Even if he meant my line, my father was still alive. None of it made sense. "I don't understand. What you mean?"

"Neither do I. Erik and Laurie are Fae," Eli said voicing my thoughts. He sounded just as confused as me.

"Not the last Fae, the last female Fae," Elijah said clarifying what he meant.

I was still confused. I didn't understand how I could be the last female of an entire race. That sounded ridiculous. "How am I the last female, and what does it really matter? My mother was a werewolf, so obviously Fae can mix with other species. Being the last female shouldn't really matter."

"It does when it comes to lineage. If the Fae keep breeding with other species eventually their blood will be so mixed the Fae side will completely disappear. The Fae will eventually become an extinct race. Having a female that is half Fae is better than none because if she has a child by a full blood Fae, then the child will be mostly Fae." He said it like it was simple. It actually made sense when he put it that way. I heard Laurie and Erik both mention lineage. I had a feeling it was important to some Fae.

"So what does that mean for her?" Eli asked before I could.

Elijah's eyes rested on me. "It means there are a lot of male Fae out there who would like to get their hands on the last female."

Everything suddenly made sense. That was why they acted so weird when Christopher stopped by. They were worried he wanted me for himself. "They don't think I have a choice in this matter?" I asked getting slightly angry.

He smiled slightly. "They don't care about your choice. You are talking about the disappearance of an extremely old race. Some will do whatever it takes to ensure the races survival. It is nature; they are not doing anything any other race facing extinction wouldn't."

"Erik won't let them take me, right?" I was slightly worried. I was sure I could fend for myself to a certain degree, but no one was perfect.

"No, he won't," Elijah said standing. "He has his own agenda."

"What would that be?" I asked sharply. I was tired of everyone having their own agenda. It really didn't surprise me that Erik did have an agenda, but I wanted to know what it was.

"He chose you a mate. Why do you think Laurie is there? He is the oldest and the strongest of all the lines. If you have his child, it will ensure the race's continued existence." He walked to the window and looked out.

"I told you he got all funny when I came to see you," Eli cut in.

"I'm not going to agree to this. Why would they think I would?" I asked angrily.

Elijah shrugged. "I can't tell you what they are thinking. All I can say is you are safer with them. There is far worse out there. I also suggest you make a protector. Laurie and Erik may keep you safe from others, but a protector will keep you safe from them if need be."

Everything he said was making sense. I still didn't understand how I ended up being the last female. It really made no sense that all the females of the race died, and none had been born. "I still don't understand how I'm the last female."

"There were a lot of wars between the Fae, and there were also wars between the Fae and the vampires. The weakest links were the females. They were easy targets. It was rare for a female Fae to be born as it was. The population is dominated by males, and because of this the females slowly faded away. It wasn't realized what was happening until it was too late. You could contribute that to the Fae's arrogance. I do at least," he said dryly.

"I told you, you should just come back to the pack. You need to stay out of their mess. If you don't, you won't get to live your own life. You will have your father telling you who you can be with," Eli said firmly.

"It's too late for her to pick sides. She is stuck where she is. Not only is there Fae looking for her, but the vampire will eventually start looking as well. The Fae are the only race that is equal to the vampires. The vampires will try to ensure the death of the Fae race," Elijah said watching Eli. I was pretty sure he was telling Eli off. I could understand why he would. The werewolves didn't need to be in the middle of this fight, and by me going back to the pack it would just put them in the fight.

"She is still part werewolf," Eli argued. I was kind of glad he was fighting for me, even though I would never let him put everyone else in danger. He was still being sweet.

"She is, but this is not the werewolves fight. If you want to help her, then she can make you her protector, but you would have to separate from the pack. Your future position as pack leader would no longer be possible. It only puts your own lineage at risk, which I am sure your father would not appreciate," Elijah said in a chiding tone.

Eli looked like he wanted to argue more, but I cut in. "I would never put the pack at risk. I will go back to Erik and Laurie. I'm sure there is something that can be worked out. There cannot only be one answer." I slowly stood and looked at Elijah. "Thank you for your help."

He smiled. "Of course. I wish I could offer you some type of advice or reassurance, but I cannot. It is a very rocky situation."

Eli still looked a little grumpy. "Thanks," he muttered, then he took my hand and led me toward the door.

Once we were outside the house, Eli released my hand. "Well, that wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear."

I laughed harshly. "Me neither, but like he said, there's nothing we can do about it."

"There has to be something we can do," he said angrily. He was walking quickly through the woods. I was just attempting to keep up. I knew he was angry. I was a little angry that Erik and Laurie failed to mention any of this to me. They had to know I would stumble on it if they didn't say something.

"I think you should go home, and I'll go back to my father's house. There's nothing we can do at this point. I will talk to them again. Maybe now that I know what's going on, they will be more likely to talk." I was trying to calm him down.

He stopped walking near the edge of the woods and looked at me. I could see he was visibly upset. He was watching me intently. "Make me your protector."

"Eli, no. You heard what Elijah said. Making you my protector would cause problems in your pack. You would lose your position as future pack leader. You can't give that up just to be my protector," I said firmly. I wasn't going to cause more problems in his pack. I didn't want him in harm's way anyway.

"It would be worth it. Like Elijah said, no one is going to look out for you. They would only be looking out for themselves." He sounded sincere, and I didn't understand it. He had way too much to lose to become my protector.

I smiled reassuringly. "I can take care of myself. Besides, if I need you, I will call. I think things should stay as they are right now. All Elijah heard were rumors. Maybe it isn't as bad as rumors make it sound."

"Which part? The part where you are the last female Fae, or the part where there is a bunch of guys out there wanting to impregnate you?" he asked sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't think it's that bad. Let me go home and talk to Laurie and Erik. I will call you. I promise. Now walk me to my car."

He watched me for a minute, then he shook his head in surrender. "Fine, let's go."

He walked me to my car. He stayed silent and sullen the entire time. I stopped next to my car door and looked at him. He wouldn't meet my eyes. I reached out and touched his arm. "I will be fine." I was trying to sound positive.

He looked at me for a second, then he suddenly moved forward. He pressed his lips to mine. I wanted to sink into the kiss and enjoy it, but I felt my powers start to stir, so I pulled away. "I can't," I whispered.

"I don't want you to go," he said firmly.

"I'm sorry, Eli. I have to go. It wouldn't be fair to you or your pack if I stayed. I'll call you later, as soon as I know anything," I promised hoping he would quit arguing.

He reluctantly nodded. "Okay, I'll see you later."

I climbed into the car and set off back toward my father's house. I was hoping they came out of hiding. If they didn't, I was going to raise hell until they did. I wasn't going to let them push me around anymore because they thought I was weak.

I walked into the house, and Laurie was waiting for me. "We were worried sick. Where were you?" he asked in a slightly disgruntled tone.

"If you hadn't been avoiding me, you would have known," I said matching his tone. He looked a little startled by my aggressiveness. I was sure he thought I would just back down once he started chiding me.

"Scarlett, it's dangerous out there. If you..." he started, but I cut him off.

"If I what? Got kidnapped by some other Fae determined to use me for reproductive purposes, or maybe a vampire that just wanted me dead. You know knowing the danger is one way I can keep myself safe," I said angrily.

His face went blank like I hit a nerve. "Who told you all that?"

"As strange as it sounds a vampire told me. I actually had to go find answers because neither of you would tell me anything!" I was trying to keep my temper in check, but it was difficult.

"What vampire? Why would you go to a vampire? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?" he snapped matching my tone.

I scoffed. "You obviously don't care. If you did, you would've been honest and told me everything. Instead you guys were trying to keep me in the dark and treat me like a child."

"You are a child compared to us! We know what is best for you at this point in your life. You should learn to trust your people," he countered impatiently.

"My people wouldn't lie to me and use me!" I snapped. I hurried up the stairs. I didn't want to talk to him anymore. I would just end up screaming and yelling. It would get me nowhere. He would disappear and I would still have very little to no answers. They thought they were protecting me, but they were just irritating me.

I slammed the door and started to pace. My mission was to get information, and I failed miserably at it. I was too worked up to even talk to him rationally. He was the one my father supposedly wanted me to have a child with. It was like they arranged our union, but they forgot to mention it to me.

There was a light knock on my door after a few minutes. I scowled trying to determine if I even wanted to open the door. I didn't really want to answer it. I knew I would just end up yelling at whoever was there.

"Scarlett be rational. Open the door and speak to me," Erik's cool calm voice said softly from the other side.

I walked over to the door and yanked it open. "What do you want?"

"I want you to come downstairs and talk to Laurie and me. I want you to understand how important you are to both of us." He was holding my angry gaze. He was either a really good liar or he was being sincere. I wasn't really sure which.

"Fine," I muttered. He turned and walked back toward the stairs. I shut the door a little harder than I meant to and begrudgingly followed him.

He led me to the sitting room. Laurie was already seated. His earlier annoyance with me seemed to have faded. He looked calmer, and more relaxed.

"Have a seat." My father indicated the chair across from Laurie.

I sat down and he took his seat next to Laurie.

Erik looked at me. "Now ... I understand you went looking for answers instead of asking us."

I clenched my fists and scowled. "You hid from me. I couldn't find you to ask you a question, so don't try to make me seem like the ass."

Erik sighed impatiently as he ran his fingers through his hair. It was the first sign of stress or annoyance he had shown. "You don't understand the importance of what is going on," he said impatiently.

"You mean about me being the last female Fae? And the fact that you somehow believe that I am going to save the Fae race by having Laurie's baby?" I asked skeptically. He obviously didn't know how much I knew.

He shot Laurie an annoyed look.

"I told her nothing. She said she went to a vampire," Laurie said defensively.

Erik looked back at me. "You are very young, and I didn't tell you because I knew it was a lot for you to handle, and I didn't want to overwhelm you."

"Yes, it's much better to wait until I get blindsided by it!" I snapped.

"If you would just stay here, you would be fine!" he countered angrily.

"Stop lying to me. Just tell me what is going on ... tell me what part of this huge mess is true, and what part is rumors," I said impatiently.

He stood abruptly and walked to the bar. "If you want the truth, then I will tell you. You are not safe because of vampires and Fae. You are not safe because you are the only female Fae in existence. The fact that you were born female shouldn't have happened. The reason there are so many males and so little females is because whenever a male Fae mates outside his race, all that can be produced are more males. A female Fae can only be born to a Fae mother. The fact that you weren't born to a Fae mother is a miracle. We don't know why it happened like this, but it did. It is your responsibility to your people to reproduce with the strongest male. That male is Laurie. If you don't do this, then in a couple hundred years there will be none of us left." He stood looking at me like he expected a response.

I didn't know what to say. "The Fae don't even like each other as far as I can tell. Why should I go out of my way to make sure this race survives?" I asked haughtily.

"You know very little about this race. There are some of us who do stick together. It isn't all war like some would make you believe," Laurie said softly. I was surprised he was using such a nice tone with me. I would've thought he would be just as irritated as Erik.

"If I agree to be with Laurie, and have his child will I be safe? Will the child be safe? Or will we always be hunted?" I asked, looking from Erik to Laurie.

They looked at one another. I could see they had a silent exchange. I felt the tinge of annoyance at their action, but I pushed it away.

Erik looked at me. "We don't know. I doubt it but having the child will unite several families. By doing that, we will have more of an ability to protect you and the child."

"You say unite several families. What about the other families?" I pressed.

"They will still be against us. There are some that think they should have a right to you. It is the father's choice, and I chose Laurie because he is the best chance for a strong Fae child that will flourish," Erik said as he sat back down next to Laurie. He seemed to have calmed down a little now that I was talking rationally.

"What about my children? When they are older will they have their own lives, or will their mates be decided for them as well?" I had a feeling I knew the answer.

Erik sighed. "Scarlett, things have happened that have to be corrected. We are all going to have to make sacrifices to ensure our race starts to thrive again instead of just letting it die."

I knew that was his version of a yes. If I chose to do this for the good of my people, then my children would be forced to make the same decisions. It really didn't seem fair. It was obviously the Fae's arrogance that put them in this state. If they had been paying attention, then they would still have plenty of females. Now their mistakes were falling on me, and I didn't like it. I looked away from them. "I don't know what to do."

Laurie looked at Erik. "Can I speak with Scarlett alone?" They exchanged another one of their looks, and Erik nodded. He stood and walked out leaving me alone with Laurie.

"What are you going to do? Try to make me feel bad? This whole thing wasn't my fault. I wasn't even born yet," I said testily.

"No, you weren't, and no I'm not. This is not your fault at all, but you are the only one who can fix this. Fae live for hundreds, sometimes thousands of years. You will live for that long. Will you honestly be alright with watching your race fade away?" I hated the look on his face. I could tell this meant a lot to him. He had been alive long enough to see the Fae in their prime, and now he was watching his people fade away. I could see why this was so important to him.

"If I decide to do this, I could die just because of who I am. My children could die over this. I don't know if I want to go through all of that," I said trying to keep my tone even.

He reached out and touched my hand. "You could die either way. If you don't do this with me, then there will be others who are willing to force you. That is if you can manage to avoid the vampires and stay alive long enough. Either way you look at it, you will never be normal. I know normal is what you are looking for. You just want to fit in and belong somewhere. I understand how you feel but no matter which choice you make, there are going to be sacrifices. There is no such thing as normal in our world."

I hated to admit it, but I knew he was right. I didn't have much of a choice. I could let the Fae continue to do what they always have and try to live my life. I doubted I would have much of a life if everything Laurie and Erik said was true. I would never be left alone. At least if I chose to be with Laurie then there might be a small amount of normal. I didn't want to make a decision. Neither choice was what I wanted.

I pulled my hand out of Laurie's grasp and stood. I didn't know what to say to him. I didn't want to make this decision. Then again, I didn't want the extinction of the Fae race to be on my hands either. They were claiming I was the only one who could change this, there had to be another way. "Can I think about this?" I asked quietly as I watched him. I knew he wanted me to just agree to everything. This was my place in their world. According to them, I was born for this purpose alone.

"Of course." He slowly stood. "Erik and I had no intention of rushing this. Sooner is always better, but we are willing to give you as much time as you need."

"Thank you," I said breathlessly. I was trying to keep my emotions in check. I was incredibly upset. I needed to get away. I needed to be alone and figure out what I wanted. I turned and hurried out of the room. I didn't want to go back to my bedroom; it was too confining. I decided to go to the garden; the garden was soothing. I walked out into the garden and began to pace. I thought I was finally fitting in, but I wasn't. I was part of their plan this entire time. They weren't taking me in because they wanted me; they were taking me in because they needed me.

"I take it you spoke to your father," a familiar male voice said from behind me.

I spun around and Elijah was standing there. I was a little startled that he was here. I figured when I left, he was happy to be rid of me. "Yes, and it is all true," I said darkly as I crossed my arms and looked out over the pond.

He moved closer to me. "Is that a bad thing? You would be doing a great thing for your people."

I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about Elijah. I didn't fear him as much as I had before. I scoffed. "My people don't care about me anymore than the wolf pack does. They just want me so their stupid race can continue. I'm barely part of their race, why should I care if it fades away?" I asked angrily. I didn't understand why they acted like I owed them. Maybe they weren't acting like I owed them, and I was overreacting. I didn't know anymore, my mind was constantly racing, and I didn't know what was what anymore.

"The fairies are a peculiar race. While they are not always rational, I do believe they care about one another. They are not quite as emotionless as vampires," he said absently.

I laughed harshly. "That's the first nice thing I've heard about them. If you can consider that a nice thing."

"If it makes you feel any better, I do know that Laurie is one of the oldest and most trustworthy of your kind. If you had to choose one of the elder males to have a child with, he would be the one to choose," he said sounding slightly amused.

I looked at Elijah confused. "Why do you care about the fairies anyway? I thought vampires hated us."

"Vampires do hate fairies, just as fairies hate vampires; however, I am not like other vampires. My concern is within my family, and Eli is someone I consider family," he said matter-of-factly.

"I already told Eli I wouldn't make him my protector. You have nothing to worry about if you think I'm trying to take him away or something," I said quietly.

"I think Eli can make his own decisions. I am here simply to ask that you treat him how he deserves. He is a young man in love and speaking from experience, young men in love tend to make irrational decisions," he said softly.

I smiled slightly and shook my head. I didn't believe Eli was in love with me, at least not entirely. "I'm going to try to keep Eli out of this. He's a good friend, but he belongs with the wolves, and I do not."

"So then you plan to take your place among the Fae?" he asked casually.

I glanced at him, then looked back at the pond. "I didn't say that either. I was actually considering running away and never looking back."

He smiled. "I would like to say I believe you would do that, but I don't. I think you will do what you know is right."

I turned to comment, but he was suddenly gone.

"Scarlett?" Erik said softly from the doorway.

"Yes," I said glancing at him, and then back at where Elijah was just standing. I thought it was neat that he could just disappear like that. I had no doubt it was because he heard Erik approach. I kind of wanted to ask him what was right, since I had no clue what was.

He looked around cautiously. "Who were you talking to?"

"Um ... no one," I said deciding to lie. He didn't need to know Elijah came to visit me. He would probably just freak out and try to protect me even more. I looked over at him. "Do you need something?"

"No," he said hesitantly like he didn't completely believe me. "I was just coming to check on you. Laurie seems to think you were upset."

"Of course I'm upset," I said darkly. "Did you just expect me to be overjoyed?"

"No, but I do expect you to help your people," he said firmly.

I scoffed. "You mean the people whose plan the entire time was to use me. You never wanted to know me because I was your daughter. You wanted me because I could have Laurie's baby."

He didn't immediately argue. I wasn't sure if he was silently agreeing, or if he was just refusing to argue with me at all. "You weren't supposed to be a female. If I could change your fate right now, then I would, but I can't. You will never be safe if you leave us. You will always be hunted."

"I will be hunted or an outcast no matter what. So what does it really matter what I decide? Either way, I'm miserable. Either way, I continue to feel like I don't belong. The only one that wins here is you and Laurie," I said angrily.

"Please Scarlett, at least talk to Laurie. Get to know him. He would be a perfect mate for you. This is not the fairytales. We do not always get to fall in love, sometimes we have to do what is best for our people," he said firmly.

I wanted to argue. I wanted to tell him I didn't want them to be my people anymore, but I stayed quiet. I was angry, and I was trying not to take it out on him. I wasn't just angry at him ... I was angry at the pack as well for making me feel so unwelcome. I didn't know where my place was anymore. The thought that maybe this was what I was meant for suddenly hit me, and it made me even angrier.

"At least give us a chance. I know you feel like Laurie and I only want you here because of the circumstances, but that is not true. We both want you to feel welcome and at home," he said softly.

"I told Laurie I would think about it, and I will," I said firmly, not wanting to discuss it anymore. All he could do was say the same thing over and over again. Just because he said it didn't mean I believed it.

He sighed like he didn't really want to leave me alone, but he knew I wanted to be left alone. "Fine, we will give you space. Come to us when you decide."

"I will," I said quietly. I heard him walk back into the house. I didn't stop him or turn to follow. I sat down on the bench trying to decide what to do next.

# Chapter 15

"Scarlett," Eli's soft voice said from beside me.

I jumped a little and looked up at him. I forced a smile. "Eli, what are you doing here?" I was happy to see him. I wasn't entirely sure how long I'd been sitting there, but I could see the first light peeking above the horizon.

He sat down next to me. "I came to check on you. I hadn't heard back from you after you spoke to Erik and Laurie."

I leaned against him and closed my eyes. I didn't realize how tired I was until that moment. "I'm sorry. It's been a long, confusing night."

"Well what did they say? Is any of it true?" he asked sounding a little worried.

I sighed. "It's all true."

"Oh," he said sounding a little let down.

I laughed. "Oh, is all you have to say?"

He smiled sheepishly. "What else am I supposed to say? I mean if it was my people, then I would do whatever it took to ensure their survival."

"Your people have always taken care of you. My people conveniently showed up when I was old enough to reproduce," I said dryly.

"That's true." He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer. "Come home with me."

I sighed. "I don't have a home; at least I don't feel like I do."

"I can protect you just as much as they can. I can make you happy. You don't have to agree to this, Scarlett. They made the mistakes that got them here, not you," he said firmly.

I laughed harshly as I stood. "It isn't that simple." I wished it was that simple. I had to get out of his arms because if I stayed too long, I would agree to leave with him, and I knew it. Part of me wanted to leave with him, but the other part of me was stuck here. As much as I wanted to walk away from it all, I couldn't bring myself to do it. Part of me felt like I belonged here, and it was the only time in my life I ever felt like I belonged anywhere.

"Scarlett, are you okay?" Laurie asked as he approached Eli and me.

I didn't even hear him come outside. "I'm fine. I'm getting ready to go up to bed." I glanced at Eli.

Eli forced a smile as he looked at Laurie. "I should get going." He stood, then he looked at me. "I will stand by you ... whatever you decide, Scarlett."

I smiled. "I know." Somehow, I knew he would, but it was nice to hear him confirm it. I did care about Eli; I just wasn't sure how much. I tried not to think about it because I was afraid to complicate everything even more.

Eli smiled, backing away from me. "Call me if you need me, you know where to find me."

He disappeared into the woods before I turned my attention back to Laurie. "I didn't realize I was out here so long," I said trying to make conversation. It was awkward between us now. I knew what he wanted, and he knew I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted, so everything was awkward.

"You have been out here for a while. Erik is going stir crazy. He, of course, wants an answer, but I told him to give you as much time as you need," Laurie said softly.

I looked at him confused. "Is this what you really want? I mean why haven't you had kids in the nine hundred years you've been alive?"

He watched me for a minute like he wasn't sure what to say. "I think it was because it was expected of me. I am from one of the oldest royal lines, so of course we are expected to reproduce so our line continues. I was determined to fight what was expected of me and because of that, my people suffered."

"You didn't have any females anyway I guess," I said absently.

"The last half Fae female died fifty years ago. I had plenty of time to find a mate and continue my line but instead, I decided to do what pleased me. I fooled around for hundreds of years worrying about what I wanted, and now I regret every minute of it. I didn't have any cares about my race and because of that, it is fading away in front of my eyes. I believe I am still alive because I was meant to watch it die because its death was partly due to my negligence." He sounded angry as he spoke, but I knew he was angry at himself, not me. He was pushing this because he felt guilty.

I wondered if I would feel the same way if I looked the other way. If I decided to do what I wanted instead of what was right for my people, would I regret it like he did? The thought haunted me a little. It was one of the reasons I couldn't just walk away. "How did you find out about me?"

"Your father came to me. He and I had been working together for years trying to find a solution to our problem. The hope was that somewhere there was another female that perhaps didn't know her lineage. Unfortunately, we didn't have any luck. Your father was there the day you were born. He was expecting a male, but you came out female. At that moment everyone's hope was renewed. However, it was vital that you remain a secret, so you wouldn't be harmed. So he let your mother raise you, and he kept an eye on you from a distance until you were ready to make your choice." His tone was much calmer as he explained what happened.

I had so many questions and very little answers. I didn't even know where to begin. "If we have a child, will it be sent away?"

His expression darkened. "Absolutely not. I can protect my child, just as I can protect you. You just have to trust me."

I crossed my arms and looked off toward the sunrise. I was getting tired, and I still didn't know what answer to give him. Part of me didn't want my people fading away, but another part of me wanted to be selfish. I wanted my own life, not one that was predetermined for me at birth. "I should go to bed. I'm tired."

"Of course, can I walk you to your room?" he asked.

I nodded, and he offered me his arm. I laced my arm through his, and he led me back into the house. I remained silent as he led me up the stairs.

He stopped in front of my door and looked down at me. "Just so you know, I will hold nothing against you. You are free to remain here no matter what you decide. Even if you decide being with me is not your path, we are still your people, Scarlett. Do not convince yourself otherwise."

I smiled slightly at his reassurance. I liked that he was trying to make things easier on me. Somehow, I knew he wasn't lying. He would accept me no matter what I chose. He knew what it was like to feel obligated to do something, and he knew what it was like to live with the choices he made. I felt closer to Laurie than I had before. I moved closer to him, and gently kissed his cheek. "Thank you for being understanding."

He smiled. "You really have no idea what you mean to us, do you?"

I felt my cheeks redden as I looked away. "I think I do now."

"Good, get some rest," he said sounding slightly amused.

I nodded, then slipped into my room. I did feel better since talking to Laurie. He, at least, understood what I was battling, even if Erik didn't.

# Chapter 16

I wish I could say I slept, but I didn't. My mind wouldn't shut off long enough for me to get any sleep. After a few hours of trying, I sat up and ran my fingers through my hair. I decided to get up and shower. It was early afternoon, so I doubted anyone else would be awake.

Once I showered, I dressed in a light green dress. I would have to talk to Laurie and Erik about buying me some jeans. I didn't want to wear dresses for the rest of my life. I walked downstairs. The house was quiet. I was used to the quiet; when I was growing up, my house was normally quiet. Werewolves were awake at night not during the day. My mother slept all day and stayed awake all night.

I walked in the kitchen, hesitating when I saw Laurie at the counter. He was cutting and arranging fruit on a plate. He smiled at me. "I didn't expect to see you up so early."

"I didn't sleep very well." I sat down on one of the barstools across from him.

"I don't sleep much anymore either." I could sense a hint of sadness in his voice, but I decided not to pry. If he wanted to tell me, then he would.

"I might go see my mother tonight if that's okay." I had a feeling he wouldn't like the idea, but I wanted to see her.

He glanced at me. "She can't come here?"

"I think it would be better if I went to her. She's pregnant, so she doesn't do a whole lot other than go to the diner. You could come along if you want," I said hoping he would. I didn't mind his company, and he made me feel a little safer.

He smiled. "I would like to go with you." He obviously liked that I invited him. I wanted him to know I trusted him.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. "She won't be up for another couple hours."

"That will give us time to eat then." He set the plate of fruit in front of me. He came around to the other side of the bar and sat on the stool next to me.

I picked a strawberry off the plate. It was sweet. It was probably the sweetest strawberry I ever tasted. "These are really good," I said as I selected another.

He smiled. "I grew them myself."

"Really?" I asked a little surprised. He didn't seem like the gardening type.

"Really, I grew all of this. I like nature," he said absently as he selected a blueberry.

I watched him as I selected another piece of fruit. Sometimes he seemed older, and other times he seemed younger. The sudden sound of glass breaking, and a loud explosion scattered my thoughts.

Laurie jumped to his feet. "Stay here."

He hurried out before I could protest. I didn't want to stay, and not know what was going on. I was weighing my options when I heard the sound of yelling, loud crashing, and explosions. I cussed and walked quickly toward the doorway Laurie disappeared through. I hesitated when I saw Christopher standing in the hall. He was back, and I had a feeling he was up to no good.

Before I could even think to move, he spotted me. He smiled. "There you are, love."

"What are you doing here? Where is Laurie?" I asked angrily.

He laughed. "Laurie is tied up right now. Why don't you come with me?"

I stepped back toward the kitchen. I knew there was another way out, but I was worried about Laurie and Erik. Christopher saw I was looking around. He lunged for me, and I turned and bolted into the kitchen. I made it to the door, but he was faster. He pinned me to the door, and I cussed.

"Come on, love, don't make this difficult," he said amused.

"I'm not going with you!" I snapped as I attempted to fight him.

"You don't have a choice, love." He yanked me back the way we had come.

I continued to struggle even though he was stronger than me, and he had the upper hand.

"Let her go," Elijah's smooth voice ordered from behind us.

Christopher spun around and glared at Elijah. "This has nothing to do with you, vampire," Christopher snapped.

"I disagree, now release her or I will make you," Elijah said firmly.

I couldn't believe it, but I was actually glad to see a vampire. I knew Elijah wouldn't hurt me, but I didn't really expect him to save me. Christopher suddenly threw a ball of light at Elijah. I was a little startled. The ball of light just appeared, and Christopher threw it. Elijah dodged it. The ball of light hit the wall and exploded making a deafening noise. I landed on the floor from the force of the explosion. Elijah threw Christopher against the wall knocking him unconscious. Elijah hurried to me. He took my hand and pulled me against him. There was a sudden rush and we were in Elijah's house.

"No! What about Laurie and Erik," I said panicked when I realized how far away from them Elijah had taken me.

"I will get them, stay here. You have to remain safe," he said firmly, then he was gone.

I cussed and paced. I hated that he brought me here where I couldn't do anything. All I could do was hope Laurie and Erik were safe. Whatever Christopher's gift was, it was dangerous, and I knew if it hit one of them it could kill.

Elijah suddenly reappeared with Laurie. Laurie was unconscious and bleeding. Elijah laid him on the floor, then he was gone again.

"Laurie," I cried worried. I hurried over to him. I went to my knees next to him. He was burned and bloody. I could tell Christopher hit him with one of his light bombs. His breathing was shallow. Fear gripped me. I didn't know what to do.

Elijah suddenly appeared with Erik. Erik was a little beat up, but he was standing on his own. He saw Laurie and cussed. "I'll kill that bastard," Erik muttered as he knelt next to Laurie.

"What do we do? Can I heal him?" I asked breathlessly.

He shook his head. Normally powers like yours won't work on Laurie because of his age. We need a healer," Erik said darkly as he lifted Laurie.

"There is a room upstairs to the left. I know a healer that is very good, and she will be willing to help," Elijah said, then he disappeared.

Erik looked at me. "Who is the vampire?"

"He's a friend. We can trust him," I said confidently. I knew we could trust him. Elijah never made a move to harm me or even suggest he would. Eli trusted him, so I did too.

Erik nodded. "Let's go upstairs then." He turned and hurried up the stairs. I couldn't believe he was going to take my advice. He acted like I was young and foolish at times. I didn't put much thought into it. I was more worried about Laurie.

I followed him into the bedroom. He laid Laurie on the bed. "Take his shirt off," he ordered me as he walked to the window and looked out.

I went to Laurie's side, and undid the buttons on his shirt. I couldn't help but feel like this was all my fault. If I wasn't at Erik's house, Christopher never would have come, and Laurie wouldn't be hurt.

"Out of the way," Maggie said as she barged into the room. Elijah followed close behind her. She was the healer Elijah was talking about.

I moved out of her way. Erik said my powers would be useless on him. I hated not being able to help. All I could do is stay out of the way and hope Maggie could heal him.

After almost an hour, Maggie had all of Laurie's burns wrapped. I felt even worse now, seeing Laurie all bandaged up. Erik left to go seek help. Apparently with Laurie hurt, he needed more of our people to help protect me. I didn't want anyone else getting hurt over me. Elijah left us long before that to go do whatever it was that he did.

"You should sit with him, perhaps hold his hand. I will be back in a little while to check in," Maggie said as she watched me.

"Oh, we aren't that close," I said softly.

She scowled slightly like I annoyed her. "Child, he is dying. There isn't much I can do. He needs any friends he has at his side."

I opened my mouth and closed it. I didn't know what to say. I didn't think he was going to die. Her words terrified me. It wouldn't be the same without Laurie. I didn't know him that well, but he was a part of my reality now.

"I must go tell Erik. He is gathering the other Fae. Laurie's injuries are too extensive, there is nothing I can do," she said sadly. She hurried out before I could form any words.

I looked over at Laurie. He looked so different lying there ... so weak and frail. I couldn't let him die; it would be all my fault if he did. I walked over to the bed. I was furious with Christopher. I was furious with myself. I reached out and touched Laurie's hand. A tingling sensation came over me. I gasped slightly caught off guard by the feeling. I felt like I was being drained, but I refused to pull away. I didn't know what was happening. I was hoping whatever it was would save him. He opened his eyes, and my heart leapt. He was looking at the ceiling like he wasn't sure what was happening. I cried out as severe pain overcame me.

His eyes shifted to me. "Let me go," he said terrified. He attempted to pull away, but he was still too weak. I held his hand tightly refusing to let him go.

"No, I can't let you die," I whispered. The pain was so intense I could barely speak. The sensation suddenly subsided, and I stumbled away from him. I caught my reflection in the mirror. The burns he sustained were now on me. I didn't heal him ... I took his injuries. I collapsed, and he caught me.

"No, this isn't supposed to happen," he said angrily.

I wanted to speak. I wanted to tell him it was my fault Christopher attacked in the first place, but I couldn't. I couldn't think about anything but the pain. The pain was too much to handle. I could hear Laurie speaking, but I couldn't make out the words. Everything slowly went black.

# Chapter 17

I opened my eyes. The room I was in was dark. I was a little surprised I was even waking up. I wasn't entirely sure I was alive. I wasn't in any pain. The memory of my earlier pain made me shiver. I sat up and looked around. I was in a light night dress. There was no one else in the room. I didn't recognize the room I was in. It was not the same room as when I passed out. I climbed off the bed and opened the door. I peeked out trying to see if anyone was coming.

I was a little caught off guard by the size of the hall. The house was similar to Erik's house. I had a feeling it was a fairy's dwelling; I just wasn't sure which one. I slipped out of the room and closed the door gently. I didn't want to alert anyone. I wasn't entirely sure I was among friends. Laurie and my father were nowhere in sight.

I walked slowly down the dimly lit hall. There were several more rooms. I decided not to go into the rooms. I wanted to find a main room like a dining room or living room. I walked a little further down the hall. I hesitated when I heard voices. My heart leapt a little when I recognized one of the voices ... it was Laurie.

I turned the corner, and he was talking to a woman I didn't recognize. She was around my age, at least she looked it. She looked like she was pregnant. I froze, not wanting to interrupt their conversation. I also wanted to know who she was. "She must not know you exist, Mara. She does not know about you," Laurie insisted.

"This isn't fair. I'm part Fae and I'm carrying your child. Why do you want her to have your child too?" she asked angrily as she stomped her foot.

"You are only a quarter Fae at most, and you are carrying a boy. Scarlett is mostly Fae, her werewolf side barely shows, she will be able to bear females," he said firmly.

"We could try again once he is born," Mara insisted.

I had heard enough. I didn't need to hear anymore. Laurie was lying to me. He was already trying with another woman. The thought angered me, and I considered confronting him, but I decided against it. My father and Laurie were trying to convince me to do this on the idea that I was the only female but apparently, I wasn't. I hurried back the way I had come. I needed to get out of wherever I was. I wanted to go home to my mother and Eli.

I looked around the room, but there were no clothes. I cursed in annoyance. I would have to wear the night dress. There was a light knock on my door, and Laurie came in. He smiled when he saw me. "You are awake."

"And you're a liar and so is Erik. I'm leaving," I said angrily as I went to push past him.

He caught me by my arm. "Scarlett, what are you talking about?" he asked feigning ignorance.

"I saw her, you can't lie to me anymore," I hissed as I yanked my arm from his grasp. I hurried down the hall. I had no clue how to get out, but I was going to find a way.

The reason for my anger suddenly dawned on him. "Scarlett, I can explain," he said quickly as he followed me.

"I don't want an explanation!" I yelled turning on him. He stopped in his tracks and watched me cautiously. "Everyone was right about the Fae. You are all liars, and you do nothing but what is in your best interest no matter who it hurts. I won't be a part of that. I could care less if the race dies. It would be a good riddance if you ask me."

"Everything I have done has been for our people," he said matching my tone.

"Your people, they are not my people," I snapped then I continued on my way. There had to be an exit somewhere, I just had to find it.

"Keep saying that to yourself, Scarlett. We are the only ones who have accepted you for who you are. No one else has done that," he said angrily.

I turned and glared at him. "You accepted me because you wanted to use me!" I countered.

He raised his hands like he was trying to get me to calm down. "Scarlett, please listen to reason. Perhaps we haven't told you the whole truth, but we still need you."

"I want to leave. How do I get out of here?" I asked angrily.

"You are half naked, at least get dressed first," he pleaded.

I didn't want to give him more time to convince me to stay. I wanted to leave. I shook my head. "Just tell me how to get out of here."

He sighed relenting. "Down the hall to the left."

I turned and hurried down the hall. I found the door and hurried outside. I wasn't entirely sure where I was, but I didn't care. I would find my way. The sun was high in the sky, so I was guessing it was late afternoon. I ran into the woods. I figured if I ran in one direction I would get somewhere eventually.

I made it to a road, and I recognized it. It was the road that led to my mother's house. I followed it into town, past the diner. It was the middle of the day, so the town was like a ghost town. I considered going to my mother's house, but I decided against it. Instead, I went toward Eli's house. I didn't want to knock on the door because I was sure Kylie or Dakota would answer. I knew where Eli's room was, so I scaled the house and climbed on the roof. I went to his window. I could see him lying in his bed asleep. I gently knocked on his window. I didn't want to attract any unwanted attention, so I was trying to be quiet.

He stirred, then looked at the window. When he saw it was me, he hurried over to the window, and pushed it open. "Scarlett, what are you doing here?" He helped me into the room.

"I just need a friend." I walked over and sat down on his bed.

He shut the window, then looked at me. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Where are your clothes? Are you hurt?"

I shook my head. "I'm just a little upset. I don't really want to talk about it."

He came over and sat down next to me. He was shirtless, and it was a little distracting. I was attracted to Eli, even though I tried not to be. I pushed the thought away. I didn't need to think about him like that right now.

"Did Laurie or Erik hurt you?" he asked worried.

I shook my head. "They didn't hurt me. They just lied to me," I said angrily.

He put his arm around me and pulled me into a hug. "I'm sure they didn't do it on purpose. Maybe they thought it would be better."

"Are you agreeing with them?" I asked angrily. He didn't even know what they did yet.

"No, not at all. They never should have lied. I'm just saying maybe it wasn't malicious," he said softly.

I sighed and leaned against him. "It was so they could get their way. I'm beginning to think everyone is right about the Fae. Maybe we are all evil."

"You are not evil," he said firmly as he nudged me gently. "Come on, lay down with me." He lay down and pulled me against him. I snuggled against his chest, and he pulled the covers over us both.

I closed my eyes and attempted to relax. I felt safe with Eli. I just wished I was a werewolf, not a Fae. Eli was meant to be a pack leader; he could never be with me.

# Chapter 18

I woke up when I heard knocking on the door. Eli groaned as he moved next to me. "What?" he growled impatiently.

"It's time to get up," his father said from the other side of the door.

"I'll be out in a little while," Eli said quietly. He looked over at me, and I smiled.

I returned his smile. "Thank you for being so nice."

He reached over and brushed my hair away from my face. "You know I would do anything you asked."

I sighed. "I know, but we have two completely different paths."

He scowled as he sat up. "Maybe I don't want to be pack leader," he said grumpily.

I sat up and wrapped my arms around his neck. I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent. "You were meant to be a pack leader, Eli. You're strong and smart. Your people need you and love you. You should be happy about that."

He scoffed. "I have to do whatever they think is right. I can't love who I want to."

"Maybe I should go. I didn't mean to upset you," I said quietly as I got to my feet.

He caught my hand, and I looked at him. "I want you to stay. I want you to be with me. I will talk to my parents," he pleaded as he stood.

I looked up at him and smiled. "I haven't figured out what I want yet. You're a good friend, and I don't want to ruin that."

"I will always be here for you no matter what. You have to know that by now. Where will you go?" he asked worried.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I was considering going home, but mom has so much to deal with now that she has a new baby coming. I don't want to stress her out. I will figure it out eventually."

"Will you tell me as soon as you know?" he asked watching me.

I nodded, then I moved in and gently kissed his cheek. He pulled away, then moved in quickly and pressed his lips to mine. His kiss was passionate. I felt my body start to heat up. I quickly pulled away. I didn't want anything to happen. I still had no control over my power. I was afraid to kiss him.

I stepped away from him. "I have to go." I hurried to the window and slipped out it. I couldn't stay there any longer. I had to get away from Eli before I let my hormones take over.

I climbed down the house and disappeared into the woods. I wasn't entirely sure where I was going. I didn't want to go back to Erik and Laurie. I knew my mother had other things to worry about, other than me.

I stopped and looked up at the house I was standing in front of. I realized it was Elijah's house. I wasn't entirely sure why I was here. I didn't trust vampires, but Elijah had grown on me. The last time I saw him he saved me, Laurie, and Erik.

The front door opened, and Elijah stepped out onto the porch. He smiled. "Are you going to just stand there, or would you like to come in?"

"I don't know, should I come in?" I asked nervously. I wasn't entirely sure why I was there.

His smile widened. "You shouldn't stay out there. You really don't have much on. You might attract some unwanted attention."

I rolled my eyes and hurried toward him. I hurried up the stairs and walked past him into the house. He followed me in and shut the door behind him. "I am surprised your keepers let you out after your little scare."

"They're not my keepers, and they can't tell me what to do," I said angrily.

"I see they made you mad, is there anything I can help you with?" he asked casually as he sat down on the couch.

"I need a place to say. I couldn't help but notice you are the only one that stays in this very large house," I said hesitantly. I wasn't sure why I was asking a vampire for shelter. I never thought I would get to that point, but here I was.

He smiled. "A Fae wants to stay with a vampire; they really must have pissed you off."

I rolled my eyes and sat down on the couch across from him. "They lied, and I don't like being lied to. I can't stay with Eli because I can't control my gifts or whatever they are when he gets close to me, and my mother doesn't need the stress. I have nowhere else to go."

"You trust me enough to stay with me?" he asked slightly amused.

I nodded. "You saved me once. I don't see why you would have a reason to hurt me." I was hoping I wasn't being naïve. It didn't matter anyway. I had nowhere else to go.

"I personally don't, but there is the small issue of those who do want to hurt you. They are going to come looking for you; that puts me and my things in danger. Why should I take that risk?" he asked as he watched me.

He was right. They would come for me. He didn't owe me anything. I was suddenly not sure why I even came. I stood abruptly. "You're right. I probably shouldn't have come. I should go." I hurried toward the door. I felt like a complete idiot.

He suddenly appeared in front of me, and I hesitated. "You can stay."

"Really?" I asked nervously.

He nodded. "There is a guest bedroom upstairs on the left. I will have some clothes brought for you, unless you are enjoying wearing that nightie," he teased.

I was suddenly very self-conscious. "I woke up in this, I didn't choose it."

He smiled as he looked me over. "Someone did, and they have very good taste."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm going upstairs," I said haughtily. I needed to shower and get out of the nightie. I also needed to come up with a plan. I had to figure out what my next move would be.

"I will send something a little less revealing up in a little while," he called after me.

"Thank you. You are so kind," I called back.

He really meant a little less revealing. The dress he sent up wasn't much better than the nightie. I rolled my eyes and slipped it on. I didn't care, I was just glad I had somewhere to stay. Once I was dressed, and my hair was brushed, I walked back downstairs.

Elijah smiled up at me. "I was just going to come get you. I had dinner prepared for you."

"You didn't have to do that," I said quietly.

"You have to eat," he said amused. "Right this way." He walked toward the dining room.

I followed him into the dining room. He had a place set for me, and in his place the only thing on the place setting was a glass of wine. I knew vampires didn't eat. I didn't really expect him to sit with me while I ate but apparently, he was planning on it. He held the chair for me, and I sat down.

"You look lovely in that dress by the way." His playful tone made me a little nervous. He moved over to his seat.

I smiled. "You sound a little like you're planning something."

He gave me his best innocent look, which wasn't very good. "I have absolutely nothing planned. I am simply trying to make you comfortable."

I rolled my eyes. "That's what they all say." I picked at the vegetables and rice.

"Do you like it?" he asked after a minute.

I nodded and smiled. "It's very good." He was being a lot quieter than I thought he would be.

"Have you spoken to Laurie or Erik?" he asked casually.

I watched him. I had a feeling he knew more than he was letting on. I wondered if Laurie or Erik talked to him. "I have not, and I don't plan to."

He took a sip of his wine. "They are worried about you."

I rolled my eyes. "They are worried about their race," I said grumpily.

"Laurie explained why you are upset. I am not entirely sure I understand why it matters if he has other children. The mission is to rebuild a race," he said casually.

I scowled at Elijah. I actually couldn't believe he was taking Laurie's side. "I never wanted to have a baby. I felt obligated to because they were acting like I was there only hope. Obviously, I'm not if he has others."

"The others have not produced a female, and that is why they need you," he said simply.

I scoffed. "They don't even know if I'm going to have a girl. They are just hoping. If you ask me, their plan is half assed and stupid. I'm not doing it. I'm not having a baby for the sake of a stupid, arrogant race."

He sighed. "You are just too young."

"Maybe I am, even more reason for them to leave me alone," I said angrily. He didn't say anything else which was a relief. I pushed my plate away and stood. "I'm going to go for a walk."

He stood. "Would you like company?"

I wasn't entirely sure I wanted his company, but I didn't want to be rude. He was doing me a huge favor by letting me stay. "That sounds nice, I guess, but you aren't allowed to say another thing about Laurie or Erik," I said firmly.

He smiled. "I will agree to your conditions." He offered me his arm, and I took it. "I have a lovely garden out back. Would you like to see it?"

"I would," I said and smiled. I liked gardens. They were nice places to go for solitude.

He led me out the French doors into a beautiful garden. There were several paths, almost like it was meant for walking. "It is a beautiful night," he said casually as we walked down one of the paths.

"It is." I admired the stars. The place was beautiful. It was surrounded by woods. "Are you here because of Dakota and Kylie's pack?"

He smiled slightly. "Partly, I was here before that, but I haven't moved on because I protect their pack."

"And Eli, you think he will become the next pack leader?" I asked quietly.

He stopped walking and looked down at me. "I know he will. It is important that he become the next pack leader. If he doesn't, then his pack will more than likely fall apart."

I sighed, and continued walking. I hated that I couldn't let myself get close to Eli. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about him. I was drawn to him, but I could've just been fooling myself.

"Are you in love with Eli, Scarlett." He sounded like he thought it was funny.

I rolled my eyes. "No," I muttered. I wasn't going to try hard to fight the accusation because I didn't really know. I had so many hectic feelings lately; I wasn't entirely sure what I felt.

"That wasn't very convincing," he whispered as he moved up behind me startling me a little.

"Why does it matter?" I asked annoyed.

"It matters because you both have two different paths in life. In order for you to be together, one of the two of you are going to have to give up your path, which means your people will suffer," he said watching me.

I rolled my eyes. "Why do you think I'm avoiding him? He volunteered to leave his pack for me, but I won't let him."

He raised his eyebrows. "Good, Eli needs to stay focused."

I could tell he cared about Eli and Eli's family. I wasn't entirely sure I should be talking to him. He seemed like he got a little annoyed at the fact that Eli wanted to leave his pack for me. I looked up at him. "What do you suggest I do then?"

"I suggest you go where you belong, and that is with Laurie. He isn't asking you to love him. He is asking you to give him a child for your people," he said softly.

I crossed my arms and glared at him. "Are you saying that because you want me away from Eli, or do you really think that's what I should do?"

"Both actually," he said amused. "It is the best course of action for both you and Eli."

I rolled my eyes and continued walking. "I don't know what I want."

He laughed. "That is more of a reason for you to take advice from your elders."

"Not when my elders have ulterior motives," I countered.

He raised his eyebrows. "You think I have an ulterior motive?"

I stopped and looked at him. I actually wasn't entirely sure what his motives were. Maybe he was just trying to chase me away from Eli. "I don't know, maybe."

He moved closer to me. I felt my pulse quicken when he leaned into me. "I think I might be developing one," he said playfully.

"Oh, what would a vampire want with a half breed Fae?" I asked trying to sound confident.

He smiled. "I don't want you because you are Fae. I want you because you are a woman. A very beautiful woman," he whispered as he looked me over.

"That's a first. Well, I suppose you have nothing to gain," I said dryly, then I turned away from him. It was my intention to ignore his advances completely.

He suddenly wrapped his arms around me from behind. I gasped when I felt his lips brush my neck. "I have something to gain believe me," he whispered seductively.

"What do you have to gain?" I asked nervously.

"Fae blood is a delicacy to a vampire. I have tasted you once, but it seems like it was ages ago, and I didn't know what you were then," he whispered as he ran his hand over my belly.

I closed my eyes trying to control my heartbeat. "I suppose I owe you. I can sacrifice a little blood if it's what you want."

He growled low in his throat, then he sank his fangs into my neck making me gasp. Pleasure rushed over me as he clouded my mind. I was letting him in. I knew it probably wasn't a good idea, but I didn't care. I liked how it felt, and he was at least honest about what he wanted from me. After a few minutes, he released me, and I sagged in his arms. I closed my eyes and leaned against him. He moved up next to me and laced his arm around my waist. I was a little unsteady as he guided me back up the path toward the house.

"Are you okay?" he asked as we got closer to the door. I was still leaning against him.

I giggled. "I'm fine." I straightened and looked at him. He watched me cautiously. I moved forward and pressed my lips to his.

He pulled away. "Scarlett, I cannot go down this path with you."

I sighed and moved away from him. "You're no fun," I pouted.

He smiled. "I am a lot of fun. I just can't be with you."

"Of course not. I think I'm going to go to bed," I said quietly.

"That would probably be best," he said amused.

I walked into the house leaving him in the garden. I wasn't entirely sure why I kissed him. I liked how it felt when he bit me. Maybe that was why I kissed him. I wasn't entirely sure anymore. I knew I needed to go to sleep, and I had the feeling the blood loss was going to help me do that.

# Chapter 19

I woke up when I felt someone touch my cheek. I opened my eyes, and I was looking up in Laurie's purple eyes. I sat up and looked around. I was in my room in Elijah's house. I just wasn't sure why Laurie was here. "What are you doing here?" I asked confused.

He smiled slightly. "I came to check on you."

"I'm fine," I said sharply, not really wanting to cut him any slack.

His eyes shifted to the bite on my neck. He brushed his fingers over the bite. "Vampires do not take in Fae without a reason. He wants something."

"Everyone wants something. I'm kind of getting used to it," I said haughtily as I got to my feet.

"Scarlett," he said softly.

"What do you want, Laurie? I'm fine here. I'm not coming back to your house. I don't trust you, and I don't trust Erik. You two have been plotting ever since I met you. I'm tired of it. I just want to be normal," I said annoyed.

"You aren't normal, Scarlett! You never will be normal! You need to get over it and help your people!" he yelled as he stood.

I was frozen. He never yelled at me like this. I wasn't entirely sure what to say. He wasn't wrong, but that didn't excuse him and Erik.

"Is everything okay?" Elijah asked. He was standing in the doorway. I didn't even hear him approach.

"Fine, everything is fine," Laurie said glaring at Elijah. "Perhaps if you weren't encouraging her to abandon her people, we wouldn't have this problem."

Elijah raised his eyebrows in amusement. "I told her she should go back to you. How exactly is that encouraging her to abandon her people?"

Laurie looked at me. "Have you decided to come back to me then?"

I crossed my arms and glared at him defiantly. "No," I said firmly. "And if I do decide to have your baby, I will not be with you. I will just be carrying your child like all the others."

Laurie looked like he wanted to roll his eyes. It was kind of amusing for a man as elegant as he was. It seemed like an eye roll would be beneath him. "Why do you have to be so difficult? We are asking you to help us."

"That's right you are. I don't owe you or Erik anything. You can't even tell me the truth half the time. How do I know what is actually true and what isn't?" I asked angrily.

"Your vampire friend told you in the first place. We were trying to protect you as long as we could from the truth," he said sharply.

I didn't speak immediately. I wasn't entirely sure what he wanted me to say. I wasn't ready to go back with him. I wasn't ready to decide what I was going to do.

"Perhaps you should give her more time. She will be fine in my care, and if you wish to see her, you know where she is," Elijah said after a few moments of silence. He must have sensed that I didn't want to give Laurie an answer.

Laurie looked at Elijah for a minute, then he turned his attention back to me. "You may think I am the worst thing that could happen to you, Scarlett, but I am not. The others have gathered at my house. I would like you to join me and Erik this evening, so you can meet them. Maybe if you meet the people you are letting down, you will be more inclined to help," he snapped, then he stormed out past Elijah.

I looked at Elijah, and he smirked. "What?" I asked with my hands on my hips.

"Nothing at all. There is a nice dress in your closet that will be perfect for your family reunion," he said amused.

"I'm not going," I snapped. I wasn't about to let them all gang up on me and guilt me into doing what they wanted.

"Oh, come now. You should go meet them. Perhaps you will change your mind," he said as he walked over to the closet.

I sat down on my bed and crossed my arms. "Are you coming with me?"

He scoffed. "I wouldn't walk in a house full of Fae if my life depended on it."

I groaned and flopped down on the bed. "I don't want to go."

"Ah, this will be perfect." He laid a dress on the bed next to me. "Get dressed. I told Laurie to wait downstairs for you." He shut the door behind him, leaving me alone.

I sat up and looked at the dress. It was a beautiful deep red gown. It would go well with my eyes and dark hair. I really didn't want to go with Laurie. I was curious about who would be there but then again, I didn't want to be talked into anything. I kind of wished Elijah wasn't for me helping the Fae. It would have made my choice a lot easier.

I looked in the mirror trying to decide whether to wear my hair up or down. The gown looked incredible on me. It fit all my curves. Elijah definitely knew how to choose clothing. I was taking my sweet time because part of me was hoping Laurie would get annoyed and leave without me.

There was a light knock on my door, and Elijah stepped in my room. He smiled as he looked me over. "You look lovely. What is taking you so long?"

I shrugged. "I can't decide on my hair," I said casually.

He smiled like he didn't entirely believe me. "I like it down."

I rolled my eyes. "He hasn't left yet?"

Elijah laughed. "He is not going to leave until you are in his car. So with that being said, quit delaying because I am tired of entertaining him." He turned and left before I could protest.

I rolled my eyes and touched up my makeup. I decided to leave my hair down like Elijah suggested. I just wanted to get the night over with. I wasn't sure what Laurie had planned, but I wasn't looking forward to it.

Laurie was waiting for me as I descended the stairs. I was too annoyed to notice it earlier, but he was dressed up. He was wearing a light purple button up and tan slacks. He actually looked pretty good. I pushed the thought away. I didn't want to think about him like that. I wanted to be annoyed with him.

He looked up at me, and his expression started out annoyed. It changed almost immediately as he looked me over. "You look lovely."

"Thank you," I said trying to keep the nervousness out of my tone. I hated it when men complimented me. It made me feel funny, especially when I was slightly attracted to those men.

"Come on, we are running late," he said dryly as he offered his hand.

I would have preferred to take his arm instead of his hand because it was less intimate, but he was offering his hand. I slipped my hand in his, and he led me toward the door.

"Have a good time, and don't be home too late," Elijah teased.

I rolled my eyes and waved at him. He smiled and waved back. Laurie led me through the door to a waiting car. He opened the rear door, and I slid in. I was a little surprised that he actually had a driver. He didn't act like one to flaunt his money; at least he didn't most of the time. He climbed in next to me, and the car set off.

The silence in the car was a little awkward. "You and the vampire are getting close," Laurie said casually. I could hear a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"His name is Elijah, and is it really any of your business?" I asked sharply.

He scowled slightly. It was odd to see him scowl. He was such a beautiful man it seemed like he was made to smile. "I think so, he will mislead you."

"Don't forget he is the one encouraging me to go with you. Do you really want me to believe he's misleading me?" I asked annoyed.

He scoffed. "He is making you think he is your friend. I am sure you will find out he is not."

I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. I wasn't going to fight with him. Part of me wished the tension between us wasn't there, but it was. I liked him a lot better before I found out he was lying to me.

The car pulled up to Laurie's house. The house was beautiful. I didn't take the time to look at it the day I was here. I was so upset, I just ran. Now in the dark it was lit up, and I could tell there was a party going on inside. I was suddenly very nervous. According to Laurie, these were the people that were loyal to my family's line. I didn't know why I was worried about making a good impression, but I was.

"Just be yourself, I am sure everyone will love you," he said sarcastically as he opened the door and stepped out.

I scowled and followed him out. I didn't understand why he was bringing me, if he didn't think I would fit in. "Why did you ask me to come if you didn't want me here?" I felt like I was wasting my time.

"Why did you come if you didn't want to be here?" he countered as he glared down at me.

"You're right. Maybe I shouldn't have. Have your driver take me back." I turned and reached for the door handle. I didn't want to stay there and pretend everything was okay anyway.

He stopped me from opening the door. "Wait, Scarlett, I am sorry. Please just come inside with me." His tone had changed from annoyed and condescending to gentle.

I decided to let him off the hook. "Okay."

He offered his hand, and I took it. He led me up the walkway toward the house. I was nervous. My stomach was in knots. I wasn't sure what I was going to say to these people. I wasn't even sure how to act.

He led me into the house. The foyer was empty, but I could hear the sound of voices not far away. He led me toward the room where everyone was. I hesitated, and Laurie looked at me confused. "I don't know if I can do this," I said breathlessly. I moved away from him and pressed my back to the wall. I felt like running away. I was doing everything in my power to remain in place. I felt like they expected so much out of me, and I wasn't sure if I could give it to them.

"Scarlett, they just want to meet you. No one will pressure you to do anything. Most of them do not even know you have not made a decision," Laurie said softly.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the wall. "I don't want everyone looking at me like I can save everything," I said angrily.

"No one thinks you can save everything," he said quietly as he moved closer to me.

I scoffed and looked down at the floor. "Yeah right," I muttered.

"Hey." He cupped my chin and forced me to look at him. "Just do what I do. Nod, smile, and if you can avoid it, don't answer any questions."

I smiled slightly. He was right, maybe I was over thinking it. I suddenly realized how close he was to me. "We should get in there." I moved away from him. The closeness felt too intimate.

He forced a smile. "Of course." He put his hand on the small of my back and led me into the room.

The room quieted as we walked in. I felt like my heart stopped when all the eyes turned to Laurie and me. Laurie squeezed my hand to reassure me, then he moved forward into the crowd. I spotted Erik. He was standing with several other men. I was surprised to see that there were some women, but I could tell they weren't Fae.

"Scarlett, you look lovely," Erik said as we approached him.

"Thank you," I said quietly. I was so nervous I could barely focus.

"Scarlett, this is Michael and Alexander. They are close friends of our family," Erik said introducing me to the men he was standing with.

"It's a pleasure," Michael said as he took my hand, then he kissed the back of my hand.

I forced a smiled. "It's nice to meet you too." I looked around nervously. I wasn't comfortable at all. I felt like I was in a room full of strangers. I didn't know anyone, and they didn't know me.

"Perhaps we should get a drink," Laurie said obviously sensing my nervousness.

"That sounds nice," I said breathlessly.

Laurie led me away from Erik and the others. He led me to the bar. The man tending the bar offered us both drinks. I downed mine. I wasn't about to sip it. I needed to ease my nerves, or I wasn't going to be able to stay much longer. I was usually pretty good at remaining cool and calm, but not in this crowd.

"Are you okay?" Laurie asked sounding slightly amused.

I took his drink from him and downed it too. "Not really, but I will be in a few minutes."

"Laurie, there you are," a woman said happily. She was an older woman; at least she was older than me. She was remarkably beautiful for a human. I knew she wasn't Fae, but I had a feeling she wasn't completely human either.

Laurie visibly stiffened, as he forced a polite smile. "Joanna, it has been a while. To what do I owe this honor?"

Her gray eyes shifted to me. "Well, I heard about your little Fae princess here, and I couldn't miss the chance to meet her."

"Of course not. Scarlett, this is Joanna. She is the head of one of the local witch covens," Laurie said softly.

She was a witch ... that explained the funny feeling I got from her, and why she looked young even though she was probably older than my mother. "It's nice to meet you," I said trying to be polite. I wasn't entirely sure if it was nice to meet her or not.

"Well, she is every bit of as beautiful as I heard." She touched Laurie's arm as she spoke.

I was a little surprised that I was annoyed at her openness. I didn't like that she was just touching Laurie. I didn't know why, but I didn't like her almost immediately. It was similar to the feelings I got when a vampire was around.

"She is, she definitely takes after Erik." Laurie sounded like he was just trying to make polite conversation.

"Speaking of Erik, where is the darling man?" she asked looking around. She spotted him and smiled. "There he is. I will go say hi." She hurried off toward Erik.

Laurie was silent as he watched Joanna approach Erik.

"You don't like her?" I asked casually.

"No, she isn't the nicest person. Would you like another drink?" he asked as he waved the bartender over.

I nodded. "I need one," He handed me another drink. I decided to sip this one. I didn't want to drink too much and make a fool of myself. Although, I had a feeling I was already a huge disappointment.

Laurie led me around introducing me to people. There was a great deal of Fae men, but their companions were either were-animals, witches, or human. There were no female Fae. It was a little disturbing.

"Would you like to dance?" Laurie asked after a few minutes.

"I don't know how to dance," I said quietly.

"It is easy, I will show you." Before I had a chance to protest, he took my hand and pulled me toward the dance floor. He pulled me against his chest and began to move smoothly across the dance floor. I felt like a stumbling idiot. "Don't look down at your feet. Just follow the music and let me lead."

I attempted to relax as I let him lead me across the dance floor. He spun me around, and I giggled. I was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. I was beginning to relax a little. "This is actually fun," I said breathlessly once he came to a stop.

He smiled. "That was fun. I need some fresh air. Would you like to join me in the garden?"

"Yeah, sure." I glanced around. I didn't want to be left on my own anyway. Erik was preoccupied, and Joanna was watching us from the bar. I would much rather stay with Laurie than deal with making awkward conversation.

Laurie took my hand and led me out into the garden. The garden here was very similar to the garden at Erik's house. Laurie's garden was actually much bigger. Laurie released my hand, and I walked over to a particular rose bush that caught my eye. The roses were dark red. I touched the petals of one of the roses. "These are beautiful."

"They are. They are actually my favorite," he said as he watched me.

"Where does that girl stay? The one who is having your baby?" I asked casually. I knew it was none of my business, but I thought I would see her here tonight, but I didn't.

"She doesn't live with me, if that is what you are asking," Laurie said softly.

"Oh, why not?" I asked as I walked toward the pond. The pond was beautiful. It was the centerpiece of the garden. There was a fountain in the middle of it.

He continued to watch me. "I don't love her. We are not together, so why would she live with me?"

I shrugged, as I knelt next to the pond. "I was just curious."

"Scarlett, people are starting to ask questions. You are going to have to give me an answer soon," he said hesitantly.

I sighed as I stood. I didn't take my eyes off the pond. I didn't want to look at him. I wasn't sure what to say. "I need more time, Laurie."

He made an annoyed noise. "How is more time going to help? Either you want this, or you don't? Would it make your choice easier if I offered to marry you?"

I looked at him startled. I didn't expect him to go that far. "Why would you offer to marry me?"

"I don't know because that is what humans do, maybe it will help you feel normal," he said sounding a little helpless.

I seriously doubted he even knew why he was asking me, and it made me smile a little. I sat down on the bench next to the pond and looked at him. "Do Fae get married?"

"No, but they can. They just don't." He slowly moved toward me.

I looked back out at the pond as he sat down next to me. "Do you know why they don't?"

He shrugged. "Maybe because they are too selfish. I don't really know. It just isn't a tradition like it is in some other races. Most werewolves don't actually marry, they just have a mating ceremony, and vampires ... well they are vampires."

I smiled. "I don't know. I don't know about anything anymore. The last couple weeks have been so messed up."

"I apologize for that, but you have to have some solace in knowing where you came from," he said nudging me gently.

"I do, I guess. What are you going to name your baby?" I asked changing the subject.

"I don't know. I haven't thought much about it. I am actually not sure if I am going to get to see him," he said darkly.

I looked at him confused. "Why wouldn't you?"

"She left after what happened. I haven't heard from her since. She was due any day." I could hear a hint of sadness in his voice. I realized he did care, even though the baby wasn't what he wanted it to be.

"I'm sorry." I reached over and touched his hand.

He kissed my hand and smiled. "It will all work out, I am sure."

We sat in silence for a few minutes. He was still holding my hand. His thumb skimmed the back of my hand. It was just enough to remind me he was still touching me. I started to wonder what I would name my baby. "Laura," I said breaking the silence.

He looked at me confused. "Who?"

"I would name a baby girl, Laura," I said and smiled as I looked at him.

He laughed. "I like Laura, but my favorite is Cecelia."

"Wow, you are old," I teased.

He raised his eyebrows but before he could speak, Erik walked out of the house. "Ah, there you two are. Why are you leaving all the fun to me?" he asked sounding slightly annoyed.

"The party was your idea. You know I don't like these things, and why did you invite Joanna?" Laurie asked matching his tone.

"She invited herself, and we have to maintain our alliances. Now get back inside and mingle," he ordered, then stalked off.

I rolled my eyes and stood. I pulled Laurie to his feet. "Come dance with me."

He smiled. "With pleasure." I looped my arm through his, and he led me back into the house to the dance floor.

Hours of dancing and talking to people I didn't know wore me out. I watched out the window as Laurie drove back toward Elijah's house. It would be dawn soon. I was looking forward to bed, that was for sure.

"Are you sure I cannot convince you to stay with me?" Laurie asked quietly.

I sighed. "I'm fine with Elijah. I need some space from the whole Fae thing."

He muttered something, but I didn't quite hear what he said. "Are you seeing him?"

I looked at him. I wanted to say something rude, but I decided against it. I could tell the thought really bothered him. "No, he's just someone who does not have anything to gain."

"Oh." He sounded like it was a reason he hadn't thought of before. He acted like the only reason I would stay with Elijah would be for romantic reasons, but he was wrong.

"What about the werewolf, Eli. Are you seeing him?" he asked, but he stayed focused on the road instead of looking at me.

I sighed. "No, we can't see each other."

"Why not?" he asked confused.

I smiled. I thought it was amusing he was asking why not, when he would be mad if I started seeing him in the first place. "It's complicated. Why does it matter?"

"I was just curious." He pulled into Elijah's driveway. He climbed out of the car and walked to my side. He opened the door and offered his hand. I took his hand, and he helped me out of the car.

I looked up at him and smiled. "I had fun, surprisingly. I thought it would be terrible."

He laughed. "I had fun as well." He hesitated for a minute. "Would you come to dinner tomorrow evening?"

I looked at him for a second. He looked like he was genuinely asking me to dinner. I thought it was a little weird, but I didn't mind playing his game. "That sounds nice. Pick me up around nine?"

He nodded as he offered his arm. "I will walk you to the door."

I took his arm, and he led me up the path to the door. I stopped in front of the door, and he looked down at me. I had the sudden feeling he was going to kiss me. I was surprisingly not opposed to the idea.

"There is the fairy princess and her prince," Elijah said opening the door.

I smiled, biting my lip. Laurie scowled and glared at Elijah. I knew Laurie was angry that Elijah ruined the moment. I was seriously considering allowing Laurie to kiss me, and he knew it.

"I will see you tomorrow night, Scarlett," Laurie kissed my cheek, then he hurried down the stairs back to his car.

"What blew out his fairy light?" Elijah asked amused.

I giggled as I walked past him into the house. "You did."

His eyes widened innocently. "I did?"

I rolled my eyes and walked into the main room. I poured myself a drink. He knew exactly what he did, even if he didn't want to admit it.

He sat down on one of the couches and smiled playfully. "So ... how are you two lovebirds doing?"

I laughed harshly. "We are not lovebirds."

"So I didn't interrupt an attempted kiss?" he teased.

I smiled at him. "I thought you didn't know what blew out his fairy light?"

He grinned. "I might have had an inkling."

"I'm going to bed. I have had a very long night." I started walking toward the stairs.

"Sweet dreams, love," he called after me. I smiled and shook my head. I liked being around Elijah. He could always make me smile.

# Chapter 20

I woke up before dark. I didn't know why I did, but I did. The sun was peeking through my windows, which meant it was late afternoon. I decided I didn't want to shower and dress immediately. I was feeling rather lazy. I walked downstairs to get something to drink. I knew Elijah wouldn't be up for a few more hours.

I walked to the kitchen and got a drink. I played with the idea of eating, but I couldn't find anything that looked even remotely appealing. As I walked through the foyer, back toward the stairs, there was a light knock on the door.

I debated on whether or not I should answer it. It wasn't technically my house, but I decided since Elijah was unavailable, I would answer. I opened the door, and Mara looked at me wide eyed. I had no clue why she was here, or even how she knew I was here.

"Mara, what are you doing here?" I asked confused. Everything Laurie said last night came rushing back. He said she was due any day and that she disappeared. I realized she was no longer pregnant, and there was a baby carrier sitting behind her.

Her eyes darted around nervously. "I came to talk to you. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, would you like to come in?" I asked trying to be polite.

She shook her head. "No, I have to go. I just wanted to give you this." She lifted the carrier and offered it to me.

I looked at her both horrified and confused. "Mara, what are you talking about. You can't give me your baby."

"Please take the baby. It will be better off with you. You and Laurie can take care of it better than I can," she said pushing the carrier toward me.

I took the carrier from her because she was persisting. I was planning on arguing some more with her, but she turned and hurried down the steps. "Mara!" I called after her.

She didn't respond. She got in a car that was waiting for her, and the car sped away. I stood watching the car disappear. The sound of small cries caught my attention. I looked down, and big purple eyes looked back at me.

"Damn," I muttered, then I walked into the house. I would have called Laurie if I knew his phone number, but it just dawned on me that I didn't. I did know Eli's number though. Mara left no supplies, not even a bottle. The baby only looked a couple hours old.

I picked the little baby out of the seat and started to rock him. She didn't even tell me his name. I had no clue what to do with him. I found my phone and dialed Eli.

"Hello," he answered groggily on the third ring.

"Eli," I said relieved. "I need your help."

"What's wrong, Scarlett?" Worry filled his voice, and I could hear a scuffling noise like he was getting dressed.

"It's nothing major. I just need baby supplies. A bottle, diapers, formula ... I don't know what else," I said trying to think of everything.

He hesitated. "You have a baby?"

"Yes, it isn't mine. Well ... not really. Someone gave it to me," I said trying to figure out what to say.

"Someone gave you a baby?" he asked skeptically.

I rolled my eyes. "I will answer all your questions when you get here. I'm at Elijah's house."

"Wait, why are you at Elijah's house?" he asked sounding offended.

"Eli, just get over here," I growled, then I hung up.

The baby was starting to get grumpier. I was trying to bounce him and make him happy, but I was pretty sure he was hungry.

"What is that ungodly noise," Elijah growled as he came down the stairs. He hesitated when he saw me standing in the foyer rocking the baby. A slight smile touched his lips. "Wow ... that was quick. You didn't even lose your figure."

I rolled my eyes. "He isn't mine. He was given to me."

"Huh, so people just hand out babies now ... interesting." He hesitated for a minute, then he smiled. "Who would give you a baby?"

I scowled. "Why? What is wrong with me? I would be a good mother," I said defensively.

"Well part of being a good mother is getting that thing to shut up, which I would appreciate if you did sooner rather than later," he said as he walked over to the bar.

"I don't have anything for him. She just dumped him on me. Eli is coming though. I hope," I said quietly.

"Whose baby is it, and why did they give it to you?" He walked over and looked down at the baby. "Whoa, never mind. That is Laurie's kid. I thought he wanted a baby, why is he making you take care of it?"

"You ask a lot of questions, and Laurie doesn't know I have him yet. Mara dropped him off," I said annoyed.

"Ooh, this is going to be an interesting evening," he said happily.

I scowled at him. "You're a troublemaker. Don't you have something else to do?"

He sighed. "Not a thing. That is the problem with living hundreds of years. You end up with absolutely nothing to do because you have done it all."

I was about to comment, but there was a knock on the door. I hurried to the door, and Eli was standing there. "Thank god, I was starting to worry."

"You have a lot of explaining to do?" Eli said grumpily as he carried bags in.

"I know, just help me make him a bottle," I pleaded. The baby was now full on crying, not just fussing like he was before. Eli grumbled as he took the bottle and formula into the kitchen. I followed him into the kitchen away from Elijah's amused looks. "I really appreciate this Eli."

He looked at me, and it wasn't a friendly look. "You should have told me you were staying with Elijah. Why are you staying with him again?"

"My life is complicated, and he isn't. He is letting me stay until I figure out what the hell I'm doing," I said grumpily.

"And the baby?" he asked as he handed me the bottle.

"It's Laurie's. The girl he was having it with dropped it on me. I don't have Laurie's number, or I would have called him."

He sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm glad you called me, Scarlett. I want to help you." I gave the baby the bottle, and he quieted immediately. Eli looked down at him. "He's kind of cute. What's his name?"

"I don't know." I looked down at the baby. She didn't tell me his name, and I wasn't sure if I should name him. It was technically up to Laurie.

He smiled sympathetically as he looked down at him. "Wow, she really didn't want the poor little guy, did she?"

I sighed. "No, she didn't."

Elijah walked into the kitchen. "Good news. I called daddy dearest, but I didn't tell him the happy news. I wanted to see his face when he got here."

I rolled my eyes. Elijah was such a troublemaker. I didn't understand how he had Laurie's number and I didn't. "You need to quit being so helpful." I walked back out toward the living room.

I sat down in front of the carrier and laid the baby back in it. I kind of liked him, even though I didn't have him very long. After a few minutes, there was a knock on the door.

"I got it," Elijah called as he hurried from the kitchen to open the door.

Eli walked in smiling. "He is enjoying himself." He sat down on the couch behind me.

I shook my head. "I know," I said dryly.

Laurie walked in the living room looking confused. Elijah followed looking like he was having fun. Laurie's eyes landed on me, then the baby carrier. "Scarlett, what is going on?"

I slowly got to my feet. "Mara came to see me earlier. She asked me to keep him."

Laurie walked over to the carrier and looked down at the baby. "She just left him here?"

"Yes. Eli was nice enough to get me some supplies. She didn't tell me his name or leave me anything for him." I was watching Laurie. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. He didn't make an attempt to pick him up or even touch him.

"I will find a family that can take him in, I guess. I thought she would care for him," Laurie said absently.

"What?" I was confused and slightly annoyed. I liked the baby, and Laurie just giving him up like it was no big deal annoyed me.

He looked at me like he didn't understand my tone. "I can't take care of him. I don't know a thing about children. I would be doing him a disservice if I tried to raise him on my own."

"That's a ridiculous excuse, and she gave him to me, so he is technically mine," I said haughtily. I wasn't going to give him the baby just for him to turn around and give the baby to someone else.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You want to keep him?"

"We shouldn't have even called you!" I snapped. I picked up the carrier and carried the baby out of the living room. I was furious with Laurie. He acted like such a heartless ass sometimes. I carried the baby upstairs to my room.

Eli walked into my room a few minutes later with all the supplies he brought. "You sure you want him. A baby is a lot of responsibility."

I scoffed. "Everyone is trying to get me to have one. I might as well practice."

He smiled as he flopped down on the bed. "He is kind of cute." He peered over the edge of the bed at him.

"I have to get him a crib, I guess." I sat down on the floor next to the carrier. The baby's eyes were closed, and he looked like he was sleeping soundly.

"What are you going to name him?" he asked watching me.

I sighed. "I don't know. How about Jacob?" I ran my finger over the baby's chubby cheek.

Eli smiled. "I like that."

There was a knock on the door, and Laurie stepped into my room. He looked from me to Eli. "Can we have a few minutes alone?" Laurie asked Eli. I was surprised his tone was so calm and unthreatened.

Eli nodded. "I'll go catch up with Elijah. Call me if you need me, Scarlett," Eli winked at me as he walked out.

I made it a point not to look at Laurie. I was actually incredibly angry with him. I focused on Jacob instead.

He sat down next to me. "Look, I know you are mad at me, but you at least have to understand where I am coming from."

I glared at him. "What if I decided to have your baby, then I died after it was born. I guess I should expect you to send it off to some strangers, right?"

"No, it isn't the same. I didn't care about Mara like I care about you," he said softly.

"It isn't about Mara, it is about Jacob," I said impatiently. I decided to ignore the fact that he just said he cared about me.

His eyes glittered with amusement. "Jacob?"

"Yes, that is his name." I turned my attention back to the sleeping baby.

Laurie brushed a stray strand of my hair behind my ear. "I think you will make a great mother. He is lucky to have you," he whispered.

I looked at him. I was trying to be angry, but he was making it impossible. His purple eyes were mesmerizing. It was hard not to fall into a trance as I looked into them. He moved forward and pressed his lips to mine. I considered pulling away, but I was tired of fighting it. Everyone seemed to think I belonged with him ... maybe I did, and I just had to quit fighting it. I deepened the kiss as I moved forward into his arms. I tangled my fingers in his hair as his hands grasped my ass. I felt his cock harden underneath me. His erection pressed against my thigh making me gasp. His mouth went to my neck. I closed my eyes letting the feel of his mouth on my sensitive skin take over.

The sound of small cries broke the silence. Laurie froze, and I opened my eyes and looked down at Jacob. His eyes were open, and he was squirming. I realized what we were doing, and I quickly moved out of Laurie's lap. I felt my cheeks redden. "Sorry," I muttered. "I think he needs to be changed."

"Of course," Laurie said looking a little out of it. The situation was a little awkward now. He got to his feet, while I found a diaper and wipes. "I am going to get you a proper crib and more supplies."

I forced a smile. "That would be great." I wasn't entirely sure what I was thinking kissing him like that. I was beginning to think I completely lost my mind.

He left, and I focused on changing Jacob. My mind kept wandering back to the kiss. I tried to quit thinking about it, but it was impossible. I removed Jacob's diaper and hesitated. He didn't have the right parts ... Jacob was a girl. I didn't even think to check. Laurie told me Mara was having a boy, so that was what I assumed. I quickly put the diaper on the baby. If Mara had a girl that meant I was no longer obligated to have a girl. I was a little excited about it, but then I thought about it. She was going to be obligated to her people her entire life. I was sure Erik or even Laurie would betroth her before she even turned one. The thought angered me. I picked her up, and she looked up at me with her big, purple eyes. I didn't know what to do now. I didn't want to tell them the baby was a girl. She would have a terrible life ... at least I thought she would. I only knew the Fae a short time, and I was miserable because they made me feel obligated to fulfill my role as they saw fit.

Eli came in, and I looked up at him. "Is something wrong?" he asked sounding slightly worried.

I shook my head and got to my feet. "Nope, I was just changing him." I didn't know why I was calling her a him. I wasn't even sure I should tell Eli. Werewolves couldn't keep secrets. Everything just got a lot more complicated.

"Well, I'm going to head out. Do you need anything before I go?" He looked like he didn't believe me.

I shook my head and forced a smile. "I'm fine. I'll call if I need you."

He smiled. "Okay."

"I will walk you down." I walked toward the door. I was considering talking to Elijah. I doubted he would tell anyone if I asked him not to, and he might have some advice to offer.

Eli and I walked down the stairs. I walked him to the door, and he left. I felt a little bad that I didn't tell him. I trusted him; I just wasn't sure what would happen if anyone found out. I was sure someone would come after her like they came after me.

"Having fun playing house yet?" Elijah asked amused. He was standing on the landing of the second floor looking down at me.

"I have a problem," I said looking up at him.

"Let me guess you realized you are far too young to be tied down by that thing, and you want my help getting rid of it," he said playfully.

I pursed my lips and scowled at him. "No, I don't want to get rid of the baby. I changed the baby's diaper, and I found something I wasn't expecting."

His expression went blank. "I don't want to know."

I rolled my eyes. "Jacob is a girl," I said ignoring his request.

He laughed. "That is funny. You named a girl, Jacob. You really should check those things."

"Laurie said Mara was having a boy, and that was why he needed me, but this is a girl," I said watching him.

"Well then, all your problems are solved. Laurie has his girl, and you can have your life back," he said like it would be simple. I didn't speak immediately, and he raised his eyebrows. "Or by the looks of your face this isn't a good thing. What now? Do you have a thing for Laurie?"

"No, but I feel like I will be condemning her to a terrible life if I tell them she is a girl. Look at what they've done to me. Imagine what she will go through," I said worried.

He sighed. "That isn't your problem."

"Mara gave her to me for a reason. She could have run to Laurie after she had a girl, and they could've lived happily ever after, but she didn't. She gave the baby to me and she ran. She knew what was coming, and I think she knew I would find a way to stop it," I said firmly.

He groaned in annoyance as he started down the stairs. "Scarlett, you wanted a way out, and now you have one. Give them the baby and move on."

"Even if I do give them the baby and they tell everyone, that doesn't mean I'm safe. Christopher may still come after me. I would still technically not be off the hook," I argued.

"What are you going to do raise her as a boy? That will only work for so long, love. I am not a doctor, but I am pretty sure there is a difference in the male and female anatomy," he said sarcastically.

"You are no help. I told you because I trust you not to tell anyone. I don't know what I'm going to do yet. I know I'm not going to tell Laurie or Erik," I said defiantly. I went to walk toward the garden, and Elijah appeared in front of me.

"I will keep your secret, but you have to make a decision. Give yourself up or give the baby up. I would much rather see you give the baby up," he said gently.

"She can't defend herself, but I can. This isn't fair, Elijah. I can't just let them make her do what they want. When she gets old enough, if she wants to help them, then she can." I was furious, but I was trying to control my anger.

He crossed his arms as he watched me with his usual amused look. "Tell me how you plan on raising her if no one can know she is a girl."

I opened my mouth to speak, but I didn't know what to say, so I closed it again and looked down at the baby in my arms. I hadn't thought of that yet. There wasn't much I could do other than run. If I just left with her, then I could raise her as a girl, but I was sure I would have to continually move. I didn't see Erik or Laurie giving up that easily.

"Perhaps you are not giving Laurie enough credit. I believe he cares for you, and he will listen," he said quietly.

I shook my head. "He's bent on keeping the Fae safe. He blames himself for letting all the females disappear in the first place. What is one baby to him?"

"One female baby. She is what he was working for. I highly doubt she will have such a terrible life," Elijah said skeptically.

In a way, I knew he was right. I couldn't see Laurie hurting her, but he and Erik even said my children would be obligated to their people. They would be paired before they were old enough to crawl like I was. I fought it because I wasn't raised believing it was my place. If she was raised believing it was her place, then she would do what she was told. "I don't know what to do." I walked past him, continuing out into the garden. The fresh air made me feel a little better but not much. I was surprised Elijah didn't attempt to follow me.

I sat down on the bench in front of the pond. The baby cooed in my arms. I looked down at her. She was so pretty. She looked just like Laurie. I didn't understand how Laurie could so quickly dismiss her when he thought she was a boy.

"I heard Mara's baby was born," a female voice said from behind me. Her voice made my skin crawl. I quickly stood and turned to face Joanna. I really didn't like that woman.

"What are you doing here?" I asked breathlessly. I was trying to remain calm, but she rubbed me the wrong way.

She smiled. "What did you name it?" she asked casually disregarding my question.

"Jacob," I said watching her.

She laughed like she didn't believe me. "Come now, darling. That isn't the proper name for a little girl."

"It isn't a girl," I said firmly.

She sighed. "I know better. Now hand her here." She held out her arms.

I watched her like she lost her mind. "No."

"I have nothing against you, Scarlett, but I want that child, and I will do whatever it takes to get her," she said darkly.

"Why do you want her?" I asked keeping my tone even. I wasn't about to show her any fear. I wasn't afraid of her. I knew she was a witch, and they could be dangerous, but I wasn't giving the baby up that easily.

She smiled. "You obviously have no idea what one would pay for a living Fae female. You, of course, would fetch a pretty penny, but it would be far less because of your age. The little one can be molded into whatever anyone likes."

She obviously wasn't coming after me because she knew I would fight till the end. I planned to do the same for the baby. I wasn't about to hand her over to be sold to the highest bidder. "Go to hell."

She sighed, then muttered something. A severe pain shot through my chest, and I collapsed gasping for air. I coughed, and blood ran from my mouth. I refused to let the baby go. She walked over to me and knelt down. She moved to take the baby from me. "No!" I screamed and swung at her.

I hit her across the jaw knocking her backwards. The pain eased, and I darted into the woods. I did my best to shield the baby as I ran deeper into the woods. I wasn't entirely sure if she was going to follow me or not. My chest was burning. I felt like I could barely breathe, but I pushed myself to keep running. I had to get to someone who could protect her.

I made it to a clearing and Laurie's house stood not far from me. I didn't realize I was so close to his house. I walked quickly toward the house. I had blood covering me, and I was still bleeding from my mouth. I didn't know what she did to me, but I had a feeling I wasn't going to last much longer. Relief washed over me when Laurie walked out of the house. He was walking toward his car.

"Laurie," I called to him, even trying to call his name made my chest hurt more. I collapsed to my knees, but I kept hold of the baby.

He looked up at the sound of my voice. Fear crossed his face, and he hurried over to me. "Scarlett, what the hell is going on?"

"Take her," I whispered pushing the bay into his arms. "It's a girl, Laurie. Joanna is trying to take her. She did something to me I can't go any further. You have to get her out of here."

"I'm not leaving you," he said worried as he tried to help me up.

I pushed him away. "Go damn it! That's the girl you wanted. She's alive, and you have to keep her safe! Joanna is coming and she's strong. She's going to take her! Go!" I yelled angrily as I pushed him again.

Severe pain in my chest made me cry out. Blood poured from my mouth. I felt like my chest was being torn apart. I knew Joanna was getting closer.

"Damn it," Laurie muttered panicked. "I will be back for you." He hurried toward his car. Once the car sped away, I felt better. I collapsed in the soft grass. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I knew I was going to die long before Laurie got back if Joanna didn't remove whatever curse she put on me.

Joanna sighed as she walked over to me and looked down at me. "Where is the baby?"

"Gone," I said haughtily.

She moved her hand, and I screamed in agony. It felt like she had her hand wrapped around my heart, and she was squeezing. "She is worth more alive," a familiar male voice said from behind her.

I opened my eyes, and Erik was looking down at me. He was standing next to Joanna like they were close friends. "She is a pain in my ass," Joanna growled.

"Laurie has the baby. He called me. I will get her from him. You find a buyer for Scarlett," Erik said softly, then he walked off, back toward the house.

I wanted to yell and scream at Erik, but I could barely get a breath. I was helpless. He was going to trick Laurie into giving him the baby. I didn't understand why he was doing it. He claimed he was my father, and he was telling Joanna to find someone to sell me to. It made no sense.

Joanna giggled at my apparent horror. "Come on, Scarlett ... you really don't know your people. You can't really expect too much out of them." She muttered something and everything went black.

# Chapter 21

I woke up panicked. I was in a dark, cold room. There were metal cuffs on my wrists. I felt around, and all I could feel was cold stone. I was trying not to panic. Tears streamed down my cheeks. All that had happened came rushing back to me. Fear gripped me when I thought about Laurie and the baby. I wondered if Erik got her.

The sound of voices made me shrink back against the wall. "She is worth more than that," Erik's cold voice said impatiently. "She can bear children."

"Then I will tell him to double it. I'm sure he will. Have you found the baby yet?" Joanna asked impatiently.

"No, Laurie is smart. He somehow figured out I was involved. He is hiding, and it will be nearly impossible to find him," Erik said darkly.

Joanna scoffed. "Scarlett is such a stupid girl. She gave everything up for an infant that isn't even hers. She obviously didn't get many traits from you."

"Scarlett was a mistake. She has dirty blood, and I barely like calling her my child. Hopefully this buyer will find a use for her. She is so stubborn. I doubt he will like her, but all sales are final," he said amused.

"He has agreed to double," another male voice said.

"Good, let's take her now," Joanne said happily. The door scraped open, and the light from the hall blinded me. I tried to shield myself, but I was quickly yanked to my feet. Two men I didn't know dragged me out of the small room. Joanna and Erik led, and they followed.

I was in Erik's house by the looks of things. We were just down in the basement where I had never been before. There was a limo waiting outside. Joanna and Erik climbed in, then I was forced in the car by the two guards. They both sat on each side of me.

I glared at Erik and Joanna. "Why are you doing this?"

"It is simply business darling," Erik said casually.

I moved to hit him, but the two guards held me in place. I would've given anything to knock the smug look off his face.

"Oh, don't be so aggressive. Your new master might not like that," Joanna chided.

I glared at her, but I didn't immediately speak. She looked as smug as he did. "You may have me, but you will never get to Laurie or the baby," I said haughtily.

"I will find him eventually," Erik said confidently.

I laughed. "Not with the help of your incompetent partner here. She nearly had the baby, but all it took was one punch to knock her over."

Joanna glared at me, and I felt my chest start to burn again. "Enough! Joanna. If you kill her, she is worth nothing. She can gloat all she likes. We will see how much she is gloating when we hand her over to Christopher." Erik smiled like he knew he hit a nerve.

I was suddenly terrified. I knew Christopher was evil. I saw and felt what he could do with his gift. He nearly killed Laurie. I knew he wouldn't hesitate to torture me if given the chance.

The car stopped, and Joanna smiled. "Oh good, we are here." She opened the car door.

My stomach was in knots. I knew if Christopher got a hold of me, I would end up dying at his hand. There was no way I was going to do what he wanted. I was too stubborn for that.

"Shall we?" Eric asked amused as he climbed out of the car.

One of the guards pushed me forward, and I attempted to fight, but he was too strong. I was going to get out of the car whether I wanted to or not.

Book 2 in The Dark Fae Series is now available on all platforms! For updates on this and other series follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ellaprice.ella

