They left the temple, and a male fairy stayed behind by the name Daystar. Daystar was a beautiful man with a slim frame and wore wrap dashikis. He had stones at the ends of his locs and a feathered earring. His skin was smooth like butter and when we were younger, we called him a peacock because he was colorful. He grabbed Crane’s hand once the coast was clear.
“I can’t keep hiding us,” he said to Crane and Grim gasped.
Crane snatched his hand away from him so quickly, I heard his bone snap. “Sin is missing and I don’t have time for this colorful ass shit!” Crane yelled at Daystar.
“Aren’t you exhausted of laying down with different women to prove to everyone that you’re not different? This is who you are, Crane. I support every thing you do, even when you slept with Blair but I can’t anymore. We can be ourselves in the human world. I go to their clubs and they are free to be themselves,” Daystar pleaded.
Grim chuckled and I slapped his shoulder, but my hand went through it—he was like a real shadow.
Another fairy came back into the temple. “Crane, we need to talk,” she said. She froze when she saw Daystar.
“Crane was a freaky ass nigga,” Grim said.
“Blair dodged a serious bullet,” I replied.
Daystar crossed his arms and jerked his neck. “We’re discussing private matters of Charmden, Sunny. Run along,” Daystar replied, shooing her away.
“For starters, you aren’t a real soldier. You hang around just to watch their junk and firm asses. You are a fairy queen and Crane hates fairy queens,” she said.
“I hate all of you and I wish you all burn to ashes. I’m being cornered with a bunch of bullshit! Get the fuck out of my face before I punish the both of you for interrupting my duties,” Crane replied.
“I’m pregnant,” she said and I gasped.
“Another pointy ear bastard with no fighting skills will be born and then slaughtered. Good for you and now you can leave,” Crane replied and Daystar walked away giggling.
“What did Hex13 do to you? You were never this cold to me,” Sunny replied, on the verge of tears.
“That was before I realized how pathetic you all are now go before I break your wings next!” Crane roared and she ran out of the temple.
He closed the temple doors and then put a tree log latch behind them so nobody could come in. “Eboenia, show yourself!” War said in a low tone.
I stepped out of my hiding spot, walking slow, eyes on him. Even though he was still wearing Crane’s face, I felt the real War underneath—his energy, dark and hungry, pulling me in. His eyes glowed when he saw me, and in a blink, he had me jacked up by my cloak, anger rolling off him in hot waves.
“When I told you to connect with your wand, I didn’t mean let it lead you into a death trap or get in my way. I told you that Hoax ain’t got nothing to do with you and you disobeyed me,” War said. He yanked me closer, so close I could feel his breath on my cheek. My heart was thudding, but I didn’t flinch.
“I came here for you,” I shot back, chin up. “I wanted to be with you.”
His hand stayed on my cloak, fingers flexing like he couldn’t decide if he wanted to shake me or pull me in tighter. “You like making shit hard for me, don’t you?” he growled, his lips almost brushing my ear. “Keep pushing me, Eboenia. You’re going to end up with broken bones and swollen pussy lips,” he said.
A shiver ran down my spine, heat pooling low in my belly. “Maybe that’s what I want. You can always punish and torture me.“
War’s nostrils flared, and for a second I thought he might snap—either my neck or my self-control. Instead, he let go, shoving me back just enough to remind me he could do worse.
Grim stepped out of the shadows. “I told her she was in the way. Did you find him?” Grim asked.
“Hoax ain’t here, nobody has seen him since the night of the ceremony, but I did find out he has a bunker underneath his house and it leads to the secret weapons he’s building,” War answered.
“So, he’s hiding out underneath this temple?” Grim asked.
“This is where their warriors train and Crane’s hideout spot with him and his lover. Can you believe that? This was my home, my chair sat right there,” War pointed to an area that was covered in bones.
“We can rebuild it,” I told him, reaching for his hand. He snatched it away, but not before his thumb dragged slow across my knuckles, sending a jolt through me.
“You know better than to touch another man. If Grim wasn’t here, I’d choke the life out of you. You like it when I do foul things to your body, don’t you?” War growled. I could tell he was aroused—the way his voice dropped, deeper and rougher. It was the same voice he used when he moaned my name, coming inside me.
“Yes, I do,” I answered, no shame in my voice.
“She’s a stalker now, bro. I tried to warn you, and now look at her. Trying to get her back banged out while you’re posing as a Charmden warrior who smashes fairy queens,” Grim said.
