Braxton and I ignored him. I stole a few more bits and pieces from him, and then he finished off my lasagna and pepperoni pizza. We had a routine and there was no point messing with a good thing.
Jacob took away the plates and was back in moments with a tray of desserts. I had my knife and fork in my hands, prepared to use them if necessary. The chocolate cake and ice cream was mine. It felt like the world held its breath just before the tray hit the wooden table, and then it was on. I dived across Braxton, kicking Maximus in the face. Jacob had jumped back. He had the lesser sweet tooth of any of us. The fight was pretty fair right up until the point Tyson’s eyes glowed gold. I leveled a finger in his direction.
“Don’t do it, Tyson Compass.”
Apparently I wasn’t scary enough, because the tray levitated high into the air.
He changed his tune of course as Braxton and Maximus recovered from my surprise attack and also fixed their gazes on him.
“Oh shit,” Tyson said. Although he didn’t really look worried.
“Not your smartest move, wizard.” Braxton was grinning lazily. “Jessa has that look on her face. You’re about to lose an eye.”
In reality, I was judging the distance to the tray, wondering if I could make the jump. Maybe if Maximus gave me a boost. Before I could launch off the chair, though, the plate with the cake and ice cream drifted down to rest in front of me. Tyson winked at me.
“You’ve had a hard night, Jessa babe, the cake’s yours.” The rest of the tray lowered. “And I’d like all of my body parts to stay attached to me.” He ran a hand over his left ear.
“It was an accident,” I protested. “As if I would on purpose cut your ear off.”
A couple of years ago I’d been giving Tyson a haircut when someone burst into the room and startled me. Let’s just say it’s lucky we heal fast and have regenerative properties. Or he’d have been a little lopsided.
The others divided up the remaining desserts and silence prevailed. I finished mine, one delicious bite after another. I was full, but that didn’t stop my head swinging side to side. Maximus and Braxton inched away, large arms curling around their plates in a protective manner. I huffed, leaning forward on my elbows. Another plate appeared in front of me, the caramel baked pecan pie. My second favorite. Braxton didn’t glance in my direction, but I knew it had come from him. I saw Jacob and Tyson exchange grins, but didn’t even want to know what they were thinking. First nutty bite was almost as good as sex.
Damn, I loved food.
Chapter 3
The food had given me a new burst of energy, but not enough that I wanted to explore the forest. Jacob and Tyson were itching to get out and look for the fey kill spot. Jacob especially was taking this death hard. On top of that, they often searched for the prison. I didn’t really understand why the council continued to deny the men their right to view it. In a few short years they would have the responsibility of its protection. Since the council wouldn’t tell them anything, they were determined to find the prison and test its security. Considering we’d been searching on and off for about six months and hadn’t found anything yet, well, its security seemed pretty good to me.
I stretched out on the couch again. Jacob was still musing about the dead fey.
“I don’t understand why they didn’t announce his name.” He paced the floor. “I hate thinking I might be looking for a friend.”
“Maybe they’ll wait until after their investigation to reveal the identity.”
Fey and demi-fey – faeries – used to be separated from the supernatural, living in an alternate dimension of Earth in an undying land. Something happened to their world a few thousand years ago which resulted in masses of them migrating into the human world. They didn’t speak of the event and it was not safe to ask the elders. Naturally they gravitated toward our communities, fitting into the niche of supernatural creatures, though they were really the most alien, never quite adapting to the human world. The faerie lands were still there, but the assumption was that their fading magic and energy were not a fit for inhabitants any longer. Although some diehards persisted in trying to survive there.
“Do you think the fey was from the hidden faerie lands?” I asked Jacob.
He shrugged, pushing back strands of his white-blond hair. “Hard to know when they haven’t given any idea of who it was.” His green eyes looked reflective, like his body was here but his mind not. “I haven’t heard of anyone coming through the portal in many years.”
I flipped open the footrest so I could stretch out. “Well, you four can go out searching, I’m totally fine right here. I’m gonna nap and watch a movie.” It wasn’t late but I felt like relaxing. I wouldn’t call it moping. Wolves do not mope.
The other three looked at Braxton. “She speaks truth. She’s fine with us heading out to patrol.”