“Those humans are few and far between.”
Darcy’s fern green eyes narrowed. “You know something else. I can see it in your eyes. What aren’t you telling me?”
“The only other ones I know who are no’ affected by the Fae are the females mated to a King.”
“Mated as in…” She trailed off, her eyebrows raised expectantly.
“Married.”
She nodded. “Ah. Well, then. Looks like I need to come up with something myself.”
“You’re against marriage?” Warrick had no idea why the question came out. He waited for her to tell him to mind his own business.
Instead, Darcy reached up and touched one of the dried orange slices, before her eyes skated to him. “Not at all. I just can’t see myself married. It’s not like I could tell just any man what I am. Many would think I’m daft.”
“And the Druids on Skye?”
“So you do know all about me,” she said with a flat look. She sighed loudly. “It’s a rather long story, but to condense it—there’s nothing for me on Skye.”
“It could be the safest place for you.”
Darcy turned so that her back was to the countertop, a hand braced on either side of her. “I left because I didn’t want to be confined. I’m certainly not going to go back knowing that I could never leave that place.”
“Is it no’ better than death?” He might know the basic facts about her, but he was innately curious as to what made her leave Skye—and why she wouldn’t go back.
“Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to die, which is why I want to know all there is about the Dark Fae. So, back to the topic.”
Warrick crossed his arms over his chest. “All they want from humans is sex. They kidnap or lure mortals with the promise of untold pleasures. Once a mortal has sex with a Fae, another mortal could never measure up.”
“So they ruin us for anyone else,” she stated with a twist of her lips. “That sucks.”
“Aye. The Light Fae have banned having sex with humans, but it still happens. When it does, they’re careful to only have sex once.”
“That one time is all it takes, isn’t it?”
“Aye.”
Darcy slumped back against the counter. “That’s good to know, I guess. How can I tell who a Light Fae is?”
“Their beauty. And you’ll recognize the same pull you felt tonight.”
She nodded slowly, as if filing it all in her mind. “And the Dark? I gather they don’t have sex with us just once?”
“They live for evil. Remember that. They can use glamour to disguise their eyes and hair, but there’s no denying the appeal they have. If nothing else, you’ll be able to recognize that.”
“Glamour. Got it.”
The more he spoke, the whiter she became. Her voice and words said she was doing fine, but her demeanor and pallor said otherwise. Warrick almost stopped. Then he remembered why he was there. “Perhaps I should give you time to digest what I’ve told you so far.”
“No, please,” she urged, her gaze beseeching him. “Finish.”
He hesitated for a moment. Then he said, “The Dark take a person and never release them. The females are known to be gentler with the men, prolonging their lives for years. The males have no compunction. For each time a Dark has sex with a mortal, they drain that mortal of their soul.”
“How didn’t I know about them?” Darcy said as she hurriedly walked to the sofa and sank onto it, her head buried in her hands.
Warrick dropped his arms and moved closer to her, though he didn’t get too near—even when his fingers itched to wind a curl around a digit.
She lifted her face and speared him with a look. “Do the Druids know of the Fae?”
“No’ many do. Corann does.”
“Of course he does,” she said tightly.
“I’m sure there are reasons your elder didna tell you about the Fae. We know of them because they tried to take over the realm and we fought them for centuries.”
“Did you lose? Is that why they’re still here?” she asked, her voice pitched higher.
Warrick ran a hand through his hair. “We won, but we allowed the Fae to remain on this realm with the understanding that we protected humans and that they didna try to live here. The Dark were quiet and smart in how they began to take over Ireland.”
“They actually suck out the soul?”
Her face was pinched in fear and worry, sending a peculiar feeling though him that he couldn’t quite name. “The Dark females only take a wee bit at a time. They like the idea of the humans, and want their men to remain that way as long as possible. The Dark males can go through a woman a night.”
“I won’t let them get their hands on me.” She rubbed her palms on her thighs and sat up straight. “Now that I know they’re out there, I can prepare. Right?” she asked.
Warrick studied the Druid for long moments. “You’ve ancient magic from Skye. I doona know if it can deter a Dark forever, but you might be able to find a spell that will give you enough time to get somewhere safe.”