Blood And Breath

9

“The bed is not a problem, merely a surprise. I had assumed I would appreciate returning to the comforts of civilization. Still, I have slept on the ground for so long that I find the firm footing more comfortable than any bed. I don’t understand most of what I see when I go out, but otherwise, there have been no issues. Please, stop worrying.” “I’ll try, but it’s not easy. I brought a few things for you.” She stood and hurried over to the loaded suitcase we had brought with us and lifted it easily onto the bed. Even though Becca was now Fae, she seemed like any other human such that I forgot our differences until she exhibited her superior strength or magical abilities. The stuffed luggage popped open the moment it was unzipped, and Fen’s face looked stricken at the mountain of items packed inside. “What in the seven hells is all of that?” “I brought some clothes and supplies for you, including a phone. We don’t have to go over it yet, but eventually, you need to be able to work one.” She set an old smartphone on the bed and turned back to Fen. “I’ll let you go through this stuff later. I thought we could do breakfast in the morning and then shop for anything else you might still need and get some more groceries. Cat and I haven’t checked in yet, and it’s getting late. Are you ready to settle in, Cat?” Rebecca asked with her attention now directed at me. I swiftly rose to my feet, despite my urgent desire to stay right where I was. “Of course.” My eyes returned to where Fen still stood, staring at the luggage. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you.” Heat rose in my cheeks, and I was sure they had flooded with color. Fen turned back to look at me, his eyes tightened almost imperceptibly, but his features were otherwise unreadable. I had no clue what he was thinking, which made me even more selfconscious. Fortunately, Becca came to my rescue when she grabbed my hand to pull me toward the door. “Okay, we’ll see you in the morning, Fen.” I glanced behind me to where he stood, and again, my eyes became ensnared in his gaze. When he opened his mouth to speak, I nearly lost my footing as his words sent me reeling. “I regret my actions, Cat. I hope I have not harmed you.” His softly spoken words feathered over my skin, enveloping me in warmth. “I’m fine,” I said in a rush, hurrying after Becca to escape the suddenly stifling tension building in the air. Becca tugged me behind her, waiting until we were at the front desk to speak. “I’m so sorry, Cat. I had no idea that would happen.” “It’s okay, really. I’m sure it’s not easy adapting like he’s had to do.” Outwardly, the man was contradictory in every way. I could only imagine what a mix of emotions he was on the inside. “That’s why I’ve been so worried about him. I’m glad I was able to bring him here, but it’s a big change. Between him and everything going on at home, my nerves are shot.” “I can only imagine. Let’s get checked in, then we can find something mindless on the television to watch.” I smiled to reassure her. “God, that sounds divine.” We got settled in our room and watched a couple of programs before turning out the lights, both of us quieter than usual. Becca had any number of reasons to be distracted, but my attention was singularly focused on one thing. One man. Was Fen asleep on the floor in his room? Did he at least use the pillows and blankets? How harsh had his living conditions been that he hadn’t had any sort of bed? Questions drifted across my mind like minnows flitting across the surface of a pond. All the while, a penetrating set of obsidian eyes had been imprinted in my mind’s eye as though he were still there watching me. Assessing me. It took ages to go to sleep. When Becca’s alarm went off the following morning, I audibly groaned. The memories from the night before filtered back to me, injecting me with adrenaline. I was dressed in record time at the prospect of seeing Fenodree again. I wasn’t sure why. He hadn’t seemed overly fond of me. He could have killed me, to be sure, but my fascination overrode all logic. I was endlessly curious how a second encounter might go. What I received wasn’t as satisfying as I’d expected. I hadn’t even been sure what I expected, but it wasn’t to be almost ignored. All through breakfast, it was like I wasn’t there. I never caught him looking at me once, though I stared unabashedly. Soaking up his every response to the new world around him. His grimace after his first sip of coffee, or the way his eyes widened when we walked into a shoe store. Seeing things through his eyes gave me a fresh appreciation of all the little splendors around us. Rebecca, on the other hand, checked her phone religiously. She was clearly distracted, and her unease was infectious. “Bec, we can head back anytime. I know you’re anxious to check on Ashley and everything going on back home,” I offered as time drew on. “I didn’t mean to rush us. I’m just so worried about her. And I don’t want to leave too quickly because I don’t know when I’ll be able to get back here.” “You know I’m happy to return to Strabane for you.” As I said the words, I could finally feel the heavy weight of Fenodree’s stare prickling the back of my neck. Her eyes glanced over my shoulder at Fen before settling back on me. “That would be a huge help.” She stepped back to include Fen in our conversation. “I know you can take care of yourself, Fen, but I refuse to drop you here and abandon you.” “How would I survive in this treacherous landscape without you?” he quipped wryly. I fought a smile at his jab of dry humor. “Yeah, yeah. I get that you’re Mr. Survival Man, but that won’t stop me from worrying or coming out here to check on you. One of these days, you’ll need to leave Ireland, but I don’t think that’s a good idea until you’re more adjusted to human culture, and we figure out a way for you to make a living.” A hint of panic stirred in my belly. Leave Ireland? It made sense if he needed to stay hidden, so why did my gut churn at the thought? Surely, I was just uneasy about sending someone so green off into the world. There was no question he needed more time to learn and adapt. That was it, I told myself as I struggled to swallow the lump in my throat. Becca began to riffle through the contents of her purse before pulling out a card. “Fen, this is my business card—it has the museum's name with my phone number and address on it. If you need to find me, use this, but only if it’s an emergency. Guin has her people watching us, and I don’t want them spotting you and asking questions. We didn’t get to go over how to use the phone yet, but one of us will do that on our next visit.” She handed over the card, and he slipped it into his back jeans’ pocket.