Her Fae Prince

The Pub

He stayed right on her heel as they entered the building.

“I meant what I said in the pack house by the way. I won’t give you up easily. I’ll prove that I deserve you, the goddess paired us for a reason.” He leaned in as he followed her talking in her ear as the din of the pub washed over them. It seemed to be a popular place but not overly crowded. Ember looked around choosing to ignore Torin for the time being since she didn’t know how to respond to him. She spotted an empty table by the back wall and headed over to it. The pub was fairly big with a large bar along one side, booths along the front wall and tables dotted throughout. There was a small stage for live music in the corner that looked rarely used and a dart board with a piece missing. Sitting down beside one another so they could both watch the room, Torin stretched back and put his arm around her casually. Ember was about to protest when he spoke.

“It would look strange for people to sit beside one another unless they were there together no? Usually, they would sit across so they could talk to each other. If we pretend to be on a date people won't think it suspicious.” He whispered in her ear making it look like he was flirting. Ember knew he was right and decided to play along. She giggled as if he had said something very funny and he smiled as if sharing a joke. A waitress came up to them, her hair was thrown in a messy bun with strands hanging out haphazardly. She eyed up Torin and smiled at him then winked at Ember.

“What can I get fer the young couple?” She asked as she pulled out her notepad to take their order.

“Um, we are just waiting for a friend he was supposed to meet us here have you seen him? He’s a bigger guy a bit older than us, and probably hasn't shaved in a couple of days, with medium-length brown hair and brown eyes?” Ember smiled up at her innocently. The waitress pursed her lips her face going from friendly to blank.

“If ye want nothin’ te drink, I think it best ye head on out of here. We don’t have room, it’s getting busy and it will only get busier. So order or get out.” She answered in a forced clipped tone, Ember couldn't help the quick worried glance she gave towards the bar. The bartender was watching them.

“We will have a pint and a scotch please,” Torin ordered winking at her. Her smile resumed and she nodded as she pocketed her notepad.

“Right away.” She walked off to get an order from another table who had just sat down, before walking to the bar.

“Perhaps be a little more subtle. I think half the bar knows now we are looking for someone.” Torin’s smile never left his face.

“Are you lecturing me?” Ember plastered a smile on her face as well but raised her eyebrow at him. She was having a very hard time concentrating with his arm around her shoulders. The tingles and warmth coming from him made her think of everything but what she should be, and his smile was very distracting, her lips tingled with the memory of his quick kiss outside. Snap out of it, we have work to do. She scolded herself

“Never, simply making an innocent suggestion.” He bopped her nose with his finger catching her off guard.

“Will you stop being so distracting?” She shook her head and rolled her eyes.

“Am I distracting you?” His smile turned to a sexy smirk that made her heart flutter. “I have already taken note of most of the people in this bar. Two of which have been watching us very carefully since you so loudly mentioned the missing warrior. They are sitting together across the room from us. One has long dark hair in a ponytail the other is dark and brooding with his hair in braids. Keep smiling as if I am the only person in the room.” Ember flushed in embarrassment keeping her smile and looking down, she hoped people would think it was Torin's attention and not the fact that she should know better. Thomas would not be impressed and neither would Mike, their family friend who was a police officer and the one who taught her all she knew about getting answers and solving problems. They couldn't always rely on human authorities when it came to rogues and other supernaturals.

The waitress was back with their drinks and Torin smiled up at her, “please, if you do see our friend let him know where we are, we might not notice him come in.” He barely finished speaking before he turned to Ember and rubbed his nose on her cheek flirtatiously, she blushed as the tingles ran across her skin. She knew what he was doing and tried to giggle like a shy schoolgirl. The waitress rolled her eyes and walked away once again.

“We could have come up with a different story,” Ember told him. “This is embarrassing.”

“Maybe, but I like seeing you blush.” He stayed very close whispering in her ear, she laughed again still playing the love-struck flirt.

“If this is how you like your women then I am sorry to inform you this is not me at all. This simpering girly act just annoys me.” She let her hair fall forward covering her face so she could give him a fierce look. He put his fingers under her chin and tilted her head back up letting her hair fall back once more.

“I like you just the way you are. Your strong independence has appealed to me from the moment we first laid eyes on one another. Most girls would have loved the attention at the ball, but you tried to escape it. It’s refreshing.” Ember’s heart fluttered again and she felt her wolf stir a bit at the contact and his words, she searched his eyes trying to see if he was just trying to tell her what she wanted to hear or if he meant it. His gaze was soft and she could see the emotion behind his words. She let a real smile slide onto her face when she noticed movement from the corner of her eye. It seemed to snap the trance they were in and they both glanced around to see what caught their eye. The man with a ponytail had gotten up and walked out of the bar pulling a cell phone from his pocket. The other stayed where he was keeping an eye on them.

“Should one of us go and try to find out where he went? I have a very strong feeling they know something. We should take them in for questioning.” Ember put her head on his arm as if snuggling in so she could keep her voice low enough for only him to hear, and still see the rest of the room without making it look like she was looking.

“I was thinking the same thing. Do you have a phone? I could pretend to be taking a phone call and go out. You stay here and if the other one goes to leave you can follow him.” Torin rested his chin on her head as he talked keeping up the cuddling couple rouse.

“I do have a phone, but I have better hearing than you do so I’ll be able to eavesdrop on what he’s saying.” Ember jumped as if she was startled and pulled her phone out of her pocket not giving Torin a chance to argue with her reasoning. “Oh excuse me a minute, I’m just going to grab this outside it’s a little noisy in here. Don’t go anywhere.” Ember said loudly and wagged her phone before bringing it to her ear. “Hello? Oh hey, Isla! Give me a second to get somewhere quieter.” She said to the blank phone as Torin gave her a look as if he was annoyed by the distraction.

“Don’t be too long baby, we are supposed to be on a date.” He responded to her and a couple of men at the next table over chuckled. “Women right? Always on the phone.” He shrugged at them making them laugh again and nod in agreement. Torin winked at Ember blowing her a kiss, she blushed and stuck her tongue out at him while she pretended to talk to someone as she made her way through the bar. When she made it outside she looked around trying to see where the man had gone. She thought she might have lost him when she caught a glimpse of him turning down the alley between the pub and the shop next door. Keeping the phone to her ear and making her mouth move as if she was talking, she slowly made her way in the same direction. She turned around a couple of times as if she was pacing while talking. She didn’t know if the other man could see her from the window and she wanted to keep up the show, just in case. Finally, she got to the edge of the building and out of sight and kept quiet seeing if she could hear any talking. Straining her ears and bringing her wolf forward enough to enhance her hearing further she managed to make out a gruff voice.

“Yes sir. Are you sure?” He paused as if listening, and she moved a little closer to the edge of the building trying to make sure she didn't give herself away. “Yes, one pretty she-wolf and I think a fae, sir. They are acting like they are on a date. They seem to be alone. However, they did ask about another wolf, saying he was meant to meet them. But it sounded like one of the ones we caught. So I think they are lying.” Another pause. “Yes, sir.” It was quiet for another moment and she was trying to decide if he was done on the phone.

“What do we have here?” A voice startled Ember, she had been so focused on listening for a conversation that she somehow didn't hear him approach.

“Oh, I was just trying to find a quiet place to make a phone call, but saw here was taken and was just about to leave.” She smiled and fluttered her eyelashes keeping up the silly girl bit she had in the pub.

“Really?” He raised his eyebrow and lunged at her, she dodged but stepped back into the building as he came at her again his face menacing, “I wasn’t supposed to grab you, but now you didn’t give me a choice.” He lunged at her again impossibly fast, and she lashed out with her fist connecting with his face as his hand grabbed at her hair and he knocked her head into the wall. He grinned and pulled her to the side taking her into the alley out of view. His mistake, she finally had room to maneuver. She kicked at his knee making him swear and loosen his grip on her hair, she brought her knee up aiming for his groin but he moved just in time.

“You little b***h, think you can take me on?” He snarled and his eyes glowed red, he was a vampire. That explained his speed and near silence. She reevaluated her situation. She needed to be fast and efficient if she was going to take him down. She needed to bring him in to question him, he had some answers they were looking for. She threw a weak punch toward him hoping it would distract him, it worked, he went to block her punch and she lashed out at his leg with her foot. He swore again as she connected, she reached forward and grabbed his ponytail using it to pull his face down into her knee which came up to meet it. She connected with his nose and heard a loud crunch. She kept hold of his hair and spun him around into a chokehold. Crap he’s a vampire he doesn’t need to breathe, she remembered last minute. He flipped her over his shoulder slamming her into the ground, knocking the breath from her. She had had this move done before because of her light weight most of her opponents thought they could try it. Still out of breath, she brought both her feet up and wrapped them around his waist dragging him down and rolling so she was on top, then she slammed her palm down on his nose once more knocking him unconscious. On a human, it would have been a killing blow but a vampire would heal from it. She wiped her hair out of her eyes before rolling him over and looking for something to tie him with. She took her belt off and wrapped it around his arms pulling them behind his back, then leaned him against the wall of the building in the shadows. She needed to get Torin out here so they could get him back to the truck. It was almost time to meet back up with Caleb and Albwin anyways. She didn’t have too long to wait before the partner came looking for him which brought Torin out hot on his heels. As soon as he saw his buddy tied up on the ground and Ember and Torin on either side he shook his head and jumped, he made it to the roof and took off.

“Damn, we shouldn’t let him go. They’ll know we are on to them.” Torin grimaced, his face conflicted as he looked from Ember to where the vampire disappeared.

“Well, we can’t leave this one here and we shouldn’t split up we don’t know how many more there are. Plus this one already reported us if I overheard right. It just means we need to move faster. Let’s get him back to the truck before he wakes up.” Ember ran her hands through her hair and noticed how tangled it had gotten. She would braid it next time, it was stupid to not be prepared. She looked down and saw she was also covered in dirt. Torin was by Ember in a flash, his hand on the back of her neck as he checked her over for damage, his eyes worried.

“I’m sorry, I should have been the one to come out here.” He tucked her hair behind her ear, his eyes meeting hers once more.

“I am ok, he knocked my head a bit but otherwise I’m fine.” She gave him a reassuring smile and nodded to the vampire. “Let’s get him out of here before the other comes back with more of them.” Torin gave her one last worried look gently running his hand over her cheek, before throwing the unconscious man over his shoulder and they made their way back to the truck. Caleb and Albwin were already there. Caleb’s eyes widened when he saw the two of them approach and he instantly went to Ember grabbing her and inspecting her all over.

“I am fine I promise. Just a little dirty. Let's get him back to the pack so we can find out what he knows.” She said nodding her head towards their captive. Caleb shook his head and glared at Torin instead, noticing he didn’t even have a hair out of place.

“How is it she comes back looking like this and you look like you sat back and watched? What kind of Prince are you? What kind of so-called mate?” Caleb went over and gave him a hard shove. Torin dropped the vampire and turned towards Caleb with his fist raised about to punch back his face a thunderstorm of emotion.

“Do you think I am not already upset about it? I don’t need some mutt telling me I failed.” Torin spat back. They both went to lunge at one another, Ember stepped in between them throwing her arms up.

“ENOUGH!” Ember used her full Alpha power. Torin stopped instantly but his look said he was ready to fight. Caleb stood fighting the alpha command every muscle twitching and the veins in his neck bulged as he glared daggers toward Torin. His nose flared as he breathed heavily, his eyes were shining and his claws had emerged.

“He should have been there to protect you!” He snarled at Torin then turned his face to Ember his look turned to one of hurt and guilt. “I should have been there to protect you, I knew I shouldn’t have let you go with him.”

“Caleb, I am fine. I can take care of myself and it’s not Torin’s fault he wasn’t there. There were two targets for us to watch. It was my fault for getting caught. But we have the guy now. Let’s get him back so we can see what he knows. Now.” She placed her hand on his chest hoping to help calm him down. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as his claws receded, he took her hand and pulled her with him, helping her in the front seat he positioned himself to block her from the others.

“You don’t need to protect him, you don’t even need to accept him. The goddess has made mistakes before. I would have never let any harm come to you.” He told her before wrapping his arms around her waist, with him on the ground and her in the truck his head rested on her stomach.

“Caleb, I am ok honestly. It was an easy fight I just didn’t recognize him as a vampire at first so he got a couple of lucky shots in. I needed the practice anyways.” She tried to joke to lighten the mood as Caleb held her trying to gain back his control. She looked up and caught Torin watching, he stood back with an unreadable expression on his face. Was that hurt or jealousy? Or both?