It was definitely not Keane’s crowd. Although Knights are members of the Sidhe—the aristocracy of Faerie—the rest of the Sidhe treat them like glorified servants, and I presumed that held true for sons of Knights, like Keane. The Sidhe, especially the ones who were born in Faerie, still thought racism and classism were socially acceptable. I wasn’t surprised that he wasn’t feeling entirely comfortable here.
To tell you the truth, it didn’t seem much like my crowd, either. I couldn’t help noticing that no one stopped Kimber to talk as she led us to the bar, and I wondered how many of them even knew—or cared—that she was the birthday girl.
I’d found out from my dad that the official drinking age in Avalon was eighteen, but that the law was rarely enforced. The bar at The Deep was ample proof. I spotted a girl sitting at one end of the bar who couldn’t have been more than fourteen or fifteen, drinking a bottle of beer right under the bartender’s nose.
“It’s an open bar,” Kimber said, “so order whatever you want.”
She ordered a martini—the bartender didn’t bat an eyelash—and Keane ordered a beer, but I stuck to Coke. Living with my alcoholic mom took a lot of the appeal out of alcohol for me. Kimber was the only person I’d ever told about what I considered my shameful secret, and I think she understood intuitively why I didn’t order alcohol. Keane was another matter.
“Coke?” he asked me incredulously. “Are you serious?”
I was blushing again, but it was way too dark in the club for anyone to notice. On the one hand, I didn’t want to seem like a baby. On the other hand, I wasn’t much of a conformist. Just because everyone around me was drinking themselves stupid didn’t mean I had to.
“You have a problem with that?” I asked, glaring up at him. My glare got a lot of practice when Keane was around.
“Leave her alone,” Kimber said, startling me by coming to my defense. “She can drink whatever she wants.”
The bartender slapped down a glass of ice with a splash of Coke in it. I picked it up and took a sip, pretending to ignore Keane.
“Quite a party you’ve got here,” Keane said, and even at the decibel level he was shouting, I could hear the disdain in his voice. “You sure they don’t mind breathing the same air as a lowly commoner like me?”
I smacked his shoulder, thinking I should have snuck out on my own. I could have handled the door-under-the-chair trick myself. Of course, that would have meant making my way to the party alone, which was a bad idea (a) because with my sense of direction, I’d have been lost in five minutes flat, and (b) because, hello, people were trying to kill me. Keane might not be a professional bodyguard like Finn, but I’d seen how good a fighter he was, and I trusted him to protect me. I figured sneaking out with him at my side might be a bit reckless, but wasn’t completely moronic like running off by myself would be.
“Could you just try not to be a jerk for maybe fifteen minutes in a row?” I asked him as he swigged his beer.
“It’s all right, Dana,” Kimber said with a smile. “Remember, you’ve told me all about him. I knew not to expect genteel manners.” The smile turned into a smirk very like Keane’s second-favorite expression.
“Wow, you really know how to insult a guy,” he said. I think he was trying to sound bored, but it’s hard to sound bored when you’re shouting over music.
Kimber’s eyes sparkled. “Actually, I do, but I’m trying to be a gracious hostess.”
Keane gave her a patently lewd once-over. She looked absolutely fabulous in a slinky red cocktail dress and strappy heels. Even though he was being deliberately rude about it, I couldn’t help noticing the spark of masculine appreciation in Keane’s eyes. I felt a quick stab of jealousy. He’d given me an approving look when he’d first caught sight of me in my party dress, but nothing compared to how he was looking at Kimber.
I was being a total dork about this. Keane was certainly hot, and he was occasionally a nice guy, but I wasn’t interested in him, not in that way. And Kimber was a full-blooded Fae, so of course she was prettier than me. I had no excuse for being jealous.
“Looks like you’ve got all the graciousness money can buy,” Keane said to Kimber. “I bet that outfit cost more than I make in a year.”
I opened my mouth to tell him to shut up, hoping Kimber would someday forgive me for bringing this asshole to her birthday party, but she’s pretty good at putting on her bitch face when necessary. Apparently, right now she thought it was necessary.
“Are you suggesting that I’m a snob?” she asked with an arch of an eyebrow. He gave her a “well, duh” look, which didn’t seem to faze her in the least. “One of us is acting snobbish right now, but it isn’t me.”
I “accidentally” stepped on Keane’s foot before he could lob another verbal grenade. “Why don’t you sit here at the bar and be broody and superior,” I told him. “Kimber and I are going to the ladies’ room.” It was the one place I could think of going where Keane and his attitude wouldn’t be able to follow. “We’ll be right back. Right, Kimber?”
She laughed and finished her martini in one big gulp. “Right-o!” she said. “Lead the way.”
Keane looked like he was about to object, but I turned away before he had the chance. Kimber took over the lead after a few feet, since I had no idea where the ladies’ room was. The music, the darkness, and the reek of roses combined to make my head throb. Maybe I should have stayed home after all.
The crowd pressed in on us, and I was jostled every other step. Most of the people here were Fae, which meant practically everyone was taller than me and I couldn’t see anything but the people directly beside and in front of me. All those bodies radiated a lot of heat—especially the Fae, whose body temperatures run higher than humans—and I was once again dripping with sweat, my hair plastered to the back of my neck. I didn’t dare look to see if my fancy silk dress showed sweat stains, because I had a feeling I already knew the answer.
Kimber and I finally broke through the crowd and slipped into the ladies’ room. I almost breathed a sigh of relief until I realized the situation had not improved. The ladies’ room was almost as crowded as the rest of the club, and though it was festooned with roses just like everywhere else, it wasn’t the scent of roses that clogged my nose. The air was so thick with smoke you could cut it with a knife.
Kimber gave a little dismayed whimper and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. “This is not the kind of party I had in mind,” she muttered, and I knew it was true. Entitled rich kids are the same everywhere—even if they are Fae—and though Kimber had the money to fit in with that clique, it just wasn’t her style.
Trying not to cough from the smoke—cigarette and other—that filled the air, I slung my backpack off my shoulder and unzipped the front compartment.
“I brought you a present,” I told Kimber, hoping to cheer her up.
Her eyes popped open, and her jaw dropped. “You did?”
“Of course I did.” The invitation had specifically said we weren’t to bring gifts, but I figured that applied to Alistair’s cronies and their kids, not Kimber’s real friends. I pulled out a small, neatly wrapped package and handed it to her. “I hope you like it.”
“I love it already,” she assured me. Her eyes were shiny, and her lower lip quivered dangerously.
“Well, open it,” I urged.
Kimber bit her lip and picked at the tape, unwrapping the little box so carefully she could probably reuse the wrapping paper if she wanted to. She lifted the lid, and then pulled away the fuzzy cotton padding to reveal the contents.
What do you buy for your Fae best friend who you’ve only known a handful of weeks and whose father is rich enough she can mostly buy whatever she wants? I’d agonized over the question for days, poking around on eBay hoping to find something that would leap out at me.
What I’d eventually chosen was a handcrafted glass pendant. It was a gorgeous teal blue Chinese dragon hung on a black satin cord. The color had instantly reminded me of Kimber?
??s eyes, and the dragon had reminded me of her fiery temperament and courage.
Kimber lifted the pendant out of the cotton, and her lip was quivering again. This time, she wasn’t able to prevent a couple of tears from spilling over. I was so glad I’d decided to ignore the no-gifts thing.
“It’s beautiful,” she said breathlessly. “Here, hold this.” She shoved the box and paper at me so she could undo the clasp and put the pendant on. Then she checked it out in the mirror, her hand caressing its sleek curves. It didn’t go with the red dress at all, but she obviously didn’t mind.
For the second time that night, I found myself on the receiving end of an exuberant hug.
“Thank you so much!” she said. She let go of me and brushed away the tears. “This party was a total nightmare until you showed. And this is the best present I’ve ever gotten.”
My throat was feeling a little tight, and my eyes were stinging. But that was probably just from all the smoke. “Happy birthday.”
Her radiant smile made me glad I’d come.
chapter five
We stayed in the ladies’ room for maybe five minutes, tops, before the smoke drove us back out into the club. From where we were standing, I couldn’t see the bar, but I assumed Keane was still waiting there for us. I didn’t much feel like forging my way through the crowd again, but despite what a jerk Keane was being, I didn’t think it was fair to leave him all alone when he didn’t know anyone and clearly felt uncomfortable. He had, after all, made it possible for me to get here in the first place. Besides, he was my bodyguard for the evening, and it would probably be smart to keep my body close enough for him to guard it.
Kimber led the way once more, and I followed in her wake. My head still throbbed, and now I felt a little dizzy on top of it, probably from all that smoke. I almost tripped over my own feet, and I stopped a moment to take a couple of breaths of relatively clean air. And that was when my night went to hell.
In the few seconds I’d paused, the crowd had filled in the gap Kimber had created, and I could no longer see her. I stood on tiptoe to try to find her. A gap opened in the crowd that stood between me and the dance floor. My eyes homed in on someone with blond, shoulder-length hair just like Kimber’s. Only it wasn’t Kimber.
Ethan was out on the dance floor, swaying to the music, while a gorgeous, red-haired Fae girl did a bump and grind all around him. She wore a skimpy, glittery black cocktail dress that clung to her curvy—for a Fae—figure, and Ethan’s tongue was practically hanging out of his mouth as he stared at her. From the way she moved, I’d have guessed she held a side job as a stripper, and she kept finding excuses to brush up against Ethan’s body. He gave her what I could only describe as a bedroom smile, then slipped his arms around her waist.
Now to be fair, I’d told Ethan over and over that we weren’t dating. If we weren’t dating, then it was technically impossible for him to cheat on me. It was therefore totally okay for him to be dirty dancing with someone other than me.
My reasoning couldn’t soothe the hurt that stabbed through me when I saw him out on that dance floor with another girl, a Fae girl, as gorgeous as Kimber, and by the looks of her closer to Ethan’s age than I was. I guess my naïveté was rearing its ugly head once again. I’d somehow let myself imagine that Ethan was chastely pining away for me, desperately hoping that one day he would win me over. What a moron!
Tears stung my eyes as I turned away from the revolting sight and pushed my way through the crowd in what I hoped was the direction of the bar. I’d known Ethan was a player, even before I’d known exactly how he’d played me. He seemed to find me attractive, and he was charming and totally drool-worthy, but although I hardly had boys falling at my feet, I knew better than to get involved with someone like him. At least, I knew better in theory.
I fought the tears fiercely, unwilling to let Ethan have that much power over me. I’d just about gotten my emotions under control—at least enough so I could pretend nothing was wrong—when I reached the bar and got my second helping of bad news.
I had speculated earlier that I would probably see Finn mad before this night was through. Turns out I was right, and it was a sight I could have done without.
He must have seen me coming before I caught sight of him, for he was staring at me with such intensity I could feel it almost like a physical force. His usually bland expression was filled with fury, and he seemed to tower over everyone around him, even Keane, who was about the same height.
Finn had one hand wrapped around Keane’s upper arm, and the wince on Keane’s face said the grip was tight enough to hurt. Keane hung his head like a penitent child, his gaze fixed on the floor. I’d never seen Keane cowed by anything before, but I supposed this was a night for unpleasant firsts. Beside them, Kimber had shrunk back against the bar, her eyes wide, her teeth worrying away at her lower lip.
I was tempted to turn away and plunge back into the crowd. That’s how terrifying the look on Finn’s face was. I’d really, really rather he show that face to the bad guys, not me. But I’d known there would be consequences to sneaking out, and it was time to face them. I swallowed hard and crossed the last few feet separating me from my furious bodyguard.
I expected him to yell at me, or at least give me a heated lecture. Instead, he just fixed me with one more glare, then grabbed my upper arm and started dragging both me and Keane toward the front door. He was scary-looking enough that somehow, the crowd magically made a path for him, everyone scrambling to stay out of his way.
I glanced back over my shoulder at Kimber, thinking I should say good-bye or something, but considering how fast Finn was walking, I’d be out the door before I got the words out. She gave me a worried smile, then held up the pendant and mouthed “thank you.” I still didn’t want to face whatever was going to happen next, but remembering how happy Kimber had been to see me, I couldn’t find it in myself to regret having come. Of course, that might change, depending on just what the consequences turned out to be.
None of us said a word as we made our way back to my safe house. It would have topped off a great evening if we’d run into the Wild Hunt, but despite my dad’s fear that the Erlking was out to get me, there was no sign of him.
Finn continued hauling Keane and me by our arms while we were in the more populated section of the tunnel system. I tried to ignore the curious looks of passersby. When we were away from other people, Finn gave Keane a shove forward, putting him in the lead. He then sandwiched me between them for the rest of the march. He still didn’t say anything, every moment of silence stretching my nerves more and more taut.
I expected the explosion to come as soon as we were safely shut in the guardroom, but Finn wasn’t meeting my expectations that night.
“You,” he said, pinning me with his cold green gaze, “sit down.” He pointed to a chair against the wall. He didn’t raise his voice, but his words had such sharp edges on them he might as well have.
Shoulders hunched, I slunk over to the chair and sat down on the very edge. I had no idea what would happen next, but I knew it wasn’t going to be fun.
Finn turned his gaze to Keane. “You think you’re sufficient defense for a girl the Queens of Faerie have marked for death?” Still he didn’t raise his voice, though the words held a hint of a snarl.
Something kindled in Keane’s eyes. His shoulders straightened, his lip curled, and he met his father’s gaze boldly. Here was the Keane I knew and mostly disliked.
“I may not be a Knight,” he said, “but I’m perfectly capable of defending Dana if I have to.”
My skin prickled with the distinctive sensation of magic being gathered.
“Titania has sent Knights after her before,” Finn told his son. “Put up your shields. Show me how well you can defend against a Knight of Faerie.”
Keane’s confidence visibly wavered.
Finn made a fist and flashed Keane a savage grin. “Put up your shields, or this is going to hurt like hell.”
Keane
rolled his eyes like he thought this was all ridiculous, but I remembered how he’d looked when Finn first spoke. Arrogant as he was, he wasn’t at all sure he could take his father. I suspect that idea made him squirm as much as it did me. I’d told myself I was pretty safe with Keane, but I didn’t feel quite as sure of that now.
Keane moved over to the mats that still lay on the floor from our earlier sparring session, and Finn followed. From Finn’s words and Keane’s attitude, I knew Keane was likely to come out the loser of this fight, but I expected him to at least be able to hold his own for a while. I was wrong.
I thought Keane wiped the floor with me when we sparred, but I didn’t know what wiping the floor with someone really was until Finn showed me. Keane hit the mats so many times you’d have thought he was a rug Finn was trying to beat the dust out of. Each time he got up, he was a little slower than the time before. Magic prickled across my skin as the two of them flung spells at each other, but it was obvious Keane ran out of juice long before Finn did.
The longer the fight went on, the redder Keane’s face got, and I didn’t think it was just from exertion. Every once in a while, he’d glance over at me, and I realized how humiliating this little demonstration in front of me must be. Hell, we usually practiced in the living room because I didn’t want anyone watching while Keane repeatedly handed my butt to me, and I’m not a quarter as arrogant as he is. A couple of times, I opened my mouth to beg Finn to stop, but each time I quickly shut it again, knowing that I’d only make it worse.
Eventually, Keane went down hard and didn’t get up again. He just lay there on his back, panting heavily, sweat pouring off his face, eyes squinched shut in what had to be pain. His shield spells might stop him from getting injured while sparring, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. Not to mention that I think even his shield ran out of juice toward the end, because Finn visibly pulled his punches.
Finn came to stand over Keane, folding his arms over his chest and looking like he could go another thirty minutes without being winded. “This is how you fared against your father, who isn’t about to hurt you. Imagine if I’d been a hostile Knight out to kill you. And that’s not even considering the possibility of going up against the Erlking and the Wild Hunt. Then tell me again that you think you’re capable of protecting Dana as well as a professional.”