Austin
The hurt in her eyes makes my chest clench, and I throw a mirage over my features to mask the guilt I’m feeling. Jacob and Katie chase after Amanda, Katie throws me a scathing look as she passes by. Grayson chuckles, letting out a loud whistle. I flash to him, my wings press against my skin, threatening to release. I ball Grayson’s shirt in my fist, pulling him to me.
“One word about it, Grayson, just one, and I’ll lay you out!”
“Whoa! Whoa! Relax.”
Elliot grabs my hand, trying to dislodge my vice-like grip. “He’s not going to say anything. Are you Grayson?”
We stare each other down, Grayson is the first to break contact, and I let go dematerializing. Now’s as good a time as any to go to Faery…
My wings spread, and the thick, warm air coats my feathers like a silky blanket. I kick my wings up, making powerful strokes in the sky. A gust of wind ruffles my hair, and the curls tangle in the small undergrowth of feathers lining the peaks. I drop down, letting the crystal grass encase my feet.
Everything is alive in Faery. The wind has a heavy warmth, the grass breathes a sigh, and the trees talk in whispers. Colors are vibrant here. Nothing is dull. It’s a fucking nightmare! A god damn fairy-tale. I prefer earth, it’s muted and raw, but I have to visit my native land at least once a month to keep my powers strong.
A cluster of dark pixies float by tittering of my return. I snap my teeth at them and they scurry away to the coverage of the trees, giggling. They’re annoying little pests that spread rumors and mischief wherever they go. Some think they’re adorable, others call them vermin. I’m in the latter group. Think Tinkerbell, but goth. The light pixies really do look like Tinkerbell, just not wearing green, they usually wear white.
The fae here live in huts where rainbow mushrooms and fruits grow. There are three suns and three moons, it’s never dark here. The sky turns from a coppery Red in the morning to a light lavender in the afternoon and a deep turquoise at night. Yada, yada, yada, No monogamy exists either, it’s all one big cluster fuck, literally. Orgies are as normal as eating an ice cream or brushing one’s hair. The dark fae are a different story. The only light they have on their side comes from us. They live on the outskirts. I’ve heard rumors, but I don’t go there and they don’t come here. It’s a rule followed since the beginning of our race and has never been broken. Only the dark pixies can travel to our side to give and receive messages or bring fruits and water.
I hear fae in the distance and take a quick drink from the lake. The water looks purple reflecting the sky and shimmers when I place it to my lips. Our water has an empowering effect for males, an aphrodisiac for females. I take flight before having to converse with the other fae. I have a reputation here because of my lifestyle. The male fae are leery of me and the females believe I was born light but meant to be dark. Some females lust for me, they find me dangerous, the smart ones steer clear. I don’t mind the later. It’s the females that want danger that are trying. Been there, done that, and it got old fast.
Amanda’s devastated expression flashes behind my lids and I pick up speed, working the dormant muscles in my wings to a burning ache. It helps ease my bout of anger but does nothing for my eternal debate. I’ve never regretted a mission, and the guilty feeling brewing inside me is less than unsettling. She’s right. I could have at least given her a heads up. It’s for the best. I rather her know me as the villain then want something I’m incapable of giving.
I can feel my body eating up the energy only Faery can give. It’s an euphoric feeling leading me to different thoughts of Amanda. Maybe if I had gotten a taste, she’d be out of my system. I had her in the perfect position. Hands secured, head pushed into the bed, that perfect ass in the air, fuck! If I had delved into that wetness? Heaven, pure bliss…
I materialize at Rory’s Play Palace; the women are rough but the drinks are cheap. Wicked Wanda spots me and brings me my usual scotch on the rocks. I give her a slap on the ass in thanks. She smiles sweetly, wagging her brows toward the stage.
“hells yeah! Check her out cowboy, fresh meat. You came on a prime night. If you don’t take a shot at her, I will!”
I chuckle Taking a generous swig of the cooling scotch,
“If your having a go I don’t stand a chance, doll.”
She hands two beers over the counter before throwing a shot back. I like Wanda. She’s a major player like me and Strictly pussy. I’ve tried and failed miserably, that’s how we came to tolerate one another.
“I do love to turn them, you staying for my act or you just pop in for a quick dip.”
I eye the dancers. This is usually my first stop after a trip to Faery. All that power in a short period really gets the juices flowing, but tonight I’m not feeling it. I shoot the drink back and throw a twenty down.
“Sorry, doll, I gotta run, stay classy.”
She chuckles at the joke,
“you know it.”
It’s hard to stay classy in leather booty shorts and star stickers on a set of surgical double d's.
It’s quiet when I return Jacob is up and sitting at the kitchen table, a drink in his hand.
“Austin.”
Here we go. I was hoping to avoid the conversation tonight and I would, if I wasn’t dying to find out what happened with Amanda. I take a seat on the stool across from Jacob.
“You’ve got shit timing to take a stroll.”
I glare at Jacob as he taps his fingers on the glass tumbler.
“Maybe, maybe not. I’ve been wound pretty tight.”
He scoffs looking me over ,
“It’s about to get harder so you better button down. I need you here, I don’t want you taking off again without a heads up.”
I don’t tell him it was either that or I lay Grayson out scaring away our potentially new members. Not a good first impression of a united front.
“You got it, sorry.”
“good. I think your right. We’re not dealing with genetic enhancements. I can sense power from them it’s just untapped and disorganized. Which means they’re not only using animal DNA. They have Fae and succubus for sure, and they’re replicating it somehow. We have to find this operation and shut it down.”
I nod in agreement. The morning I saw Amanda, I knew it wasn’t going to be a cake walk.
“So they’ve expanded? Spread their reach?”
Jacob fiddles with his coin, places it between his fingers as he thinks.
“Maybe or they’ve recruited? I’m not saying they didn’t start with animal DNA Michael is a prime example of that he’s got so many mixes I can’t pinpoint one from the other but between him and Amanda something changed.”
At the mention of Amanda, my heart hammers and I feel antsy all over again.
“you think our side is helping them?”
He smiles brilliantly
“Maybe. I’m not ruling it out. It could be by choice or force, but it would make sense.”
He’s right, it does, but why? Money? Power?
“I never told anyone and what I’m about to say stays between us.”
I look up at Jacob and swallow past a lump in my throat, I’ve never heard him so deadly serious and I have a feeling it’s not good news.
“Over the years there’s been inquiries about our organization.”
He pauses looking at me to see if I’m following I stare blankly afraid of what he’s going to say.
“You five aren’t the only ones who prefer earth to their own world, but you’re the ones who prefer it for the right reasons and that’s why you’re here.”
When I still don’t follow, he sighs, polishing off his drink,
“I’ve rejected many requests for others to join us. Some marked for death in they’re world looking for escape. Some who say they are loyal but have their own agenda and others who I feel aren’t up to task. I believe my actions were warranted and logical, but we may have made some enemy’s.”
And now it makes sense,
“Is that where you go when you disappear? Other worlds?” He gives me a curt nod.
“What are you?”
Jacob pushes his chair back and I know its conversation over. I’ve asked the question time and time again, everyone has, and he never answers. One question still sits on my tongue but I don’t want to inquire and raise suspicion of my feelings so I let it go.
“Austin?”
I snap my head around at Jacob he’s standing at the sink with a peculiar smile if you can call it that.
“In case your wondering, they all decided to stay… Amanda too.”
Relief floods me and my shoulders drop along with some tension as a deep tiredness creeps in.
YOU ARE READING
Taming Amanda (Book 1) Jacob's Broken Mercenaries
Romance3rd place winner for the romance category in the Nova Nexus awards!!! 2024 Amanda has been through a lot these past few weeks. Kidnapping, starvation, abuse, and oh yeah, being experimented on against her will. She's finally home, but things aren't...
