The bitter liquid burned his throat as he swallowed down a mouthful of ale. He couldn't stay with Declan any more. He needed to be alone for a long while to clear his head and while he felt terrible about leaving the prince alone in the woods and terrified that some night horror would gobble him up, he knew that if he went back there he would fall to his knees and accept the prince's declaration of love. And that was something he couldn't do. So he focused his attention on an oddly neat pile of crumbs on the bar top. A warm hand wrapped around his shoulders and a soft breath gently breathed in his ear.
"Hi sweet. You look tired. I know some great tricks to get you to fall asleep," a girl whispered. Crow turned to be met with the sultry eyes of a girl no older than sixteen. Crow gave her a slow, patient smile that he reserved for Maude and Cordelia.
"No thanks, love," Crow said gently. "I'll stay here."
The girl's young face soured and she stomped away. Down the bar, Crow heard a soft chuckle.
"They're a bit ridiculous, aren't they?" A man sitting a few stools away asked. His voice was like silk over silver. Crow turned fully to face the violet eyed man. His bow lips curled into a delicious smile that painfully reminded Crow of Declan's. He was all beauty and sex; pure white curls falling like snow around his narrow shoulders, the dim light of the candles casting dark shadows over his features from his razor sharp cheekbones. Just the sight of him made Crow's stomach twist. "All painted up like little dolls. They're children."
"You have to feel sorry for them," Crow said, thinking about his sisters. The thought of that immediately turned him off.
"Oh sure. However, I'm not their biggest fan. They hate it when I steal their clients," the man moved off of his stool like water to lean against the bar next to Crow, his hand falling down to brush against Crow's leg.
"How do you know I'd want your company?" Crow asked despite the desire beginning to burn in his belly. The man slowly licked his bottom lip.
"Because you're in pain and drinking in a bar, yet you've refused the last three whores that have tried to sink their teeth into you," the man said, lowering his voice an octave. The timber of his voice sent a shiver through Crow's spine. It had been a long time since he was with anyone and, after what happened with Declan in the forest, Crow felt almost desperate for this stranger's attention. But he kept his calm.
"So are you a queer hooker?" Crow asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Something like that."
The man's hauntingly beautiful eyes peered up at him from under hooded lashes and Crow felt a new wave of want. All thoughts of Declan and his drunken kiss and admission were forgotten under that gaze.
"I'm not really into that."
The man dropped his hand onto Crow's leg fully, splaying his long fingers out over the olive green fabric of his trousers and pressing into his skin lightly.
"It doesn't have to be for money. I'd let you fuck me for free to get your beautiful body undressed," the man said and Crow blushed. All of his past relationships had been with angry men hating themselves for their attraction to Crow. They were all teeth and no words, furious fucks in the dark. No one had ever batted their eyelashes at him or rubbed their hand along his thigh like this stranger. The man cocked his head to the side curiously. "What's your name?"
"Erik," Crow said before he could realize what he said, blinking in surprise when he did. The man arched a delicate eyebrow.
"A northern boy. Man after my own heart," he crooned. His hand was inching higher up on Crow's thigh, making him shiver. "I was born much farther north, in Fira. They call me Shade."
