Shifters’ Fae Captive by Lacey Carter Andersen

Chapter 5

Onyx

It was never my idea to have a mate. I hate the concept. To need someone. To want someone so much every decision and action is about them, their safety, their happiness. I didn’t want my life to be tied so closely to anyone other than Phantom and Dusk.

I couldn’t stand the thought, and I still can’t stand the thought.

It’s why I wanted to leave her behind, why I wanted nothing to do with her… I hate fae. But even if I could get over my hatred of the people who kidnapped us and forced us to break every code of honor until we were no better than our captives, it’s more than that. No matter what she is, bringing her along brings her closer to the danger, and that’s on us.

I watch her though because she’s stunning. Fair, crystal-eyed, curved. She entices me to watch her with every tilt of her chin, every parting of her lips. I’m enthralled.

It’s the mate-bond. I know it. But it doesn’t make me stop wanting her.

As a captive of the fae, I learned about them, their ways, the darkness they hide behind their light. I shudder as I think of it and the woman turns to me. Her name is Ann, Mary Ann, to be exact, and she’s hiding behind her anger, hiding the real emotion she doesn’t want us to see.

“We should take her back.” I sign the words to Dusk and he shakes his head.

“No!” Phantom mouths the word as he signs. “She belongs here with us.”

“She doesn’t want to be here.” This isn’t a mystery. Her posture, the flare of hope in her eyes, the scent of her desperation all say that she’s looking for a way out, a gap where she can flee.

“She’s our mate.” Phantom signs to me, fast, furious, determined, but her safety can’t be assured, can’t be guaranteed.

“She’s a complication. The fae will be hunting us.” I can’t make them listen to reason.

“They always hunt us.”

“The creatures of the Void will sense her too. As soon as the mate-bond was formed, it was like we put a spotlight on her,” I sign back, feeling even more frustrated.

Phantom gives me that princely look of his and uses his hands to basically tell me it’s already done, so to get over myself.

I sigh. I don’t want to bring it up, but it’s the only way to make them understand the danger. I turn all my attention to Phantom because he carries most of the guilt from our downfall, although we’d all made the same mistake. We’d underestimated an opponent. “Do you remember what happened last time you didn’t listen to me?”

I haven’t heard a word in years, not a sound, not the chirp of a bird, or a siren’s song, or a voice, a gasp, a bird’s whistle. Not so much as a peep. That’s what happened. That was the consequence of not listening to me. And I’m sorry to throw it in his face, but it’s true. When I warned him that something was off, Phantom didn’t listen to me. Any smart person would have walked away then, but I could never walk away from the two men I saw as brothers.

Instead, I stayed close to keep them safe, and when trouble came, I took the blow meant for Phantom, because my death would mean nothing, and his death would destroy everything. And in all this time, I’ve never once used that moment against him.

Until now. Until I’m staring at a beautiful woman who has no idea the hell we’ve brought her into.

“That’s fucking low.”

“I’ll bring her back myself.” I sign in anger. And I will. Because then maybe the gnawing and longing inside of me will stop. I hope. It won’t matter either way anymore because she won’t be here to remind me. We can all move on. In time maybe we’ll even forget her and our mate bond.

Although, I’ve also heard it can go the other way. But only for the weak, which none of us are.

Except if the Void creatures managed to reach her wherever she goes and we have to live knowing we abandoned her. I push the thought away. Yes, they can find her now anywhere she goes, but with her so near danger we’ve certainly made it easier for our enemies.

Phantom glares at me because I’ve brought his guilt to the surface and he doesn’t like to look it in the face. It makes him feel less than he is. We’re warriors and tragedy happens to warriors.

“She’s a light fae.” Although she shows no sign of an ability to hunt. The fact that she’s fae isn’t something we should discount. She’s in danger, and by definition or circumstance, her existence poses a danger to us.

“And we’re shadow beasts. Warriors.” Dusk slashes the air with one arm, as he would if he was holding a saber or a lance. “We can protect her.”

“It isn’t only about her.” I nod in her direction as I finish.

Phantom blows out a sigh. I remember the sound used to be accompanied by something more guttural, something that sounded like it came from his soul. It’s times like these I miss sound.

Also, when I look at Ann and wonder what her voice sounds like. If it’s soft and breathy, raspy with a huskiness that drops men to their knees, or if it’s sharper, shriller with notes of tin and vibrance.

The yearning in my gut strengthens my resolve. She should go. They should be able to see the reason behind my argument. Should be stronger than their need to mate with her. To make her ours. But they’re blinded by desire. It’s a weakness and we can’t afford it. “She needs to go back.”

Dusk shakes his head. “No. She’s ours now. Our mate.”

Phantom rises and kneels down in front of me. “And I forbid it.”

I shove Phantom because he’s in my face, almost nose to nose with me. He stumbles backward.

“Who the fuck are you to forbid me, anything?” Fire burns in my gut and I jerk my thumb toward the cave. “She’s a hindrance.”

“A hindrance to what?”

Hands are flying as they both sign the words at the same time. I chuckle still angry. “Your twin brain, or lack of, is showing.”

“Hey, fuck you, Onyx.” Phantom is first. But Dusk will follow. I’ve pissed them off and telling me so isn’t just a pleasure for them, it’s an obligation.

Dusk glares but doesn’t speak.

I shrug. There’s isn’t much I wouldn’t do for them. Not much I wouldn’t say to appease them. But this time, I’m right. They would see it if they weren’t blinded. “Okay fine. But if you’re thinking at all, it’s with your dicks because she’s beautiful and because you’re tired of being alone.”

“She’s your mate as much as she’s ours.” He punctuates every word with a snarl of his lip and over-exaggerated motions of his hands.

“You keep her and it’s going to be the death of all of us.” I shake my head. “Mark my words.” Then because I can’t look at them anymore, I walk away. I’ll be back, of course, but I need a minute.

For so long all we’ve had is this war. This drive to keep the world safe.

How can I be the only one still focused on that? Mate or not, the world will fall without us. Isn’t that more important than one woman?

I hate that my thoughts whisper, no.