Call to Arms (War of the Fae: Book 2) (32 page)

I shuddered.
 
“Yeah, but ripping a hole in the bag makes it come out even more.
 
So why didn’t Valentine just rip Chase’s
throat
open?”

“Ah ... the key is that you can’t
kill
the host.
 
The sexual and life energy disappears with the host’s spirit as soon as it leaves this world – so, like, when the host dies.
 
So you have to make sure they stay alive.
 
And not just a little alive ... a
lot
alive.
 
Of course, sucking too much of their energy can also kill them so ...
”
 
He
shrugged.

“So what you’re saying is ... this isn’t a perfect science – this incubus sexy energy sucking thing.”

“No.
 
Not at all.
 
And the hardest part is learning to control it.
 
I’m going to need a
lot
of practice ...
”
 
He
sidled up closer to me, putting his hands softly on my shoulders, squeezing them ever so slightly.

I couldn’t believe our super nice, guitar playing, pizza-providing friend, Spike, was a skin piercing sex energy life sucker.
 
It didn’t fit his personality – but I had to admit, it definitely suited his look.
 
He was hot, hot – incubus hot – through and through.
 
I shrugged his hands off my shoulders and stepped to the side.
 
The heat that had started to rise up in me made me feel disconcerted.

“All of the fae become something similar to their fae selves in the Underworld.
 
Even you,” he said, the hint of the devil in his eyes.

“Me?
 
Seriously?
 
I wonder what I become,” I thought out loud.
 
I’d have to remember to ask Gregale that question.

“Well, that doesn’t seem right,” said Becky, miffed.

“What?”

“Well, you go to the Underworld and you get to be some other creature.
 
An immortal one this time.
 
And you go to the Overworld and get to be what?
 
Nothing?
 
A memory?
 
I don’t want to just disappear when I die.
 
Even if it is a really long time from now.”

“Valentine said we become something in the Overworld too, but not vampires.
 
Some kind of angel or something like that.”

I nodded my head.
 
Now this stuff was starting to make some sense.
 
Well, as much sense as supernatural shit could make.
 
“So vampires are real.
 
What about zombies?”

“Yep.”

“No fucking way!” I yelled.
 
“That is
so
freaky!”

“I know, right?” agreed Spike.

“Man, oh man, did I live a sheltered life before I came here,” said Finn, shaking his head.
 
“Sometimes I wish I could get it back though, ya know?
 
I mean, there is such a thing as too much information at some point.”

We all went quiet thinking about that.
 
It reminded me of Tony.

“Hey, I heard from Tony.”

Becky perked up instantly.
 
“Cool!
 
How is he?”

I sighed.
 
“He’s okay, I guess.
 
He kinda told me to back off and give him some space, though.”

Becky’s face fell.
 
“Oh, Jayne, I’m
so
sorry.”
 
She stood up from Spike’s bed and came over to rub my upper arm.

I shrugged, looking down at the ground and not in her eyes; I didn’t want to see the pity there and start crying.
 
Tim came over and landed on my shoulder.
 
I felt him sit down and stop moving his wings.
 
“It’s for the best,” I admitted.
 
“I can’t go back there and he can’t come ... here.”
 
My voice caught on the last word.
 
I had to stop talking so I didn’t embarrass myself.

Becky grabbed me in a tight hug and Tim launched himself up to fly above our heads.
 
I could hear the buzzing of his wings as they beat furiously to keep him alight.

I squeezed her back and then stepped away.
 
“So anyhow, I’m gonna give him some space and just focus on figuring this fae stuff out.
 
Then maybe after a while I’ll be able to get back in touch with him and not be so emotional about it.”

Finn looked over, sympathy for me in his eyes.
 
“Well, I hear ya, Jayne.
 
Our worlds don’t mix so
good
, I guess.
 
But don’t you get too bummed out about it.
 
He’s a good guy.
 
I know he don’t
wanna
be totally without you.
 
He probably just needs a little time.
 
He’ll be
alright
.
 
At least he ain’t here fixin’ to get into a war.”

“Yeah, there is that.”

Spike came over and rubbed my back.
 
This time it wasn’t the sexy kind of back rub.
 
He was just being a friend, which is totally what I needed right now.
 

“I know we’re no substitute, but you’ve got us too, don’t forget.”

I smiled at him and then the others.
 
“No, I won’t forget.”

Tim zoomed down from above us and hovered in front of my face, doing a spin in midair.
 

“Yes, and I have Tim too.”

“Tim the badass pixie,” said Finn, a smile in his voice.

Tim looked at him suspiciously but then smiled.
 
His natural exuberance couldn’t be smothered.
 
Not even by Finn’s teasing.

“Well, I’m tired,” I said, yawning.
 
“I’m going to bed.
 
‘Night guys.”
 
I had no idea what time it was.
 
I wanted to go visit Chase before I went to bed too – alone, or at least without a bunch of fae with me.
 
Tim would be okay, though.
 
I wanted him to meet Chase anyway.

Once we were out in the hallway, I explained to Tim where we were going.
 
Anyone who happened to walk past us would probably have thought I was crazy, talking to myself, because Tim had once again taken up residence in my hair.

We arrived at the infirmary in no time since it was close to Spike’s room.
 
I made my way down the center aisle to Chase’s bed, and once there, sat on the edge of his bed, looking down at him.
 

Tim came out of hiding, first hovering above Chase’s head and then lowering himself until he was standing on Chase’s pillow next to his face.

“This is Chase.” I explained.
 
“He took a spelled arrow meant for me in the back, so he’s my hero.
 
They don’t know what the spell was though, so they can’t help him yet.”

Tim marched over until he was standing next to Chase’s right cheek.
 
He leaned on Chase’s face, trying to look closer at his eyes.
 
He flew up, landing on Chase’s forehead and getting down on his knees.
 
I watched as he leaned down and grabbed two pixie hands full of Chase’s eyelashes, pulling on them for all he was worth.

“What the hell are you doing, you little freak?
 
Trying to turn his eyelids inside out?”
 
I reached over to wave him away.
 
“That is some seriously messed up shit, you know?
 
The guy is helpless.”

Tim dropped Chase’s eyelashes, putting his hands on his hips in frustration.

“What?”
 
He was obviously losing patience with me, but I didn’t know what for.

He lifted his hand to his own eye, forcing his eyelid up.

“Oh.
 
Duh.
 
You want to look in his eyes?
 
Well, why didn’t you just say so?”

I reached down and lifted up Chase’s eyelid.
 
His pupil didn’t respond to the change in light.
 
I was no doctor, but this couldn’t be good.
 

Tim jumped down onto Chase’s cheek, walking over so he could look into Chase’s eyes.
 
Then he flitted over to Chase’s chest and
laid
down on top of it, his ear pressed to Chase’s heart.
 
Last, he flew over to Chase’s hand, working like hell to push it over.
 
I helped him turn Chase’s hand so it was palm side up.
 
Tim put both of his puny hands on Chase’s wrist pulse.

I watched as he cocked his head to the side, concentrating on what he was feeling.
 

Tim flew up to my ear and started chattering.
 
It was totally quiet in the infirmary at this time of night, so it was easy to hear him.

“I know someone who can help him.”

“Who?”

“A witch.”

“Well, who is she?
 
Let’s go get her.”
 
I started to stand.

“No, she’s not here.
 
She’s outside.”

“Outside, where?”

“In the Green Forest.”

“Is she Dark Fae?”
I whispered.

“I don’t know ... what difference does it make?
 
But she lives out there, not down here.”

“Can you bring me to her?”

“Yes, tomorrow.”

“Why not tonight?”

“It’s dark and I’m afraid of the dark.”

“Wuss.”

“Too many things to fly into.
 
Pixies don’t have the best night vision.”

“Okay, tomorrow then.
 
We’re going.
 
I have to do what I can for him.”

Tim took off and buzzed around Chase’s face, coming to rest on his forehead.
 
He bent down and patted Chase near his hairline.
 
It was cute to watch, this pixie reassurance and care for my friend.

“Come on, let’s go to bed.”
 
I looked at Chase as I stood.
 
“Goodnight, Chase.
 
I’ll see you tomorrow.”
 
I hated that he just
laid
there, unable to answer.

We left the infirmary, ignoring the sideways glances I received from the night fae nurse.
 
She probably thought I was
back
there talking to myself the whole time.
 

We got to my room, our room now I guess, and I opened up my dresser drawer to get out a fresh tunic and underwear.
 
I wanted to shower before bed.

“Where are you going?” Tim asked in my ear.

“To take a shower.
 
And you’re not going to watch, perv, so stay here.”

“I need a shower too.”

“Well, you can come take one in the sink if you want, but I don’t have any clean clothes for you.”

He flew to the dresser and stood on the tray, frowning.

A thought popped into my mind.
 
“I can get you some though.
 
Tomorrow.
 
For tonight, you can just stay dirty.
 
Here,” I kept the drawer open.
 
“Sleep in here.
 
I’ll leave it partway open for you.
 
You should be safe and warm in here.”

Tim jumped into my drawer and stood on my folded clothes.
 
The upper half of his body stuck out over the top of the drawer.
 
He put his hands on the wood front, looking out at me.
 
I bent down so we were face to face, trying hard not to smile too much, but it was difficult.
 
He looked so adorable hanging onto the edge of the drawer like that – but I knew he wouldn’t appreciate that type of admiration.
 
He saw himself as the badass that he was, size be damned – not the little, toy-sized fairy boy that my eyes saw.

“See you tomorrow, Tim.”

“Jayne?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for taking me out of the jar.
 
And for believing me.”

“You’re welcome.
 
Thanks for not pixying my friends.
 
Or any of those other assholes.”

He smiled.
 
“You’re welcome.
 
And you know, if you ever change your mind, I can pixie anyone you like.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

I reached up and closed the drawer almost all the way.

I showered and got into my pajamas in record time, getting back to my room in less than ten minutes.
 
I went to my dresser to make sure Tim was okay.
 
I didn’t see him at first, which had my heart beating faster, but then I carefully lifted a tunic up and found him dead asleep underneath, his wings wrapped around his body making him look like he was in a cocoon.
 
I gently laid the tunic back over him and went to bed, thinking about the witch I was going to meet tomorrow who may or may not be able to help my daemon friend, Chase.