Title: Human bound Fae 2/3 [True Blood]

[pairatime]

Previous Part

***Chapter Two

Hoyt pulled off his hardhat and wiped his forehead as he looked at the digging equipment, the broken digging equipment.

“It was just repaired last week. This is the first time it’s been used and you’re telling me it’s already broke?” Hoyt clarified, turning the key and listening as the engine stuttered to life only to putter out again moments later.

“I don’t know what to say, Sir,” Alex told his boss with a grimace at the machine. “We brought it out here and then started it up first thing this morning. It worked fine for about half an hour,” he explained, pointing to the four yard ditch that they had carved out that morning.

Hoyt kicked at the offending machine, making a loud bang, then asking “So it was working, going well. Then what happened?”

“We stopped it to deal with a rock, cleared that out of the way then went back to the digger and well…” Alex finished with a shrug and a frown.

“And that’s when it wouldn’t work,” Hoyt said, nodding. “The same thing happened last time. This ditch is three months behind schedule,” he complained, getting out of the digger, popping open the hood. “Anything obvious?”

“We checked it out as best we could. Ryan’s even a fair hand at engines but he couldn’t see anything, not without really tearing it apart and this ain’t the place for that,” Alex answered his boss, pointing out Ryan before gesturing to the mostly empty forested road side.

“No it’s not, the garage always has to tear it apart to find out what’s wrong,” Hoyt said, dismissing it. “What can you do without it? We are just way too behind...” he asked, walking toward the hill the road crew was trying to dig the ditch through.

“Well, we could work on clearing out the lowland. Make sure that when we do get the ditch done the water has somewhere to go,” Alex suggested as the two reached the top of the small ridge and surveyed the depression that would help keep the roads clear of water during a heavy rain.

“Good, good. That should keep your crew busy the rest of the da--” Hoyt responded, estimating how long clearing out the dead fall and cutting back some of the larger trees would take Alex’s crew while walking through the area, cutting himself off when he saw something moving in the bushes. ”What’s that?”

“What’s what?” Alex asked, looking up from the clipboard he was making his notes on. “You’d think all the wildlife would have got scared off by the racket we were making earlier,” he added, giving the area a once over.

Hoyt gave the bush another, just enough to see a furry tail and a blue butterfly like wing flashing between the leaves and branches. “What the hell…Alex why don’t you tell the guys you’re all on lunch early,” he ordered, waving back toward the road.

“You sure?” Alex asked, grinning at the nod he got from a distracted Hoyt. “Sure thing Boss,” he added wasting no time legging it back to the road to share the news with the other men of his crew.

Hoyt waited until Alex was out of sight before taking a closer look at the bush. Once more he was able to just catch the flash of a tail or the flutter of a wing but he could see nothing more beyond glimpse in the corner of his eye, “Hello? Anyone in there?” Hoyt said at last.

“Of course no one is there Hoyt,” Hoyt told himself right after, rolling his eyes as he turned around intent on returning to the road and the road crew.

But he didn’t make it more than a single step.

The bush rustled behind him. Only he didn’t just hear the sound of leaves and twigs moving, there was also a clicking sound almost like that of a chipmunk, only Hoyt was fairly sure it wasn’t a chipmunk.

And he was proven right when he turned around and saw something that clearly wasn’t a chipmunk. It had the tail of one, even the body and face of one mostly. But the light blue butterfly wings and the orange glowing eyes set it apart from any chipmunk Hoyt knew about and it was hovering in front of the bush at about waist height.

“You’re a fairy aren’t you?” he asked the not-chipmunk.

The creature responded with rapid clicking and chatting, whooshing back the forth.

“Hold on, whoa slow down, I don’t speak fairy. I don’t know anything your saying,” Hoyt half yelled holding up his hands.

The creature went quiet and seemed to pout and look sad as he hung in the air before Hoyt.

“But you can understand me can’t you?” Hoyt asked, the answer confirmed when the fae-chipmunk started clicking and chatting again, much slower this time.

“Well I still can’t understand you but…” Hoyt paused and thought for a moment, studying the fae as it seemed to study him until an idea came to him. “How about this, I’ll ask yes or no questions, if it’s no you float this way,” he pointed to his left, “and if he’s yes you go that way,” pointing to the right. “That work?” he asked.

The fae-chipmunk darted to the right before returning to the middle.

“Well, now we’re getting somewhere. Now what to ask. Basics, you are a fairy right?” Hoyt asked, the fae-chipmunk went right again, “Good, the last thing this town needs is something new. Are you a s… Sid-he fairy?”

Hoyt took a step back at the outburst of what was plainly angry chatter that accompanied the flash to the left, “Okay clearly not and you don’t like being called one. You’re Wyldfae when? A Fall one?” he let out a breath as the fae-chipmunk seemed to calm down and drift to the right, staying there.

“Your showing yourself because of this aren’t you?” Hoyt asked, taping the wooden leaf on the upper left of his coat. The Wyldfae reminded on the right.

“You know I’m not a fairy of any type. You get I’m mortal?” Hoyt asked and even on the non-human face he could see just how ridiculous the fae saw his question. “Of course you know I’m mortal. You’re not dumb just because you don’t speak English. I need Jason.”

At the mention of Jason’s name the fae-chipmunk became excited and started chirping and clicking loudly, flying all about.

“Hey, keep it down. I’m not the only mortal around, you know,” Hoyt barked, glancing back toward the road before turning back toward the more subdue but still excited fae. “You want to talk with Jason?” the fae moved to the right. “Can’t you just go talk with him?” moved to the left, “can you leave here?” still on the left. “He needs to come to you,” floating to the right, “I can do that…are you the reason our equipment keeps having trouble?” Hoyt said, asking once last question.

The creature may have stayed in the middle but Hoyt didn’t miss that it suddenly wasn’t looking at him anymore, but was in fact looking everywhere else. “I’ll try and be back with Jas tonight…don’t break anything else until then.” Hoyt told the fae-chipmunk with a half hearted glare.

He was glad the fae-chipmunk floated to the right but now he had to think of how to get the crew moved somewhere else, and away from the fairy.

***

“Why do you enter my waters, Llamhigyn Y Dwr, and with a human form on,” came the low growl, almost like a crocodile, though Diana could not see signs of any crocodile or other creature.

“The false lord has named a Sgiath, Addanc,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr gurgled and croaked as it floated above the marsh lake, its leathery bat wings creating ripples across the water’s surface.

Which was why Diana hadn’t seen Addanc before. For when the spring Wyldfae roared in anger and rage, opening its large crocodile snout and mouth, she realized it had been on the surface and visible the whole time, she had just not seen him.

“He dares. The weakly king dares,” Addanc roared even more, splashing the water with his wide beaver tail as he thrashed in anger. “This will not be born,” it declared.

“No, Addanc, it will not be,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr agreed. “We will stop the Sgiath, split his body and feed his essence to Y Diawl and then the Betrayer will be dealt with. Will you aid me?”

“Yes, Llamhigyn Y Dwr. This world is ours,” Addanc cried out giving the lake another slap. “And none shall take it, be they mortal or Fae,” it stated loudly.

It made Diana’s already cold blood run colder, and made her grin.

***

“You can’t really be holding that against me, it’s not like it was my fault. I had no idea time worked differently there,” Jason defended himself to Andy, trying to get moved to a different shift on the new schedule that started the next month.

“I ended up in a fucking fairy world. Who else should I blame, Stackhouse?” Andy complained, pulling off his Sheriff’s hat, fidgeting with it in his hands, glancing around his office and not looking at his deputy. “Look, Jason, I don’t want to talk about…that place.”

“It’s not that bad, and once the time thing’s under control-“

“Just don’t be late and don’t tell me anything about it, just don’t Stackhouse. Now get out of my office and I’ll think about giving you a day shift next month,” Andy relented just trying to get Jason to leave.

“Really?” Jason asked, surprised. “That’s great. Being able to get up with Hoyt when it’s not my day off would be--“

“Stackhouse!,” Andy barked, cutting through Jason’s rambling. “Out, now,” he ordered, pointing to his office door.

“Right, leaving, right now,” Jason said, heading for the door, turning just before reaching it. “And a Tuesdays, day shift?” he threw out before ducking out the door just in time to miss the something Andy had thrown at him.

Jason ignored the faint sound of Andy cursing him coming from the Sheriff’s office and started heading right toward the front, quickening his pace when he heard Hoyt’s voice drifting down the hall.

“I know he’s not on shift, but his truck is right outside so is he here or not?” Hoyt demanded of Kevin for the third time just as Jason walked into the main lobby of the station.

“I don’t know, I haven’t see-- he is here,” Kevin commented in surprise, seeing Jason.

“Clearly,” Hoyt said, almost snapping but not quite, turning from Kevin toward his man. “Jas, don’t you ever answer your phone?” he questioned, pulling Jason into a hug,

“Damn did it die again?” Jason asked rhetorically, pulling out his phone and pushing the power button only for nothing to happen. “Man, I don’t think it likes going back and forth, it’s just killing the battery on this thing,” he complained, shoving his phone back into his pocket.

“Well, we can deal with that later, we have somewhere to get to right now,” Hoyt told Jason as he started dragging him toward the doors leading to the parking lot and their vehicles.

“Don’t worry, Bubba, it only takes 5 minutes to get to the school and Joshua won’t be out for another 15 at least,” Jason said, trying to relax Hoyt, misunderstanding where Hoyt meant for them to go. “And should you be working? You’re never off in time to pick him up…” he then asked out of curiosity.

“Joshua, right,” Hoyt mumbled, stopping just outside the doors of the station, “We’ll take your truck, pick up Joshua, then head out to the bend in Jefferson road,” Hoyt explained, working it out in his head. “I took the afternoon. There’s something we need to deal with,” he added.

“Something fun? I can make it quick before we pick up Joshua,” Jason said back with a wide and sexy grin.

Hoyt smiled in return. “We’re not making Joshua wait.” He stated cuffing the back of Jason’s head. “Now get into the truck,” he added.

Jason grinned even brighter and did as he was told.

***

“I feel for the mortal,” Tatiana said as she watched Jason and Hoyt sit outside Bon Temp High school for Joshua on the surface of a wide stone well filled to the brim with crystal clear water that glowed from beneath, illuminating not only the images that played across it but also the smooth stone cave it was nestled in.

The image of Jason and Hoyt sitting outside Bon Temp High school while they waited for Joshua played over the surface of a wide stone well filled to the brim with crystal clear water. The waters glowed from beneath, illuminating not only the images that played across it but also the two Sidhe Queens and the smooth stone cave they were all nestled, “I feel for the mortal,” Tatiana said thoughrfully as she watched the image.

“He is mortal, what does he matter,” Mab said in return, glancing at the waters before looking back at her fellow Queen.

“He is a mortal with a caring heart. He would pass a test of kindness should one of my fae have put him to it,” Tatiana explained, shifting the pool to show random moments from Hoyt’s life with a wave of her hand.

It showed him sharing his lunch with another who had none as a child, holding a friend when she needed comfort and turning down her offer of more when she made it as a teen, holding doors for seniors or women, grabbing items off the higher shelves at stores for others when a man. Nothing world changing, just small acts of kindness and respect for others.

“Maybe he would. But he is bonded to the Wyldfae, bound by love. His caring heart is destined to break,” Mab pointed out, staring dispassionately at the image of the two men the well now showed. “His acts of kindness will become acts of contempt, fueled by bitterness and loneliness.”

“Maybe…maybe not. Something could be done,” Tatiana offered, looking over at the Winter Sidhe.

“What could be done? The Wyld One will leave him as the mortal ages and he does not. That is if his restless nature does not drive him to another before then. The mortal’s heart is as good as broken already, and has been for some years,” Mab responded, shifting the water to show a party from Hoyt’s and Jason’s High school years. Jason was laying in the grass passed out from drinking, like most of those around them, while Hoyt balled up his jacket and pushed it under Jason’s head before curling up on the grass about a foot and a half from him, watching the man he would one day call husband sleep with his arms wrapped around the woman he had had sex with moments before. “If it ever wasn’t broken,” she added softly.

“Maybe…maybe not,” Tatiana repeated, studying the image.

***

“Want to finally tell me why we’re heading to the cursed part of Jefferson road there Bubba?” Jason asked as they left the proper part of the town and headed down Jefferson road.

“Cursed? Are we talking witch’s curse or something else?” Joshua cut in from the back seat, sticking his head between the two men in the front of the truck.

“No, it’s not a real curse, it’s just bad luck,” Jason dismissed the idea before going on to explain, “Equipment breaking down, things going missing, working getting delayed all the time. It happens at other sites too.”

“But not for over ten years,” Hoyt countered, “but, no, it’s not really a curse, it’s one of you Wyldfae causing more problems.” He answered, getting to the root of their sudden drive out to the area, just as he pulled to the side of the road where the Road Crew had been working--or trying to--earlier that day.

“Wyldfae? You saw a fae here? That rocks!” Joshua exclaimed, all but jumping from the truck, glancing about.

“We don’t always cause problems,” Jason bemoan softly as he also get out of the truck, a bit slower then Joshua. “Did any of the others see him?” the mortal form Wyldfae asked, speaking a bit louder.

“No, he kept himself out of sight until I was alone. This is the only reason he even showed himself to me.” Hoyt elaborated, tapping the leaf on his chest while looking at the one on Jason’s.

“Then he shouldn’t have a problem showing himself again. So which way?” Jason asked, smiling amusedly at Joshua who was peaking into every bush and under every rock, calling for the Wyldfae like he was calling a dog.

“Right over the hill, right where we planned on putting the runoff drain so the road wouldn’t flood in a heavy rain,” Hoyt told his lover, leading them to the bush the Wyldfae had been hidden in earlier. “Hello again, I brought Jason,” he called out as they neared it.

“Fucking cool.”

Joshua’s shout from behind them shocked the not-chipmunk, which had just started to come out of the bush far enough for Jason and Joshua to see the orange glowing eyes and butterfly wings on the chipmunk body, darting back between the leaves and breaches of the shrub. And getting the teen a couple of looks.

“My bad, didn’t mean to scare it,” Joshua apologized at once, backing up with his hands up. “But did you get a load of it?” he just had to add.

“Come on out buddy. We won’t let the kid scream again,” Jason reassured the other Wyldfae as he knelt near, but not too near, the bush.

“Sgiath?” the fae-chipmunk, clicked and chirped as he slowly floated out of the plant again, its glowing eyes darting between the three. “It is true-true-true it’s true,” the fae-chipmunk burst out excitedly, fluttering everywhere at once.

“Well damn if you could speak English why didn’t you do that earlier,” Hoyt asked, crossing his arms as he looked down at the creature, “and what’s true?”

“What? He wasn’t earlier?” Jason asked turning from the now confused fae-chipmunk to Hoyt. “What was he speaking?”

“What are you two talking about?” Joshua asked looking worried between the two. “He’s not talking just making weird noises,” the young fae said, to which the fae-chipmunk seconded confirming it could speak no mortal tongue.

Both Jason and Hoyt understood him.

“You understanding him isn’t odd, you think all the fae speak English.” Hoyt reminded his love before looking at the fae-chipmunk again. “But I normally can’t and I couldn’t earlier…so what that hell?” he asked the group at large, not really expecting an answer.

All four were silent for a long moment, each looking between the other three until Jason turned toward the fae-chipmunk. “You have any idea?”

“No-no-no Sgiath, mortal mate shouldn’t shouldn’t shouldn’t understand. Nope he shouldn’t,” the fae-chipmunk clicked and chirped quickly, still zipping all around Jason. “You need to help help help Seanchas. Yes yes yes, stop the mortals, save the dale. Save us, save us, save us.”

“Whoa slow down there. One thing at a time,” Jason shouted, twisting and turning to try and keep the flying chipmunk in sight as he kept moving about. “You don’t know why Hoyt can understand you, right? I got that much.” Jason added but then went on before the fae could speak, “So just who are you?”

“Seanchas, that’s me, Seanchas. You’ll help Seanchas keep the mortals away away away?” the fae-chipmunk, Seanchas, answered then asked, still zooming around the three.

“What mortals? And stop moving and hold the fuck still, Seanchas,” Jason ordered at last, yelling over Seanchas’s voice, after cranking around to see him only for Seanchas to move out of sight again.

“Harsh man,” Joshua quipped, giving Jason a bit of a glare at the tone he’d used. Jason ignored Joshua, still trying to pin down where Seanchas was.

Seanchas froze almost right where he was, looking more then a bit scared, “Yes, Sgiath. Seanchas is sorry Sgiath, Seanchas will stay right here. Won’t move at all, nope, no, not one bit,” Seanchas said, landing with a plop in front of the bush he had come out of in the first place.

“Okay, good, just stay right there. Now explain, help you with what?” Jason asked, watching the now not moving Seanchas.

“The mortals. Destroy destroy destroy, all mortals ever seem to want to do do do. Seanchas protect but they come closer closer closer, Seanchas need help help help,” Seanchas explained, almost vibrating with the need to move but managing to stay on the ground and mostly in the same spot. “But they won’t get the dale, they won’t won’t won’t. Seanchas protects home, home, home.”

“What dale?” Jason asked looking around, and yeah the ground dipped low but nothing he’d call a valley.

“Who’s Dale?” Joshua asked, looking around for another person or fae creature.

“We’re in the dale, we’d be sending water right through it whenever it rained, and it wouldn’t drain quickly,” Hoyt explained before kneeling in front of the small fae. “We’d be destroying your home, wouldn’t we?” he asked, realizing why Seanchas had been stopping the road crew in any way he could.

“Mortals destroy,” Seanchas repeated, looking crestfallen, his clicks and chirps soft.

“We build too,” Jason told Seanchas confidently before turning to Hoyt. “You can get the road crew to come up with a workaround right?” he asked.

“A workaround for what? Is someone going to tell me what the hell you all are talking about?” Joshua complained, fed up with only understanding half of what was being said.

“After we’re done, now let the man answer,” Jason shushed the teen, still looking toward Hoyt for his response.

“We have a couple of weeks at least before the digger is up and running again so, yeah we can work on something, maybe run it toward the other bend in the river, it’s a bit farther away from the road but maybe it could work,” Hoyt answered after thinking for a few minutes.

“Good then it’s solved,” Jason stated, grinning. “That was easy,” he added.

“You will stop the mortals and their digging digging digging? Seanchas’s home is safe Sgiath? Really truly safe safe safe?” Seanchas cheered happily, unable to stay on the ground he started bounding and then zipping around in glee.

“Yeah we’ll make it safe, Sean-cha-s. We just didn’t know we had a reason not to flood this area,” Hoyt explained sincerely, stumbling a bit over the fae’s name.

“Thank you thank you, Sgiath’s mortal, Seanchas thanks you,” the fae said just as heartfelt, even landing on Hoyt’s shoulder for a brief moment before zooming off to buzz around all three of them.

“Who’s mortal?” Hoyt asked Seanchas, “Because I belong to Jas-what the hell am I saying; I don’t belong to anyone,” Hoyt said, stomping his foot.

“Darn right he’s mi-hey, yes you are. You’re mine and I’m yours Bubba. We’re in love ain’t we,” Jason declared plainly to Hoyt. Then he turned back toward Seanchas, “But what does this Sgiath mean, you keep saying it,” he asked his fellow wyldfae.

“Sgiath you, you Sgiath. The Sgiath,” Seanchas started to explain, zipping to the front of Jason and pointing at the small wooden oak leaf on Jason’s chest, “Sgiath,” he repeated.

It looked like Seanchas was going to say more when he whipped around to face toward the road then vanished like a flash into his bush just as a voice called over the hill, “Stackhouse! Where did your fool self get off too?”

“Kenya? That you?” Jason called back, recognizing the voice of one of his follow deputies, heading back toward the road with only a quick look at Seanchas’s bush.

Sharing a glance with each other Hoyt and Joshua followed, but not before Hoyt whispered that everything would be alright.

“Damn, Stackhouse, don’t your phone ever work anymore?” Kenya demanded to know once the three were on the road. “And what the hell are you lot doin’ out here?”

“I’ll get a new fucking phone, damn it,” Jason shot back, as much at Hoyt as Kenya. “But what’s up? I’m off today and I was at the station anyways, if they needed me Andy could have said something then,” he added for good measure.

“We didn’t need you then, something’s just happened. Now get in the car, have Hoyt take the kid home, they don’t need to see this,” Kenya told the three, her face pulled tight.

***

Mortal cities were just so…filthy, Claude thought, letting his eyes linger on the papers, plastic bottles and other trash that dirtied the streets of city he had found himself in.

Not that he was much better at this point. The last two days had changed his once clean white shirt and pants into mud stained and ripped pieces of cloth. He was just as dirty as the city.

Though it could be just the part he was in, he was fairly sure it wasn’t one of the better parts of it. Not with the small group of men coming toward him, clearly looking for a fight.

“Well, well, if it isn’t a fucking fairy,” The tall redneck leader of the gang mocked, punching his fist into his other hand. “Looking like that, the hustler can’t be getting much action; let’s say we help him out, boys. How much for the lot of us,” he added, smirking widely at Claude before looking at his gang.

“I’m fairly sure you have the wrong impression. I am not someone to be trifled with,” Claude stated with a glare. “Leave me be, while you still can walk.”

“Ohh, the rent boy thinks he’s a tough guy, does he,” the leader said, shoving Claude’s shoulder. “What’re you going to do?”

“Don’t touch me again, mortal,” Claude shot back, stepping closer to the gang leader, looking him in the eyes.

“Mortal? I’m a mortal, what do you think you are? A god?” the leader mocked, looking around at his boys before turning back to Claude. “Fuck that,” he added, swinging his fist.

It never landed. Claude dropped under it before landing his own punch, sending the man flying backwards. Within seconds the others were lunching themselves at him but they--like their leader--went down in the streets in grunts of pain and cracking of bones.

When it was over Claude was the only one standing, glaring down at the mortals. “You are very lucky I am without my powers at the moment, but never mistake one of the fae as defenseless.” He added, giving one of the fallen humans a kick before moving on, following the faint feeling of his son coming from the south.

***

“Damn that’s a mess, what can do that to a gator, fuck, to anything?” Jason asked, unable to take his eyes away from the scene that greeted the two deputies when they stepped out of Kenya’s car.

“Fuck, Kevin under sold this,” Kenya said, echoing Jason’s sentiments.

The wetlands in front of them were more red than green with blood splashed everywhere, from the trees to the tall grass. The slow moving water hadn’t had time to wash clean so even it was still more scarlet than not with the alligator’s blood.

The alligator in question, or what was left of it, was in three major pieces. The tail seemed to have been thrown to the water’s edge, half out of it. A large chunk of the body, including one of the limbs, was hanging from a mid-level branch slowly dripping blood into the water, drop by drop. The last large chunk was the head, without the lower jaw, that stared lifelessly from the water at anyone who drove by on the road.

“That is fucking creepy,” Jason stated plainly, shuddering and turning away from the gator head.

“Jones, Stackhouse, what took you two so fucking long?” Andy called, yelling from where he crouched by the alligator’s tail.

“If it had just been me I would have been here half an hour ago,” Kenya made clear, giving Jason a glare.

“I’m getting a new phone tomorrow, fuck,” Jason said, rolling his eyes.

“Is there a reason we need to see this?” Kenya went on, trying not to look at the alligator bits.

“Yeah there is. This is the second damn one that’s been called in tonight. Ellis is already on the horn to find out if this is happening anywhere else but, fuck there shouldn’t be anything in these damned waters that can do that,” Andy shouted, jabbing toward the head. “And until we find out what this is, I need everyone on high alert. Anything big enough to do this may not stay in the water, and it may not be an alligator next,” the sheriff added bluntly.

“Fuck,” Kenya whispered.

“You can say that fucking again,” Jason added.

None of them noticed they were being watched by a handful of dark shapes farther into the swamps.

***

“There must be something you can tell me, Seer,” Claudine pleaded with the Snow Seer.

The Summer fae had stood on the edge of the Snow Seer’s domain, a vast land of endless plains of snow and nothing else, asking for answers for hours, but the mounds of snow had yet to move, giving her nothing but mouthful after mouthful of snow.

“Please, anything to help my brother, anything at all and I will go happy,” Claudine tried one more time, fighting the shiver that tried to over take her body in the bitter cold.

She was on the verge of giving up on the Winter Fae to try another lead when the mounds began to move.

Slowly, an almost human-like form of snow pulled itself from the ground. It moved with the wind, shifting to the right and left, losing lumps of snow only for them to fill back in from the snow falling around them. But finally it neared Claudine then spoke in a voice of howling wind and grinding ice.

“Then listen and go, child of Summer,” the Seer began its proclamation. “The child of Winter, Fall from wyld grace. A service must be rendered. At the shield’s side will they stand all or none shall fall.”

With the final word the snow itself fell, crashing to the ground sending out a flurry of snow in all direction, knocking Claudine from her feet.

***Chapter Three***

“You think this would be a better plan?” the Commissioner of Public Lands asked two days later, looking at the plans that Hoyt had given him while he finished his dinner at Merlotte’s.

Hoyt and Jason had used all their free time over the last two days to create the alternative plan and sent it in to the Commissioner earlier that day. But neither of them had expected to be asked to meet him the same day.

“Yes, I think it would be a better plan than what we have now, Mr. Allen,” Hoyt explained to his boss. “And one we can get started on right away without waiting for any equipment to get fixed,” he added.

“That has become a concern. We may just have to replace them rather than keep trying to fix them, not that we have the budget for that,” Mr. Allen said, clearly annoyed with the repeated breakdowns.

“It’s already being worked on so you might as well give it one more chance,” Hoyt answered, trying to keep his already short budget from getting shorter when he knew the main problem had been fixed. “But fix the old or get a new one it’s going to be weeks before it’s done and the road was slated to be done last month as it was. With this plan…” Hoyt explained, bringing the conversation back to his new plan for Jefferson Road.

“Yes, there is that. How long do you estimate it will take?” Mr. Allen asked, pushing his finished dinner plate to the side so he could study the plans closer.

“I can have Alex’s and Richards’s crew out there in the morning and I recon it’ll be done by next Friday, give or take a day. It still won’t be on time but it’s not going to be no matter what we do at this point,” Hoyt told the Commissioner.

“You’re right about that and you don’t know the headache I’m getting from the state offices about not being on schedule, as if they’re any better,” Mr. Allen scoffed as he stood up, picking up the papers as he did. “Get started tomorrow, I’ll get the office paper work started and to you…won’t be tomorrow, Friday. Until then don’t do anything you can’t undo, Fortenberry.” He warned Hoyt.

“No problem,” Hoyt responded, standing as well.

“And good work coming up with this. If everything works out I’ll owe you one. But I have to get, the wife should be back from her sister’s soon and I need to hide the leftovers she left for my dinner,” Mr. Allen joked, dropping a few bills on the table before heading for the door with a last good bye.

Hoyt let out a worried breath, slumping against one of the booths, relieved that Jason and his plan had worked, cleaning up a mess that wasn’t even his responsibility.

“You okay there, Hoyt? Bad meeting with the boss?” Sam asked a moment later, spotting Hoyt as he entered the main area of his bar.

“Huh, what?” Hoyt said, opening his eyes. “No, just the opposite. It went well, better than I’d hoped actually,” he confessed, standing upright.

“If you say so,” Sam said with a shrug. “You getting a drink?” he asked, slipping behind the bar.

“Nah, I shouldn’t. Jason and Joshua are expecting me back, let them know how it went…” Hoyt told Sam, his eyes lingering on the beer tap.

“You can’t leave, I just got here,” Jessica suddenly called from behind him, flinging her arms around him to hug him from behind. “And I even have like half an hour before my shift tonight,” the red-haired vampire complained.

“I guess one beer won’t hurt, I do have an in with the cops if I get pulled over,” Hoyt said with a smile, letting Jessica hold him.

***

“Did the Sgiath come, did he see you?” Llamhigyn Y Dwr asked when Addanc, acompanied by two large black dogs with red eyes, swam up to the small island that the water leper had claimed as his own.

“The Sgiath came but he did not see anything beyond the mortal that was slain, it was such a weak creature,” Addanc commented with a slap of its beaver tail, “I did not even need the Gwyllgi to aid me,” he added, giving the fae dogs a glance before looking toward Diana. “Why do we not just kill the Sgiath now and be done with it. He looks weak, frail.”

“My father, my brother, all my family thought the same and they are dead, many by his hand. The vile Wyld one is many things, weak is not one of them,” Diana made clear, drifting down from her perch. “We must make sure that he cannot win.”

“The human form speaks true, let us not forget that this false Wyldfae overpowered even the true Lord Alberich. We must make sure he dies,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr reminded them all, flapping his bat wings and sending water rippling away from him. “The Sgiath will die and then, for his presumption, it is time we deal with the false king of the Wyldfae once and for all. His blood will spill and his leaves will be evergreen,” the dark wyldfae declared, his laughter of croak and ribbit filling the swap.

“Yes, Finvarra must die for his betrayal,” Diana echoed in glee.

***

“Do you ever wonder what life would be like if magic wasn’t real? Any of it?” Hoyt asked, finishing off his fourth beer, the first few downed almost in one gulp.

“Really? You’re asking the girl that got turned into a vampire against her will remember,” Jessica said back, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, dumb question,” Hoyt admitted, trying to drain the last few drops of beer from his glass.

“Ya know, Hoyt…” Jessica began, stopping and looking around them before turning back to her first boyfriend, taking his hand in hers. “We never have talked about what you said right before your wedding,” she reminded him before making an offer, “if you ever want too…”

“He’s not human. He’s not even like Sookie…I just, not…”Hoyt trailed off, putting down the mug. “I still love Jason…I’m just not sure…I should be getting home,” Hoyt finished saying as he stood up. Realizing he may have moved to too fast given all the beers he had had when he started to wobble.

But Jessica was standing next to him supporting him in a flash, “Hoyt…”

“I’m fine, really,” Hoyt said with sincerity as he took a few slow steps forward. “I should know better than drinking on an empty stomach but I’ll be fine. I’ll even call when I get home,” he promised before heading out the door despite Jessica’s worried look.

***

“Well damnit Hoyt, I know it’s basically spring but it’s still too cold to be just sitting out here at this hour, and without a coat. If you were one of my kids I’d ground you for a week,” Arlene stated when she stepped out of Merlotte’s to get something from her car to see Hoyt sitting on the hood of his truck.

“Huh? It’s not that cold,” Hoyt said simply, not looking away from the stars he was staring up at.

“Men, I swear if not for women you’d all be dead from your own stupidity and pride,” Arlene ranted off, grabbing a blanket from her back seat while picking up the small notebook she came out for, and threw it at Hoyt. “Just leave it on my car when you go home,” she told him as she turned and headed toward the door.

“Yeah, sure,” Hoyt answered back, leaving it on his lap where it had mostly landed.

Arlene stopped herself before reaching the door and turned back toward Hoyt, “Hoyt, you walked out over an hour ago and it looks to me like you sat on your ass and stared into space. Jessica didn’t get you that drunk.”

“It’s nothing,” Hoyt told her.

“Now you listen here, young man, it is almost 40 degrees out here and you’ll catch your death of cold if you don’t use that blanket right now,” Arlene ordered, shaking her finger at Hoyt.

“Hell, Arlene I’m not Cody, you can’t just tell me what to do,” Hoyt shot back, finally looking away from the sky.

“No. My boy does what he’s told. Blanket now. And tell me what crap has you sitting here and not warm at home,” Arlene demanded to know, giving Hoyt her mom voice and look.

“I just needed to sober up a-“

“Do I look stupid?” Arlene asked, cutting Hoyt off, “I know you’ve been drinking since you were 15, at least, you damn well know it doesn’t take an hour to sober up from a handful of beers,” she refuted his point.

“So I’m not in a hurry to get home. Nothing wrong with that,” Hoyt said defensively.

“Home to the man you love and just married less then a month ago, nothing wrong, my ass. Out with it, don’t make me come out there Hoyt,” Arlene said stomping here foot as she marched to the front of Hoyt’s truck.

“Oh-hell. It’s just the fae stuff. I just need some time that’s not all about it, okay? Even my work--I just needed one goddamn minute. There I’ve told you, now can you just back off?” Hoyt shot back, jumping down and heading right for the driver’s door. “And take your damn blanket back,” he added, throwing it toward her.

“Well Hoyt Fortenberry…” Arlene started but stopped, at a loss for words as she watched Hoyt leave, frustrated. “Those Fairies are nothing but trouble for us normal folk,” she added a minute later, after Hoyt’s tail lights had faded into the darkness.

***

“Interesting viewing, Lady of Ice.”

Mab neither reacted nor responded to Finvarra’s arrival at first. She continued to gaze into her full length mirror, made of ice, watching Hoyt sit on his truck and then drive away when bothered by the other mortal.

“There are no other views of greater interest?” Finvarra went on, slowly wandering around her frozen mountain top cave, Killaraus. Weaving his way around the stalagmite of ice.

“Not to you nor my fellow Queen,” Mab answered, turning her head and changing the angle of her view of Hoyt with a move of her hand, “You both seem far too taken by this mortal…as does your new champion. I do not understand it,” she admitted at last, banishing the image with a wave, looking toward the Autumn King.

“Even with all our powers, love is not something we can predict, or even truly control,” Finvarra said causally, letting his fingers linger on a stalagmite that was larger than the others, the faint image of a form just visible. “As many of us have learned when we have tried to bend it to our will.”

“That explains the younglings interest in the mortal, but not yours or Tatiana,” Mab answered back, her voice cold as she stepped toward the large stalagmite, glaring at Finvarra who backed away from it with an amused smirk.

“The Mistress of light and warmth has kept her own mind, lest from me,” Finvarra responded, his tone still amused. “As for myself…he is part of my Sgiath. And to bond with a Wyldone…he is a rare mortal,” he answered at last.

“An answer that does not answer. I would expect nothing less,” Meb said retiring to her Throne. “But tell me, King of falling leaves, what brings you here? For that at least was not the mortal?” she asked.

“Your subject grows close to the others. He will seek to return to these realms,” Finvarra said, his voice growing colder than Mab herself. “I would see that never happen.”

“Never is a long time, even for the likes of us,” Mab said, holding up her hand to forestall Finvarra’s remarks. “But it will be more time than has passed before he will be allowed to return. He will pay a price. A dear one,” the Queen of darkness guaranteed her fellow monarch.

“But will it be dear enough,” Finvarra added darkly.

***

“Hey Hoyt, I missed you last night,” Jason said as he entered his and Hoyt’s home in the morning, finding Hoyt making his lunch for the day.

“Jas,” Hoyt said in surprise, looking toward the clock in worry, “It’s not that late,” he added in relief.

“I’m not really off, just getting my spare radio battery. Andy’s having us all pull doubles so I’m gonna need it,” Jason explained as he grabbed the large black block from its charging station on the kitchen counter, giving Hoyt a kiss as he neared the man.

“It is still just animals?” Hoyt asked after the kiss.

“So far, but as of a couple hours ago they aren’t just along the river,” Jason said before hesitating. “I was worried, Bubba. It was late, you weren’t home and you didn’t answer,” he added softly, “If something happened…” he didn’t go on.

“Jason,” Hoyt said, putting down his lunch fixings, “I just…I’m alright,” he said spreading his arms wide.

“Stay that way,” Jason ordered, suddenly pulling Hoyt into a big hug.

“I’m fine, really,” Hoyt said, hugging his lover back.

“Good, right, well I really need to… and you have,” Jason fumbled afterwards, gesturing toward the counter before heading toward the door.

“No question he’s a fairy of some kind,” Joshua quipped from the hall as the door closed, having watched most of the encounter.

“Morning Joshua,” Hoyt said, shaking his head. “Get into your shower or we’ll be late,” he ordered, returning to the lunch fixings.

“Sure dad,” Joshua said with a roll of his eyes.

***

“Claudine,” Sookie called out as she looked up at one of the white fluffy clouds in the mostly clear sky.

“Have you heard anything?” Claudine asked, appearing out of a glare of sunlight to stand beside Sookie in her front yard.

“No, I’m sorry I haven’t, I was hoping you had,” Sookie confessed sadly. “And I was starting to get worried that something may have happened to you too,” she told her fairy godmother. “And I wasn’t wrong, was I?” she added, looking at the deep bruise on Claudine’s shoulder.

“It is nothing, Sookie,” Claudine reassured her charge. “I was merely looking for answers in places that perhaps I shouldn’t have. It will heal.”

“Did you at least learn anything?” Sookie asked, her voice filled with concern.

“Riddles, prophesy, they may be of some use but…” Claudine trailed off, shaking her head.

“Hell. Those stink and they never make any sense. Was there at least something hopeful in all the riddles, anything?” Sookie asked, a twinge of hope creeping into her voice.

“That he still lives, but that he may not in the end,” Claudine answered. “I will not give up, I will find my brother,” she stated firmly.

“I’ll keep looking too,” Sookie promised, “Everything will work out.”

“I hope so,” Claudine said, vanishing in another glare of light.

***

“Well damn, ain’t that a mess.”

“That’s a fucking understatement,” Jason said, echoing Kevin’s sentiment as the two looked over the scene of the latest attack, the first on a human.

The two deputies had taped off the area around what had once been the quiet home for one of Bon Temp’s senior citizens. The home now had a large hole in one wall, the siding ripped away, leading into what was once a nice living room. But now the furniture was overturned and coated with blood.

“Did Andy say when the Doc was going to arrive for the body?” Jason asked, shaking his head as he looked toward the mauled corpse.

“Another half hour, he had a couple of patients to finish up with before he’d let Andy drive him over,” Kevin answered.

“Okay,” Jason responded, frowning as he carefully walked around the lawn between the trail leading to the river and the house, seeing nothing in the dirt and grass.

“It is weird there aren’t any tracks, because none of the attacks have left marks,” Kevin rambled, “by the river I can see that, with the water washing them away and all but…there’s nothing to wash them away here but I don’t see any,” he went on, standing next to Jason within the yellow tape.

“Yeah it’s fucking weird, this is all fucking weird….do you get the feeling we’re being watched?” Jason asked, casting his eyes around the forest, taking it all in.

“He didn’t have no neighbors, not until you go about two miles down that way,” Kevin told Jason. “I don’t see anyone watching,” he added while looking around himself.

“Yeah…” Jason said, still scanning the trees. “Something doesn’t feel right but damn if I know what,” he complained, pulling off his hat.

***

“Another mortal killed and still he does nothing,” Diana complained, turning away from the sight of Addanc and Gwyllgis eating a mortal they had found walking to near the river.

“He is as unworthy of being Sgiath as the false lord is of calling himself Master of the Wydlfae. The Sgiath will fall and we will feast upon this mortal town,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr croaked as it leapt toward the others.

“Then enough of these games, let us strike the half mortal,” Addanc demanded, his crocodile mouth red with blood as he thrashed about in excitement.

“Yes why do we not just strike at him and be done with it. Kill him now,” Diana pleaded with the giant frog.

“Soon, very soon,” Llamhigyn Y Dwr answered, “but we will draw him to us. We will not fight him on land where he is strong but we are not, but in the waters where we will rip him to pieces,” the monster added, flashing out with his tongue to snap up part of the remaining body, crushing it, bones and all, in his mouth.

***

“Just how the hell did you get these new plans through so fast?” Alex asked later that morning when he and his crew arrived at the Jefferson road site.

“Not getting this place done is getting everything behind schedule, and the Commissioner knows that’s going to start costing us funding if we don’t fix it. He was more than willing to accept a good fix, and this is a good fix if I do say so myself,” Hoyt said, bragging a bit as he finished laying the new plans out on the hood of Alex’s truck.

“They’re complete, I’ll give them that,” Alex answered as he started pouring over them, “We’re going from the other side now?” he asked a few minutes later after studying the papers.

“Yep. We won’t be digging as deep and there are fewer rocks so we don’t need any equipment other than shovels,” Hoyt explained, “which is good because that’s all we’ve got right now.”

“That may be true but the guys won’t be thanking you for it, that’s a lot of fucking digging,” Alex half objected to the change, casting a glance back at his crew.

“Then you better get started, the Commissioner would prefer it gets done tomorrow. Monday at the latest,” Hoyt informed the crew leader. “Any questions before I head out?” he added rolling up the plans, handing them to Alex.

“Naw, it’s clear enough,” Alex said taking the paper. “Go get to your own crew, I’ll go break the news to mine,” he added, looking toward his men, frowning at the idea of telling them about all the digging they had coming.

“Call me if you need me,” Hoyt called heading toward his truck, but detoured once Alex’s back was turned. Hoyt quickly cut across the road and over the ridge, heading straight for Seanchas’s shrub.

“Hello, you around?” Hoyt asked in a low voice, looking around for any sign of the Fae. “Anywhere?” he added when the fae-chipmunk didn’t appear.

Hoyt waited for a moment more giving the dale another look, but he still couldn’t see any sign of the Wyldfae. “Come on, you said you don’t leave…”

“Okay well have it your own way. The road crew is heading in the other direction but I’ll ask Jason to stop back in a couple of days to check on you. I guess you won’t talk to us mortals when you know another fae’s around. Have fun,” Hoyt said, a bit frustrated as he then headed back to the road and his truck.

A pair of orange eyes he hadn’t seen watched him crest the ridge before looking toward all the noise and commotion that could be heard coming from the road not far away.

***

“Finally,” Claude declared, standing before a highway sign that read, among others things, Bon Temp 5 miles, just as the sun was setting.

The Winter Sidhe let out a breath, he knew he was finally close to going home, and he was never walking anywhere again if he could help it.

A car zoomed toward him, Claude held out his thumb but the car sped up, blasting past him and sending a gust of wind his way.

Looking down at his torn and dirty clothing then up at the faint lights in the distance he let out a sigh, “Jason had better be home,” he muttered under his breathe as he started walking toward the city.

He paused for a moment and looked around, narrowing his eyes at the river, but then just shook his head and started walking again.

***

“What do you mean he’s missing, maybe he got tired of your voice. Hell knows I am and it’s only been five minutes…” Pam responded over her phone as she relaxed on her throne at Fangtasia.

“Oh stop crying, he’s over a hundred years old, I’m sure he can take care of himself,” Pam ordered, rolling her eyes at her fellow vampire.

“Fine, I’ll look into it. Now go eat someone,” Pam finished, snapping her phone shut before turning toward Ginger with a frown. “That’s the second missing vampire this week, what the hell is going on,” she demanded to know of the human.

Ginger just broke down and started crying, unable to answer her mistress.

Pam rolled her eyes.

***

“Really, Hoyt? You’re the one that sides with me about Joshua needing home cooking more often,” Sookie said later that night when Hoyt and Joshua entered Merlotte’s just as she was walking by the door.

“Don’t mind her, it’s great that you’re here,” Jessica countered with a smile to Joshua and Hoyt before turning to Sookie. “Don’t you have food to…ya know deliver,” she whispered, making a shooing motion with her hands.

“Well, I know when I’m not wanted,” Sookie answered with an amused smile, heading off to deliver her tray of food.

“Now, is it just the two of you or is Jason meeting you?” Jessica asked, grabbing two menus, laying her hand on the third but not picking it up yet.

“Just the two of us,” Hoyt answered and opened his mouth to explain when Joshua beat him to it.

“Yeah the Cop is passed out at home, Hoyt here didn’t want to wake him by cooking,” Joshua said, rolling his eyes. “It would take a fucking bomb to wake him, he was deader than you,” Joshua remarkesd.

“Joshua,” Hoyt scolded, giving the teen a look.

“Sorry, fuck. It’s not like she doesn’t knows she’s dead,” Joshua went on.

Jessica smiled when Hoyt sighed at the teen’s second comment. “It’s okay Hoyt, I don’t mine. And it’s true, I am dead,” she added with a laugh. “Now let’s get you two a table.”

“It’s still rude and a man shouldn’t be rude to a lady, even a dead one,” Hoyt countered, giving Joshua a look as the pair followed Jessica to one of the tables.

“Fine, whatever,” Joshua responded, sliding into one chair, taking the offered menu.

“You’re usuals to drink?” Jessica asked, getting to nods. “I’ll grab them and then Arlene will be by in a second.” She said, then sped away to get the drinks.

The next couple of minutes were calm, until that is, Arlene came over to take their order.

“What, no Jason tonight, Hoyt?” She remarked before she even took their orders, giving Hoyt a measured look.

“Arlene,” Hoyt warned, not taking his eyes away from his menu.

“I’m just making conversation. And I just helped plan your wedding after all. I should be able to ask a simple little question,” Arlene went on with fake innocence.

“Help plan,” Joshua repeated in disbelief. “Dude was there any part of the wedding you didn’t do?”

“Well they weren’t going to do it themselves, even before they up and vanished just days before the big day,” Arlene answered, giving Hoyt a bit of a glare at the last part.

“It’s not like we planned it, Arlene, it just happened, and it won’t be happening again. Now can we order already, I want the catfish fry. Can you do that,” Hoyt said, getting frustrated.

“Someone’s in a mood, almost like last night,” Arlene said.

“Arlene,” Hoyt yelled, calling the attention of the entire bar to their table. Hoyt shut his eyes and took a deep breath before going on, never looking up from his beer. “It’s been a long week and it’s not over just yet so can you just take our orders and go,” he said, his voice tense.

The bar was quiet for a moment before returning to its normal background murmur. Arlene took a moment longer to answer, “Yeah, one catfish fry, and what will you be having,” she asked, turning toward Joshua.

“I’ll have a hamburger,” the teen answered, not taking his eyes off Hoyt.

“Someone will bring them in a few minutes,” Arlene told them, never stopping from glaring at Hoyt, who never took his eyes off his water.

“What the fuck? And you’re telling me not to be rude?” Joshua pointed out.

“Some people don’t know when to stop getting into other people’s business. Sometimes you have to be direct,” Hoyt answered, taking a drink of his water but not meeting Joshua’s eyes.

“And sometimes even you’re not prefect,” Joshua said with a grin.

“Never said I was,” Hoyt answered back, finally looking up at Joshua, “No one is, we will all mess up.” he added honestly.

“Well, duh, dude. So what’s the deal, what’s got you all ‘in a mood’,” Joshua asked, doing his best to mimic Arlene’s voice with the last couple of words.

“That’s a damn good question there Hoyt,” Sookie seconded, showing up with their orders. “Arlene is in the back thinking up ways to torture and kill you, or have Terry do it for her,” she told them, handing the plates to them. “It’s really distracting,” she added looking at Hoyt.

“Sookie,” Hoyt said with sigh. “Not right now.”

“I should never have shown you those tricks for keeping your thoughts to yourself,” Sookie said after staring at Hoyt for a long moment. “But whatever Jason did I’m sure he didn’t mean it, he does love you,” she went on.

“Sookie…I don’t doubt that and I never will. But it’s not really Jason that’s the problem,” Hoyt told her honestly. “But if you don’t mind I’m starved and Lafayette’s cat fish looks damn good,” he then said, picking up his knife and fork.

“Fine, have it your way,” Sookie said, giving Hoyt another look before shaking her head in frustration, giving Joshua a quick look, to which he nodded.

***

"Damn, tell me that’s not what I think it is,” Andy complained glaring at the pile of blood and gory flesh they’d found at the site of the most recent death.

This time it had been a pair of college students who had rented a place just outside of town near the highway that headed toward Shreveport where they went to school. Their apartment hadn’t been bothered as the couple seemed to enjoy barbecuing outside and had been in the middle of cooking something when they were attacked. Nor it seems was it just the two of them.

“If you think it looks like something other than a pile of vamp it’s not what you think it is,” Kenya told her boss, looking at the mess.

“As if this mess wasn’t fucked up enough,” Andy grouched pulling out his phone, “God damn I hate it when vampires get involved. Damn it, Stackhouse answer your damn phone…”

“He was up for almost 20 hours, he’s not waking up for no phone,” Kenya reminded the Sheriff.

“Damn, that’s right, and he’s going to need to sleep to be any good to me tomorrow. You know if Sookie working tonight?” Andy asked, scrolling through his phone for her number.

Kenya just gave him a look. “Do I look like her type? I don’t give a fuck when she works.”

“Thank god for that,” Andy said, pressing dial, “I need someone who can think right around that woman.”

***

“Where do you think Sookie ran off to?” Joshua asked as he and Hoyt made their way to Hoyt’s truck after their meal.

“I don’t know, but it was in a hurry all right,” Hoyt answered pulling his keys from his pocket.

“Arlene sure wasn’t happy to have to deal with us again,” Joshua casually added, giving his guardian a sideways look.

“Yeah…I should apologize to her, maybe tomorrow I’ll st-,” Hoyt started to say, stopping as the trees and bushes near them started to shake and move. “Who’s there?” he called, stepping back and away from the crop of plant life. “Joshua get back,” he ordered, reaching out to put a hand between Joshua and whatever was in front of them.

It was a long moment before the someone who was making all the noise became almost visible through the tress and bushes. And it was clear he was coming right to them.

“Cop? Is that you? What are you wearing?” Joshua asked, peeking over Hoyt’s shoulder.

“That’s not Jason,” Hoyt answered for the other person. The face almost looked like his husband in the flashes of moonlight that found their way through the tress’s leaves but he knew it wasn’t Jason. “You’re that other fae, the brother to Sookie’s?” he asked, trying to remember anything else about him but so much had been going on.

“Yes, my name is Claude and Claudine is my sister,” Claude informed the two as he fully emerged from the trees and underbrush to stand in the parking lot under the lights. “And I am very glad to have finally reached you…where is the Wyld one?” Claude then asked, looking around the parking lot.

“He’s at home sleeping, what happened to you?” Hoyt asked in return, looking Claude over.

“Yeah, man you look worse than I ever did,” Joshua added coming out from behind Hoyt.

The Winter Sidhe clothing had become even more torn, dirty, and muddy as he had cut through the swamps and trees to follow the beacon if his son in a straight line. It was only due to him not being human that he wasn’t covered in cuts and scratches.

“What a wonderful thing to hear, Joshua. But never mind, if you would take me to Jason Stackhouse he can open a doorway back to the Winter realms and I will not bother you further,” Claude told them. “Now which of these vehicles is yours?”

Hoyt and Joshua exchanged glances before Hoyt pointed at his truck. “Why do they always find me and not Jason,” he whispered under his breath, unlocking it with a beep.

***

“He is very persistent.”

“All of my Sidhe are, it is a trait of winter itself,” Mab answered, stepping through the outer ring of trees that formed Cnoc Meadha.

“But even for all its determination winter must give way, as will he,” Finvarra stated, shifting his eyes from the ever falling leaves to his fellow high Fae. “If he steps foot in any fae realm without my leave…” the King said, reminding her of their agreement.

“He will find his journey has been for not. No portal or archway created by a less fae will give him passage between realms. Tatiana will not interfere in this, nor will I,” The Queen of Ice and Snow told Finvarra.

“Good, I will explain things to my Sgiath when he comes to the fields of Everfrost tomorrow, until then the meddling fae can wonder,” the Lord of Falling Leaves said darkly.

“Speaking of your companion, how does he fair against the Dark Ones?” Mab asked, her interest clear as she stopped her casual wondering.

“He does not yet know they have gathered. But others are beginning to realize that something is happening, it won’t be long now. They will die or I will be in need of a new Sgiath,” Finvarra explained, leaning back in this Throne.

Next Part