Sixteen

“What are you doing?” Kellen laughed as Darby pulled him outside. He was curious to see where she was taking him, the only thing she had said to him was to put on something nicer, they were going out. Her secrecy was torture, and for the life of him he couldn’t figure out what she wanted to do with him. He kept searching for hints, waiting for her to drop information that he could zone in on. But there was nothing. She was even covering herself with a long trench coat so he couldn’t get any ideas from her clothes.

“You’ll see,” she told him with a flirty grin, her eyes sparkling.

I’m sure I will, but it’d be nice to find out now.

“Give me a hint,” he pleaded, “I gave you one.”

She scoffed, “You call that a hint? It was horrible. And because of that, you lost your right to have one.”

He smiled and allowed her to drag him into the car.

Tonight is all about what she wants to do.

He’d do anything to make her happy, even if it meant not knowing for another ten minutes or so. He tried not to dwell on how vulnerable that was making him.

“Can’t you tell me now? Love, we’re on our way there.”

She measured his gaze before stating, “You really don’t know?”

He shook his head, “How could I? You’ve been irritatingly uncommunicative.”

She giggled, obviously pleased, “We’re going to a club. Philip says that’s where you normally relax.”

He moaned. 

A club, of course, why didn’t I think of that? 

“Clever, love,” he kissed her.

Darby, a bar, dancing, perfect.

They stepped onto the sidewalk and she took off her coat. He could only gawk at her in her little blue dress that was only being held up by two spaghetti thin straps.

Too much precious cargo being held up by such flimsy straps. That won’t even be a challenge to get off.

He grinned at the thought.

She winked at him and strode up to the bouncer. He quickly caught up with her.

Once the music began to pulse through him he was in total control. He released some of his darkness proving it. He looked over at an unaware Darby, “Can I get you a drink?”

She laughed, “You’re trying to get me drunk already? I don’t think I’m going to drink anything until later. I’m not waking up with another horrible hangover. . . again.”

He shrugged.

I’ll get her drunk sooner or later.

“So this is the girl that made Seth all jealous,” a female with deep red hair eyed Darby.

Kellen grimaced. The last thing he wanted tonight was to run into Scarlet. He had quite a few nights of her companionship before Darby and was aware that she was a bit crazy, in fact, that was what drew him to her in the first place. But what surprised him was that Darby seemed to vaguely recognize her.

How would she know her? 

“Scarlet, this is my girlfriend, Darby,” he introduced cautiously.

“Girlfriend?” She trilled, “Since when do you have girlfriends?”

“Since Darby.”

“But Seth doesn’t approve?” Scarlet cocked her head, remaining innocent while having words of venom, “what will you do when he takes back what is rightfully his?”

“Seth is my friend, he understands Kellen and my relationship,” Darby spoke up calmly.

“Oh, so he puts up with it because you reward him,” she simpered, “brilliant. Kellen you better keep an eye on this one.”

Darby blushed, “That’s not what I meant.”

“Scarlet, none of this is really your business,” he told her.

She widened her light brown eyes, “Kellen, we used to be so close. Now we hardly ever speak.”

“Kellen is a gentleman,” Darby interrupted, “he won’t be sleeping with you when he’s with me. So get used to being out of the loop,” she pulled him onto the floor, “come on, let’s dance.”

He laughed and put his hands on her as she moved along to the beat.

“How did I do?” She asked seeming confident to the eye but he could feel her nervousness.

He chuckled, “Were you jealous? I could’ve sworn that I tasted some jealousy.”

“I can’t help it,” she admitted, “the thought of you with another woman infuriates me. Your mine now. . . you’re not upset, are you?”

Never.

“Why would that possibly upset me? I like that your starting to realize what you mean to me.”

Her face lit up and in return made him quite satisfied with how this evening had started.

Now if I could only get her to drink. . .

Darby grew used to the eyes on her as she danced with Kellen. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Scarlet talking with a few other faeries, she tasted their anger and it only added to her elation. She felt like nothing could touch her and that she could dance for hours on end. It was him who wanted to take a break.

He took a drink of his beer and watched as she drummed her fingers on the table impatiently. He raised an eyebrow, “In a hurry?”

“Just want to get back to dancing,” she replied.

“Where’s all this energy coming from?”

She shrugged, she wasn’t sure, she just knew she had it.

“Want a drink?”

“You think it’d be a good idea for me to get drunk in this state?” She asked with a giggle.

“Honestly, I kind of want to know what would happen.”

“You wouldn’t be able to handle me.”

“How about we try it and see if I can.”

“You’re really dirty, you know that?” she looked at him.

“I’m aware,” he nodded, finishing the beer.

“Someday your mouth’s going to get you in trouble,” she warned him.

“I wouldn’t count on it.”

“Just wait.”

“So. . . no drink for you then?”

She rolled her eyes, “Correct.”

He pouted.

“Are you done? I want to dance again,” she stood up.

A male mortal who was sitting beside her also got up and in his drunken haze he ran into her, spilling the alcohol on her.

She stopped, shocked at what happened.

“What the hell man?! Are you really so out of it that you can’t even hold onto your glass?!” Kellen erupted.

The man just stared at him, his eyes cloudy as he mumbled his apologies.

“Kellen, chill,” she rested a hand on his shoulder, “it was an accident. She looked down and frowned, “damn, I really did like this dress.” 

Scarlet walked by then, laughing loudly, “Bet you didn’t expect you’d be taking her clothes off this way, huh, Kellen?”

Kellen ignored her and grabbed a napkin. He patted it down on her chest to soak it up. He looked up at her blushing face and faltered, handing her the napkin instead. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

“Don’t worry about it,” she finished up and scowled, “this sucks.”

“You still look unbelievably sexy,” he told her, giving her a kiss. 

She laughed, “Thanks.”

“Still wanna dance?” He asked.

She took his hand as he lead her back out. She caught another look at Scarlet and stared down. As much as she wanted Kellen to be happy, she wasn’t going to just give it up to him. She didn’t want that to be all he looked to her for but she also didn’t want him to lose interest. She needed to reach a compromise with him. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to handle it if ran off with someone like Scarlet.

“You okay?” He asked as she hesitated.

“Yeah, I just. . . how many times have Scarlet and you gotten together?”

“What?” He stopped, “it’s all in the past, what does it matter?”

“Kellen,” she closed her eyes, “answer the question.”

“Umm,” he concentrated, “you want an exact number? I don’t know if I can remember.”

“But it was a lot,” she pressed, “right?”

“More that a few,” he admitted.

She paused before saying, “Do you want me to be more like her?”

“What the hell type of question is that? Love, I don’t want you anything like her. That’s why I’m with you, and not her. She has no implication in our relationship whatsoever. And, I want you to stay away from her, I don’t want her to make you start to think bad about yourself,” he kissed her, “better?”

She nodded and rested her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. Even though the song was much to fast for a slow dance. She didn’t care.

Kellen laid Darby down on the bed. He had to laugh, her energy had finally ran out. After a couple more songs they decided to head home. She fell asleep on the car ride back, no alcohol involved.

He wanted to get her into some more comfortable clothes but relented, he knew she wouldn’t want him to change her. He tucked the blanket around her and kissed her lips with no pressure at all, as not to wake her. Philip was gone, so he was the only one awake. Without Darby’s voice entwined with his, it made him think back to before when he was alone while the girl he seduced that night was asleep. He hated being alone with himself, it made him think, and he didn’t want to dwell on all the bad mistakes in his life. But as his eyes wandered over Darby, peacefully dreaming, he knew he made one right choice in his life. How ironic it was that the worst, most selfish thing he had ever done ended up being the best thing for him. He didn’t love her, he couldn’t, it wasn’t something that the dark fey were capable of. But it was the strongest emotion he had ever felt for anyone.

Sorus, please don’t take her away from me.