Her Fae Lovers

Chapter 1

Opening the door to her apartment, the cool air hit Lola in the face and she let out a soft sigh of pleasure as she walked in. Slipping off her shoes. Bodach stepped behind her, his body responding to the sound she made as his eyes moved along the exposed skin of her shoulders. He found himself wanting to hear that sound again.

“Where shall I put this?” He asked, shifting the box in his hands. Bodach had a strange feeling about it, but didn’t want to say anything to alarm Lola until he was sure.

“Oh, um. On the coffee table is fine.” Lola said over her shoulder as she walked to the kitchen. She passed Lu, Puca, and Merrow smirking to herself as she caught sight or what they were watching with a roll of her eyes. “Really guys?”

“Your scrying mirror seems to be broken.” Merrow glanced over to Lola as he spoke, his face flushing at being caught in this act of voyeurism.

“The television?” Lola raised an eyebrow, “Seems to be working just fine to me.”

“But these men, they’re all in love with this one woman.” Lu said pointing to the television. “Puca senses no magic from it, and they seem mortal. Most mortals, they don’t mate like the fae do.”

Lola moved into the kitchen, speaking loudly as she went to the cabinet and grabbed a glass, “It’s trash tv, it’s all staged. It’s fake you guys.”

“But this Springer man, he says they are in love.” Lu said louder, unable to look away.

“They only say that so more people will watch.” Lola yelled back as she turned on the tap filling up her water glass. “It’s all pretend. Fae take more than one lover?” Lola called out. She felt her cheeks darken at the thought of that. She’d the feeling from Bodach and Puca earlier that they didn’t mind sharing. From the way that Merrow and Puca interacted that they had been intimate as well. Who was she to judge?

“Aye, some of us do. Trash tv?” Lola heard Puca mumble as she turned the water and took a sip of her water. She turned, heading back towards the living room, to see Bodach had joined the others as they all sat leaning forward.

“Yes, a television show for the sake of drama. It’s all pretend, chances are these people will go back home to their boring lives and never talk again.” Lola said as she moved to sit down. Enjoy the fight that was happening on the screen as she finished her drink.

She looked over at the three, as Lu winced in sympathy at the punch that was thrown on the screen. Puca leaned forward, his hands on his knees as he studied the people closely. Lola couldn’t help but think about their interaction earlier, the way he had sauntered over to her.

How his hand had traveled over his muscled torso as Bodach’s arms had tightened around her waist. Her face flushed, she looked back towards the television. Trying not to think about the men that sat in her living room. How Merrow’s eyes had filled with heat as he had warned her away.

She shivered as she took another sip of her water, and Lu glanced over at her.

“Are you cold?” He asked as he reached his arm around her shoulder.

“Oh, no you don’t.” Lola said scooting away. “This isn’t a Netflix and chill kind of moment.”

Lu’s chest pressed against her arm and the muscles she felt under his shirt surprised her. Yes, sure. She had felt them last night as she lay sprawled above him. Now she felt them moving against her. He wrapped the quilt that he had folded earlier around her shoulders and gave her a smirk.

“What is this net flicks and chill you speak of.”

“It’s uh, it’s. Nevermind.” Lola muttered. Looking away from his curious gaze as she took a gulp of her water, finishing it off. “I need to take the jewelry box to Erik, and then I’ll come home. You guys enjoy the television.”

Merrow looked away from the drama unfolding on the television as one of the men threw a punch at one of his lovers. “Do you not need help to carry the box? Or someone to walk with you?”

“No, Erik’s shop is close by. I’ll be back before you guys know it.” Lola stood, stretching her arms above her head before taking her glass to the kitchen. She walked past the men sitting on her couch with a bounce in her step and a slight smile. The tops of her cheeks still covered in faint traces of a blush.

Merrow thought as he watched her walk, his hand on his chin. Was this Erik person someone she was close to? A suitor, perhaps? He tapped his foot against Puca’s tilting his head in the direction she had gone. Puca looked away from the screen. “It is interesting.”

“More interesting than Lola having another male admirer,” He lifted an eyebrow as he pressed his lips together before speaking. “Other than us?

Puca turned to look at him with a frown. He wasn’t bothered by the others being interested in her. Well, he was, but he could understand the attraction. The thought of another, besides the four of them he didn’t like.

When Lola returned, Merrow couldn’t help but notice the swipe of color on her full lips. Lips that were quirked up with a smile as she hurried past them, slipping on her shoes. The faintest traces of vanilla lingering in the air. Puca watched as well, his keen gaze taking in the fact that her hair had been brushed. It seemed that he and his brethren would have some competition.

Lola moved in front of them, picking up the box from the coffee table, “I’ll be back soon.” She said before moving to the door, not waiting for a reply.

Puca and Merrow turned to one another, before both men moved to stand.

“Where are you going?” Lu asked, looking away from the screen in confusion, his thick brows knit together.

“Didn’t you see how she looked? She is interested in this Erik.” Puca said as he moved to stand in front of the television.

“What are we going to do about it?” Bodach asked as he leaned back onto the couch, his eyes meeting Puca’s.

“Follow Lola.” Merrow said as he turned towards the front door, the others following him out.

Walking down the sidewalk, Lola was lost in thought. Unaware of the four men that followed her. She turned down the street, stopping to wait at the crosswalk as she waited for the light to change.

Shifting the box to her side as she clutched it with one arm. Smoothing her ponytail. Before all but skipping towards the antique shop as the light changed. An older gentleman with red hair and deep chocolate eyes held the door open for her. His toothy grin sent shivers down her spine.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she hurried past him, unable to shake the eerie feeling he gave her.

The bells twinkled above the door as Lola walked into Erik’s antique shop. It was quiet except for the whistling of the kettle. “Erik?” Lola called out as she stepped up to the cash register. Sitting the box down gently on the counter, she brushed her hands over her top, smoothing the material down. She couldn’t wait for Erik to see it.

Walking out of the back room with his nose buried in a book. He moved towards the front and Lola couldn’t help but grin as she watched him adjust his glasses on the bridge of his nose. “Sorry, lost myself for a bit.”

“Good afternoon Erik, what are you reading?” Lola asked, dragged her finger under the tape pulling the paper open.

“Oh, just some research.” Erik answered as he closed the book and sat it behind the counter. He stepped closer to Lola, and she jumped at his nearness. The fae men that she’d been around lately had her on edge, and she was overly aware of Erik. How his body heat seemed to seep through her clothing, the soft scent of his cologne.

She was always aware of his nearness.

Today it was more so than normal. Dragging her finger across the brown paper, Lola jumped and pulled her hand away.

“Oww,” Lola lifted her hand, the blood dripping from the paper cut.

“You’re hurt,” Erik said as he grabbed her wrist. “I’ve got a first aid kit in the kitchen.” He murmured as he let go of her wrist and turned towards the kitchen, Lola following behind him.

“I don’t know where my head is.” Lola said as she moved into the kitchen. She turned the kettle off while Erik searched under the sink for the first aid box. “Why do you keep your first aid box in the kitchen?”

“A friend once told me that the most bleeding happens in here.”

“Odd thing to say.” Lola said as she leaned her hip against the counter, watching Erik.

“He was an odd fellow, brilliant fun at parties.” Erik said with a smirk as he turned around holding the red and white box.

“I have a hard time picturing you at a party.” Lola said, biting her lower lip. Fighting down a smile as he sat the box down on the cabinet and opened the lid.

“I used to go to quite a few, nowadays I live a simpler life.” Erik smiled as he meticulously lined up the antiseptic and bandages. He picked up a cotton ball and held his hand out to Lola. She held her injured hand out, and his smile deepened as their hands touched. “This might sting a bit, I do apologize.”

“It’s just a paper cut. I can take care of it.”

“Lola, let me take care of you.” Erik said in a soft voice as he dabbed the cut clean.

Lola felt her heart beat faster at his softly spoken words.

“Erik-” Lola whispered.

“I feel things for you.” He said as he dabbed the antiseptic onto her cut. “Things that I haven’t felt for a-” he paused as if he were thinking of the right words to say. “Things that I haven’t felt in a very long time.”

“Erik, I’m not sure what to say.” Lola said. Watching as he placed the bandage on her fingers. She had longed to hear those words and now that he had spoken them, she didn’t know how to react.

“You don’t have to say anything, I just wanted you to know that I like you. I’d like to pursue you, I mean to say I’d like to pursue a relationship with you.”

Even though he had bandaged her fingers up, he still held her hand in his. Lola felt her breath catch in her throat as she looked down at their joined hands. She wondered if he felt the same sparks that she was feeling now.

“Erik, I-“

“Lola, you don’t have to say anything right now. The reason that I asked for your help was not just because I do need help. But it gives me an excuse to spend time with you.” His fingers squeezed hers gently as he turned away, moving to clean up the bandages and cotton balls he had sat on the counter.

“I’d, um.” Lola said pausing for a moment to collect her thoughts, “I’d like to spend time with you too.”

Erik turned to look at her, his gray eyes locking with her eyes. As she looked up at him through lowered lashes.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say that.” He said biting his lower lip as he stepped closer to Lola.

Lola looked up at him, her eyes widening as she sucked in a deep breath. “Erik-”

The bells over the door chimed and Erik looked at Lola one last time before turning away. He stepped out of the room, greeting the customers as Lola raised her hands to her cheeks. Feeling the heat under her palms as she tried to calm herself down. She didn’t know if it was her longtime crush on the shop owner or the fae men at her home that had sent her libido into overdrive.

“Lola, I, I think you have a visitor.” Erik called out, pulling Lola from her thoughts.

Stepping out of the kitchen, Lola walked towards the front with a frown.

Why would she have a visitor at Erik’s shop? Then she saw him, his golden eyes blazing as he looked at her and her mouth went dry.

Puca stood stiffly by the front door, his jaw clenched as he looked from her to Erik. She knew that he found her attractive, that he may have said that they wouldn’t sleep with her. The look in his eyes said something else, that he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and drag her back to the apartment.

Pushing her hair out of her eyes, she tried to quash down the thrill that thought sent through her. She knew she shouldn’t feel this way for someone she’d just met.

“Erik, this is my friend Puca.” Lola said introducing the two before she turned back to look at Puca, “Puca, this is my boss Erik. What are you doing here?” She said barely holding her smile in check as she spoke through her teeth.

“I came to offer to escort you back home.” Puca stood taller. Smoothing the front of his shirt as he looked from Lola to Erik, he didn’t like the way the other man’s eyes kept traveling back to Lola. Didn’t like the way that his eyes met his with a silent challenge.

“It’s good to meet you, Puca.” Erik said, extending his hand out for the other man, his lip quirking in a half smile. Lola held her breath as she watched Puca’s eyes slowly move from Erik’s hand to his eyes.

“Aye, you as well.” Puca said, finally taking the hand extended towards him. Puca’s jaw clenched and Lola knew if she hadn’t been watching him, she would have missed it. Looking back down at Puca’s hand, she noticed the burn marks on his skin as he released Erik’s hand and tucked his own back at his side.

“Erik and I were just wrapping up here, then we can head home. What happened to your hand?” Lola asked, watching the two men stare each other down.

She moved to lean over the counter, looking at the box she had brought in earlier as she grabbed Erik’s notebook and a pen. Opening it up, she frowned at the strange symbols she saw scratched onto the crisp white paper. Shaking her head, this was not her business. She flipped to a blank page, writing her number down. She left it open for him, her cheeks heating up with a blush. “I wrote my number down so you can call me later.”

She moved away from the counter, unaware of the eyes that had been watching how her dress had lifted up, giving both men a brief flash of her bare legs.

Unaware that Puca was fighting with himself, with the ache he had felt since he woke up. The urge to push her over the counter and press himself against her soft curves was one he was fighting with. He wanted to taste the soft flesh of her exposed shoulders, to tease her until she begged for his touch. Or for him to taste her. He felt his body respond to the thought of tasting Lola.

“I’d like that. Maybe we can have dinner later.” Erik said, pulling Puca from his fantasy. The bells above the door chimed and a tall, lithe woman came into the store. She pushed her blonde locks out of her eyes as she looked at the three.

“Good afternoon,” Erik said in greeting. Turning to look at Lola one last time before he moved to talk with his latest customer.

Lola bit her lower lip as she watched him walking away before she turned to look up at Puca, “I said I’d be home after I came here. Why did you follow me? And what happened to your hand?” She asked as she pressed her lips together.

“Because go halainn, I’m very taken with you.”

“What?” Lola asked in shock as he stepped closer to her.

“I plan to court you.” Puca said as he reached up, pushing a lock of her hair behind her ear.

“You don’t even know me.”

“I want to, though,” Puca said as he reached down to grab her hand and lace their fingers together. He pulled her towards the door and Lola looked down at their joined hands. She couldn’t help but think about the way her heart beat faster at his words. Butterflies flared to life in the pit of her stomach as he pulled her from the store, the door closing behind them as they left.

Erik came back to the front of the store with a frown. Looking towards the bells above the door, his frown deepening before he moved to the counter. His fingers tracing over her hastily scribbled number as he pulled out his phone, he saved her number and sent her a text.

Meanwhile, outside, Merrow watched from a shaded stoop as Puca pulled Lola down the sidewalk, “Do you think she knows?”

“I don’t think she does. Good thing Puca was with us. Or she’d still be in there.” Lu said, wishing for a drink. He looked at the buildings around them, wondering which one contained a tavern. He could use a strong ale after the morning they’d had.

“Iron bells.”

“And the door knob from the way Puca flinched.” Merrow said, hoping they were okay. He too was glad Puca was with them. Out of the group, he was the oldest and strongest and could handle things that they could not. Bodach pushed away from the shade where they stood.

“Where are you going?” Lu asked as he watched Bodach’s retreating form.

“After them. Our darling has a temper that could easily match Puca’s.” He said with a smirk as he shoved his hands in his pockets, ready to watch the sparks fly.