The Faerie Slayer

Kade's Pov

It seemed that for a while now, the consistent thing that bid me good morning was a pounding migraine. When I rose I was lying on a bed made of trunks and vines. I peered around the stone wall bedroom and realized that I was inside someone's home. Memories of the night previous flooded into my brain.

It could not be possible for Aubrette to have disappeared. I would not accept it. I rose to my feet and through the flimsy doors. Down the stairs was a living room that sheltered three. The women with the long burgundy hair and her trow, seated beside them in the most amiable matter, least of all expected was my father.

"What the hell is going on?" I began. My voice was deep and rusty, I realized that I was parched," what are you doing here?"

The seriousness that laced my fathers words halted my thoughts," Kade, sit down."

I obeyed at the couch across. I could not help but ask," what did you do with Aubrette? Where is she?"

"We were going to ask you that," father replied.

"Did you come here for me? Or for your forbidden alliance."

"I came here to complete the job that I had trusted you to finish. Did you really think I would be fooled with the ashes of an Asrai and a few ogres? When we're you going to tell me that the trow was dead?"

"She is mortal-"

"She is half mortal."

"She was with me by the cliff-"

"That wasn't Aubrette Evergreen my dear," this time it was the women that spoke. Although kind, her eyes were lined heavy with black eyeliner that made her resemble a witch," that was a water demon."

"A water demon?"

"They're called nixies."

"I've read about Nixies, they are faerie mermaids."

"There is a rule in faerie world, do not look, touch or swim in the sea, for you shall summon a water demon. On your way here, do you recall peering into the water?"

The image of the hideous red eyed women emerging from the water and capturing me in her gaze. Yes, I do recall.

"That can't be. I seen her, I held her. It was Aubrette-"

"The nixie has the power to shift into the appearance of the the love of your life. It's what makes them so dangerous. Then, after they've caught you in the most vulnerable state, they lure you to to a body of water where they would force you to commit acts of self inflicted torture."

Somehow, hearing the women say the words that referred to Aubrette as the love of my life triggered a fiery sting of tension between father and I.

'Do you love me enough to kill yourself for me,' the girl had whispered. In that moment I was convinced that Aubrette had turned evil. In some ways I was glad to discover it had all been another fraud of the folk.

"What did she want?"

"Most of the time, they toy with you until their amusement is fulfilled, then they kill you. Sometimes they take you into the water for eternal enslavement. But once you're down there, you belong to the nixies. No one could retrieve you. When I found you, I was able to cast a spell to drive her away. I was almost too late."

"How did you know where I was?"

The women pointed her sharp chin towards an open window. There floated the same Sirin I had seen perched atop a blossom tree the night previous and in my fathers study.

"This is Venom. She's my messenger bird and spy. She sees all."

Past my silence, the women continued," I am Isabelle Ulwin. This is my trow, Jack. I believe you two have already made acquaintance."

Jack sent a sarcastic smile my way. I remained expressionless as I awaited an explanation.

"Isabelle Ulwin. It was your initials on the message meant for my father. You two are working together, to ensure Aubrette dead."

My father raised an eye at all that I had concluded thus far.

"That is all true."

"You sent the trow, Jack, and the snake by Deadwood Creek forest to kill Aubrette."

She just nodded.

"This alliance is against werewolf law. It was you that taught me that very same belief, never strike a deal with a faerie of folk, no goblin no pixie, no ogre no gnome-" I began to recite the rules of the tribes but he intervened.

"You must know that no law could surpass the importance of this alliance," the alpha roared," I am doing this in the name of revenge."

"Revenge for what?"

"For your mother."

I was silenced. Accepting that response enough, he continued.

"Isabelle sent me a letter months ago with the location of the faerie that killed your mother. He's right here, in the land of the folk, in the prison of the castle.

Her one request was that we kill the half child and in return, she releases me your mothers killer."

"How do you intend on getting to him? I was in the prison, it is guarded with dozens of ogres twice your size."

"That is where I come in, if I may," Isabelle intervened," you see, if Aubrette dies, then the next heir to marry the prince is my daughter. Upon her crowning I will wield the power to release the prisoner as an inherited member of the royal family. It was a win win, you get your mothers killer and I get my crown."

"Until you fell in love with her," the trow snorted.

"This plan is ridiculous," I stood out of my seat," it will never work."

"Could there be the drape of feelings staining your convincing? Is this all because you discovered that she is your mate?"Isabelle asked.

"That has nothing to do with any of this."

"It doesn't matter. Kade shall suppress any glamoured emotion he heeds for the girl. This is justice for his mother, after all," the alpha did not need convincing. He was sure all on his own that I would give Aubrette up.

"I hope you are right," the lady sneered.

"You were in that prison, son. Did you happen to see your mothers killer?"The answer was yes, I indeed do recall catching the sight of the wicked faerie boy that had sent a wink my way. In the moment I did not know where from he'd spiked my memory. Now I was aware.

"He was in the cell nearest mine. Alive, but shackled."

"This is good news. We continue with the plan then, kill the half child and you shall have your revenge," the women with the fiery hair concluded.

The sirin began to flutter its wings in an attempt to our regard. I had not realized it had disappeared and returned while we were conversing. In its grasp was yet another scroll. The trow retrieved the contents for its lady. She unrolled the strings and released the message. Seconds later, she summarized," this says that Aubrette was taken into the castle. She's in the royal suite, awaiting tonight when she shall meet the queen and finally begin to be courted by the prince."

"We have to break her out tonight," I began," can your bird get us an exact location?"

"We cannot break her out tonight, we must make a plan first. She is more guarded then any prison in the land of faerie."

I sat up and peered into the eyes of the women," tell me, you look well equipped as is. Why do you require help from werewolves as oppose to doing it yourself? Is it because you are well aware that to kill Aubrette is to bear a death wish?"

"You are mistaken. In theory, yes I could use my resources to terminate the girl but shall the queen ever find out, and she would, I would be killed as well. Faeries cannot lie. My tongue quivers and burns , physically I am unable to. The queen would simply have to ask to unearth the truth. With wolves, the queen would never start a war. She wants no conflict with your race no matter how many of her creatures you slay. If you were to kill Aubrette, it would bear you no consequence. The queen fears your race."

"And why is it so important to you, to have your daughter crowned as oppose to Aubrette? Does being heir to the royal family not subject you to eternal drudgery from the Queen of Fey? Is title that important to you, or do you bear a different motive that you should share with us?"

"I do have a history with the queen. She killed my lover and denied me and my daughter as royals. We were shunned and cast away. After Aubrette dies, she will have no choice but to accept us. My daughter is next in line and we shall finally return to where we belong."

I could only answer with silence. My brain was flooded and my emotions chaotic. I could not let Aubrette die nor could I let her be entrapped for eternity by the queen. In the name of my mothers revenge I wanted the head of the faerie that killed her, but not if it meant killing Aubrette. I had to find a way to do both, save the girl that I had fell in love with, and satisfy the need for the thirst of revenge for both myself and my father.

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