Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy, #1)

by Callie Hart

For those who live their nightmares, so that others may have their dreams.

Sometimes, objects shook around me. Objects made of iron, tin, or gold.

I came here to blow off steam. To fuck. To fight. A wild array of outrageous things was whispered about me behind the backs of sunburned hands here: that a man might either get lucky or be beaten unconscious depending on my mood when I sat my ass down at the bar.

Where she was from, Kala meant funeral, and Brynn didn’t appreciate being likened to death.

“You’re pretty when you blush, y’know.”

“One more word and I’ll relieve you of your fucking balls, thief,”

“Can I not just be enamored by your beauty? Can I not just want to sit and listen to the angelic tone of your voice?” “I’m not beautiful. I’m filthy, and I’m tired, and my voice is full of sarcasm and annoyance, so let’s just get on with this, shall we?”

“You were more fun three months ago, you know that? You’re so cruel. I haven’t stopped thinking about you.”

“Oh, please. How many women have you slept with since then?”

“I’m coming for your fucking head next,” I seethed.

“Why are you calling me that? Oshellith?” I snapped. “What does it mean?” He’d turned around. Was walking away. I listened to his boots striking the cold stone beneath his feet, each step ringing in my ears. “An Oshellith is a type of butterfly,” he called as he went. “Osha for short. They hatch, live, and die all in one day. The cold kills them very fast. Isn’t that right, Renfis?”

Alchemy, it turned out, was a form of magic. Forgotten, long-dead, old magic that was as much a myth to the Fae of Yvelia as they were to the people of Zilvaren.

“Next time you’re curious about me, feel free to ask me,

“Are you asking me how big my cock is, Osha?”

“It’s big enough to make you scream and then some.”

“Ask a man how big his dick is, and he’ll show you that he’s full of shit.” “Maybe.

“It’s saying that you’re an… evil… piece of… shit,” I ground out.

“There you go again. Hungry, needy little bitch in heat, begging to be fucked…” he taunted.

“Annorath… MOR!

“You could at least tell me what he did to make you punch him like that.” “Just trust me. He deserved it.” “Well, I don’t doubt that

“Admittedly, I do enjoy when a female kneels for me, but in this particular case…”

His tongue darted out between his lips, his blood staining the very tip of it, and I found myself being flashed by a pair of wickedly sharp canines. The sight of them sent a thrill of panic-tinged intrigue through me. Heat rose up from the pit of my stomach, my blood rushing to my cheeks.

“I like being surprised,” Fisher said, spinning his fork over in his hand. “I’m also a fan of aggressive foreplay. It’ll be a fun reminder.”

“You could at least say hello before you start eye-fucking me.”

“I wasn’t eye-fucking you. I was trying to see through all of this… steam.”

“There you go again, lying your little heart out. You like my sweat, don’t you, human?”

“Fuck you, Fisher.” “Sure.” He smirked. “But I’m afraid I don’t have any new boots to trade you for your time.” I lunged for him, ready to kill him,

Gods, he was a sight to behold. Every line of him was art. With his full mouth, and the faint shadow of stubble marking his jaw, his fascinating eyes, and all of his midnight-black hair, it was hard not to look at him and ache. I had grown up in a pit of misery, where people died more often than they lived. I hadn’t seen many beautiful things in my short life. But, of all the beautiful things I had seen, Fisher was the most beautiful of all.

It would have been wrong to think of the men I’d encountered back in Zilvaren in that way. Some of them had been attractive. Some of them had even been hot enough to make my toes curl. But Fisher was the epitome of everything that was strong, and male, and powerful. He was so much more than anything I’d experienced before. He was beautiful. Looking at him made me feel like I couldn’t catch my breath.

“If you want it, come here and touch it...

“I don’t hate your kind. I’m just disappointed by how breakable you are. If I held you down and fucked you the way I’m imagining fucking you right now, I doubt that you’d survive it.”

“Because you’re intrigued. Because you’re bored. Because you’re super fucking aroused right now, and you want to follow through on whatever little fantasies are playing out in your head.”

“I’ll happily kiss all of your aches and pains better for you once we strike camp. I’ve been told my mouth has healing properties. Especially when administered between a pair of thighs.”