“Come on,” he said. “Places to see. People to meet. Woman to impress . . .”
She laughed again as she let him take the lead toward the hot springs where he liked to escape. Later, there would be a gathering of faeries and halflings like them, who gathered in the woods in the northeast corner of New Mexico.
By the time they’d woven themselves along the trail to the hot springs, Urian had decided to tell her the plan.
“There are others like us who will be here tonight,” he said.
“Halflings?”
“Faeries, some of dual parentage and some not,” he clarified. “I thought you might want to meet people other than me.”
“Do I need gloves?” Katherine looked up at him, and he was stricken by how much kinder she was. Not merely hungry. Not filled with rage. She worried that her touch would cause trouble.
“You won’thurtanyone by touching them,” he hedged.
“But . . .?”
“But they’ll likely be aroused to some degree,” Urian paused, weighing his words before adding, “You are uncontrolled in a way that will change with time. Your every need is ready to be met, and while that is true, you will be alluring. It will not hurt them, but I would prefer if you tried not to touch bare skin.”
“Because you want to be the one to quench that need?” Katherine’s voice was light, and she smiled.
Urian exhaled in relief. “No. Obviously, Ido, but who has that fortune is your choice. I would simply rather you do not yet see me in the sort of violence I would be prone towards if you were in peril.”
She stared at him for a long moment. “Are you often violent?”
“I can be.” Urian looked at her unflinchingly. “Come with me, and let me have lightness tonight, and tomorrow I will tell you all my flaws.”
“We need all day to list them?” she teased, smile wavering apprehensively but still there.
“No.” He tugged her hand so that they were walking again.
A few moments later, they stood at the edge of a hot spring. The state was dotted with them, but this one was hidden. Used only by faeries, it was tucked in a natural dip in a hillside, so that it looked like a great hand had carved a hole in the earth. About the size of a small swimming pool, tiny lake, or enormous pond, the hot spring in front of them would easily fit several dozen people at once.
Urian had layered “mortals stay away” magic over the whole area so that his kind had this slice of nature to themselves. It was a skill his auntie had taught him. This and hiding his true heritage were the greatest tools he’d had in his arsenal of tricks.
“I don’t have a suit,” she said.
“Do you need one?”
“I’m not having sex with you today,” she rebutted.
“Noted.” He grinned. “Nottoday.”
She laughed. “No guarantees about other days either, but definitely not today.”
“Define ‘sex,’ Katherine of Miller.” Urian watched the pulse in her throat thrum. “Does touching your hand constitute sex? Kissing? What are the rules here? Or do you simply meanintercourse?”
She was breathy as she said, “That last one.”
“So I will get another kiss?” He watched her lips part.
Katherine nodded silently.
“That is more than enough.” He wanted more, and she did too, but there was time enough. They could take their seduction slowly.
As Urian turned his back, he added, “I will give you privacy to slip into the water if you want. There’s room in the pool, and there are shadows to hide any glimpses of your bare self.”
“And if I want to enjoy the hot spring without you?” she asked.