The Sleeper's Harp (The Arcane Artifacts, #1)

Chapter 14 - Heated Interactions

Everything tilted on its axis. My stomach lurched. My knees buckled and the ground rose up to meet me.

"Fuck." Sure hands caught me around the waist, just before my knees hit the pavement, hauling me up from behind. They remained in place.

I doubled over, breathing hard, bracing my hands on my knees. "What...the...fuck?!" My vision swam, half tears, half dizziness. "I think I'm going to vomit."

"Deep breaths, Sugar." A warm hand rubbed my back, the other keeping hold around my waist.

I held my position, gasping. Things began to settle. I gulped and swallowed. I took a slow breath through my nose and held it, counting to five, then released it. My nostrils flared as I took another, and another. Then I began to calm.

"You good?"

I straightened.

Bastian rotated me to face him, keeping an arm around my back, smoothing some hair back from my face. Green eyes darted between mine, pupils still dilated.

"What the hell was that?!" I seethed, glancing around. "Are we...did we just teleport or some shit?" We stood in his driveway, steps from the front porch.

"Something like that." His jaw tensed. "I couldn't take any chances moving through the crowd. The Vault's the last place you want to be during a supernatural fight."

"That was sickening," I snapped, staring up at him, glaring.

"Sorry, Sugar." He didn't look sorry at all. "Why do you think I told you not to drink? Your stomach would be spilled on the pavement right now."

I made a hissing sound of disgust. Never mind that his arm was still wrapped around me, my body pressed tight to his. For stability purposes, of course. "You restricted my drinking, but didn't think to warn me as to why?"

"Didn't know it would be necessary—hoped it wouldn't be." But the twitch of his lips said otherwise. "Come on."

Ugh! His asshole was totally showing.

My nausea subsided as he turned and led me up the porch stairs. The night air was a direct contrast to the loud music of the club. Crickets and cicadas chirped. A bullfrog croaked in the distance. Bats chittered. The trees surrounding his property were filled with life.

"How did you do that, anyway?" I managed, as we stepped into the house entryway. I bent to unzip my booties, placing a hand against the wall for balance. I skip-hopped to get out of the other. Still breathing harder than normal, I backed up flush to it, leaning on it for support as I watched him.

"Magic, obviously," he said, shucking off his boots, leaving them beside mine. He stood to his full height, regarding me with a lifted eyebrow. A perfectly fucking shaped pierced eyebrow. Asshole.

"Yes, but how? I didn't know goblins had magic like that. I thought you were fighters, warriors. And yet, I've seen you disappear things. You must be..."

Really powerful.

He heard the words even though I didn't speak them. Stalking over, he invaded my space, bracing his hands on either side of me. All the sensations dredged up during our dancing surged to the forefront. "Impressed, Sugar?"

I snorted, rolling my eyes. But truthfully? I was impressed.

"Who are you?" I whispered, breathless, before I could help myself. His face was inches from mine. There were tiny gold flecks in his green eyes. The scent of musk and citrus soap wrapped around me, filling my nostrils.

"You really want to know?" His voice was open, honest, eyes darting between mine. I nodded, not sure I could speak.

"I'm a bastard fae, Sugar. Lowest of the low. My mother's fae, father's a goblin. That's where I got my affinity for metals, the reason I was able to transport us like that."