I looked at my phone where it sat on the couch next to me.
I took a couple of bites from my cereal to distract myself, failed and looked back at it.
Damien hadn't texted me yet. He was the usually the first to wake me in the morning, especially on Saturdays.
We hadn't spoken since last night. I know he read the text message I sent him asking him how his date went.
But he still hadn't responded.
I hope he's okay...
"Good morning, Emmy!"
I looked up at my mother as she moved through the kitchen with a brilliant smile. I spoke through the cereal in my mouth. "'Morning."
She smiled in response. "You and your classmates played beautifully last night, Emmy. Congratulations."
I smiled. "Thanks Mom."
She sighed loudly as she looked through her own phone. "Are you busy tonight?"
I shook my head. "No, not really."
Her green eyes met mine and I swore they lit up. "Good, I'm having a friend over tonight for dinner. Do you remember Lorraine? My co-worker from ACE?"
I nodded remembering ACE being the company my mother worked at for almost all of my teenage years. She still saw Lorraine from time to time.
"Did you know she has a son? He's a successful banker in the city -"
"No," I moaned. "Please don't. Not setting me up, again."
She hushed me. "He's back in town from the big city and wants to meet you."
I saw through her lies and squinted my eyes at her in a mock glare. "No, he doesn't."
She rolled her eyes and ran a hand through her frizzy blonde hair. "Come on, Emmy. Work with me here! I even got you a dress."
I rolled my eyes and groaned in the loudest way possible to show my displeasure. "Mom, please, I don't need a matchmaker."
She set her phone down forcefully in the cushion between us. "Emylin, you need a boyfriend! You are twenty-two years old!"
I rolled my eyes again. "I don't need a boyfriend."
My mother sighed heavily.
I shook my head and looked at her exasperated. "Does it really bother you that much?"
She sighed as she moved to the kitchen. She began to go through the drawers, pulling out a notepad and pen. "I worry about you, Emmy. Your life doesn't start after college, it's happening now, all around you. School is important, but not so important you miss out on life."
I smiled weakly and walked to her placing my arms around her shoulders behind her in a hug. "I'm alright, Mom. Honestly. Damien keeps me sane."
She sighed, frustrated. "Damien. You said he's just a classmate but is he ever going to ask you out?"
I shook my head and placed my chin on her shoulder. "Not likely," I laughed. "He's found someone. Do you remember Leah?"
I felt her tense beneath my arms. "Oh, that witch."
I shrugged my shoulders. "He seems to like her."
She shook her head. "I know I just met him but he can do much better. Have you told him that?"
I sighed, dropping my arms. "It's so complicated, Mom."
She looked at me with questioning eyes. "I think you owe it to that boy to tell him what she's capable of, Emmy. She is an absolute witch."
I smiled sadly at my mother's comment. If only she knew that I had told him and Damien still found her to be just like him.
I hoped to never truly be on the other end of Damien's true fae nature.
He wasn't the exception, after all.
She could see in my face that I wasn't going to bring it up again. She only shook her head as she looked at the notepad in her hand. "I wrote down some ingredients for that salad you like so we can have it tonight. Do you want to go with me to the grocery store?"
I nodded, pushing my glasses up the bridge of my nose. "Sure, let me just go upstairs and grab my stuff."
I ran up the stairs taking the steps two by two to my room.
I opened my bedroom door and froze in the doorway.
I watched the male fae that sat in the lounge chair in my room with bated breath, the bedroom doorknob still in my hand.
His elbow was on the armrest. His cheek rested on his closed fist; his ankle was set over his other knee. He looked like he had been waiting comfortably for me to come back to my room.
Like Damien, he was devastatingly handsome. His eyes though as dark as coals, captivated me where I stood. His jaw was strong and lightly peppered with stubble.
I always knew that the fae were supernaturally handsome. They were supposed to be.
The man that sat in front of me, was no exception.
And he knew it.
He smirked as I stood frozen in place watching him.
An innate, primal instinct sparked within me. I should be running.
But I couldn't. I was frozen where I stood.
His dark eyes watched me, alight with mischief. They raked me over from my toes up to my eyes.
A switch flipped in my head.
I turned, about to sprint down the hall when he spoke again.
His voice was soft, silky. Commanding.
"Emylin Grace Sanders."
I froze again, only this time it wasn't my doing.
Magic laced his voice. It turned my name into a command. He was willing me to stay where I stood with dark fae magic.
It made me shudder and sigh softly at the same time.
I struggled to move and failed. My hand only shook in its place on the doorknob.
"Come in and close the door," he instructed.
My body moved obeying his command.
As soon as the door clicked into place, he spoke again. "Turn around."
I turned around to face him.
A mischievous smile hinted at the corner of his handsome lips. "Crawl to me."
My knees fell to the floor first followed by the rest of my body. As soon as the palms of my hands were on the carpet, he barked a laugh.
He laughed loudly and pushed himself closer to me while he stayed in his chair. "A human! Damien actually has a human!"
I moved slowly towards him, the carpet stinging my palms as I crawled.
"That self-righteous king has a human of his own." He chuckled then leaned closer as if he wanted to take a closer look at me where I was on the floor. "How delightful."
Thundering footsteps approached. My shoulders tensed. My parents would come in and see him. Would he make them crawl like he was making me do?
"Please," I pleaded quietly from where I was on the floor. "My parents are about to come in, they don't know about the fae. Please, don't hurt them."
"Hmm." He leaned back in the chair. I wanted to slap the smug look off his face. "Cover for me, then." He smiled again. "Don't move from your spot."
The door burst suddenly open and when I looked up to the door, I found my mom looking at me on the floor. "Are you all right?"
My head immediately shot to the chair where the man had been. It was empty.
I tried to move my hands from where they were but stopped. They wouldn't budge despite my effort. Fae magic kept my palms and knees firmly in place.
I couldn't imagine what my mother was thinking finding me on the floor. "Uh, yeah. Why?"
"I thought I heard a man in here."
I tried to stay collected and cool so my mother wouldn't think anything suspicious was happening. Instead, I gave a wheezing laugh. "What? You must be hearing things."
She sighed. "Why are you on the floor?"
"I lost a button," I said quickly. "I'm just looking for it." I cleared my throat. "I won't be able to join you in shopping today. I forgot I had something to do. Sorry."
The disappointment in my mother's voice stung. "Oh, All right." She sighed sadly. She gave a small smile. "Don't forget about dinner tonight, okay?"
I nodded, my eyes turning back to the floor. "Sure thing."
I saw her feet recede then heard the door shut tightly.
I let out a long steadying breath to calm my nerves. She didn't seem to suspect anything.
I heard the lock click into place behind me and when I looked to the chair again, the man was back.
He looked incredibly pleased. "Now, I'm surprised Damien hasn't placed an enchantment in the room already to make it soundproof." He chuckled. "Don't worry, I've done that already. No one will bother us again."
My teeth clenched in anger.
He placed his cheek on his fist. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes. Emylin Grace Sanders." His voice suddenly softened, and his words were again filled with magic. It undid my tightened core and I found myself relaxing at his words. "Come to me."
Unexpected desire began to build in me and before I could form another thought, felt it flood. I needed to please him, the need overwhelmed all of my senses.
Instantly, I knew what he wanted. He didn't have to say the words, magic did it for him.
I had to do everything I could to please him, to make him happy.
I moved again and watched his expected gaze filled with malice.
When I was in front of him, I used his knees as leverage to pull myself up off the ground.
He continued to smirk as I climbed on top of him and straddled him where he sat.
I moved quickly, pressing my lips against his and opening my mouth to deepen the kiss while simultaneously feeling for the belt of his pants with my hands.
His strong hands were on my arms and with purposeful strength, he pulled me away.
I whined.
His dark eyes watched me with disgust. "Don't kiss me on the lips, human."
I watched his lips and nodded, touching my own. "I'm sorry."
He nodded towards my hands. "And keep those to yourself."
I nodded and when he let me go, I moved to his neck, placing small kisses below his ear and along his jaw.
He relaxed in the chair underneath him. As he did, our bodies moved closer together and his hands rested on my hips.
He chuckled and I felt his laugh reverberate under my lips. "My, my Damien has you starved of attention." He snorted. "I almost thought you were his next queen."
I frowned, not knowing what he meant.
"Seeing you together, I would have thought you were much closer."
My frown deepened but I didn't stop the kisses he wanted.
"Tell me, what do you and Damien do when you're together?"
I wanted to please the fae man so I answered him truthfully. "Play board games." I gently bit his ear lobe.
He laughed. "Is that what the young fae call this now?"
I felt him move and reach for something on the dresser beside him.
I moved my kisses from his ear to his Adam's Apple, not once stopping what I was doing.
I felt his fingers on my arm again. He pushed me back, stopping my actions.
His eyes shimmered in fascination and a knowing smile touched his lips. "Aster Seren."