Thank you to Mel and Pamela!

Chapter Four

Edward

There were many things in my life that constituted problems, and by far Bella was at the top of the list for a multitude of reasons.

For one, it shouldn't be possible that my fae magic would try to bind to her human magic. It didn't make any sense and presented a frankly worrisome reality. Bella was my new all-too-human weak spot, and until we figured out what was happening, I couldn't let her out of my sight. Not after I realized how much trouble she could find by just existing.

At the memory of those thugs cornering her in that alley, I felt my blood begin to boil again. I'd been angry plenty in my life, but tonight it had been something darker, something hungrier. I'd killed the first two without even a thought.

Bella had been right to stop me from killing the last, but part of me still wanted to slay him. I told myself it was because he'd threatened me by attacking her, but I wasn't entirely sure it was the truth.

Regardless of my true motivations, I now had more problems on my hands. I wouldn't get prosecuted for the murders—I wasn't worried about that—but if it got out that I was killing our citizens, things could get bad.

My father would lose his mind.

Tanya's amulets were both helpful and not. In some ways it was easier to resist reaching out to Bella, but now I was aware of her in entirely new ways. Her scent had grown stronger as soon as her blood was around my neck, and I was nearly numb in the haze of honey, orange, and clove.

She shifted in her seat, stirring the air around her, and I had to force myself not to take a deep breath of her spiced scent. It would only weaken my control.

"I want to go home," Bella repeated.

"Too fucking bad," I said, my voice tight.

Beside me, Bella let out a long sigh. "You're more of a dick than even I would have guessed," she snapped, folding her arms across her chest.

I almost smiled. She had no fucking idea.

"How long am I going to be your prisoner?"

I turned to look at her. "We have to figure out what is going on between us," I told her.

She shook her head. "I have work. I can't just play quest with you."

I rolled my eyes. "Quit. You can get another job when you are done."

Bella acted so fast, even my fae senses couldn't catch her movement until I felt the back of her gloved hand connect with my shoulder. I gaped at her in stunned silence. Had anyone dared to hit me before? And why did it send a dark thrill through me when she did? Was it because of the contact, even though it wasn't direct flesh to flesh?

Bella's eyes were wide as the moon, but her mouth was set in a hard line. "The world doesn't work like that," she said, her voice trembling slightly before she got ahold of herself. "I can't just go swanning off because you want me to solve your problems. I have rent to pay and bills due. You know, responsibilities," she hissed.

"Your finances can be taken care of," I offered.

Bella's eyes narrowed. "You clueless asshole," she snarled, reaching up to hit me again. This time I was ready for it and caught her wrist midair.

"Watch yourself." My voice was a growl, but instead of cowering, Bella's eyes narrowed to slits.

"You disgust me," she spat.

I released her wrist and sat back in my seat, letting out a breath. "Join the fucking club," I muttered.

We were silent the rest of the journey to the palace, and when we arrived, Bella refused to get out until I threatened to throw her over my shoulder.

While I could easily do it, I thought it seemed unlikely we could have that sort of contact without touching and she must have realized it too because she crawled out of the carriage under her own power and followed me inside.

My apartments were in the south wing, as far from my parents in the north wing as I could be. I preferred it this way. When I was closer, it was too tempting for my parents to put me under observation and meddle in my life. One of these days, I would move out entirely, perhaps set up in the palace on the isle of Mura in the south. It was meant as a summer home for royals past, but no one had lived there in decades. I'd often thought about settling there.

At the very least it would get me out of this toxic city.

I led Bella inside to the main apartments, stopping in the parlor to fix myself a drink. "Fire wine?" I asked, looking up at her as I moved to the bar.

Bella's eyes narrowed, but then she nodded. "Where are we?" she asked.

"My apartments," I told her, pouring two glasses of the golden liquid. I pulled a flask from my coat and unstoppered it, tipping wisps of white smoke into my goblet before capping the flask again and sliding it back into my pocket. I turned and offered Bella her glass. She watched me skeptically, her dark eyes unreadable. For a moment, I wondered if she would take the drink even though she'd indicated she wanted it. Finally, she reached out, her gloved fingers touching mine as she took the goblet.

I saw her eyes move down to the drink as I brought my own to my lips. Fire burst across my tongue, lapping at the cavern of my mouth and sliding down my throat. My tongue played with the blue flames that coated my teeth. It was hot but not uncomfortable, and as it settled into my stomach, warmth spread throughout my whole body. I licked my lips in satisfaction.

Bella still hadn't taken a sip, and I looked over at her curiously. "What's wrong?" I asked finally.

Bella's eyes lifted to mine. "I've never had fire wine," she said with a half shrug.

I nodded and lifted my glass to my mouth, taking a large sip and quickly opening to show Bella the flames. Her eyes widened and I grinned.

"It's harmless," I told her. "More for show than anything else."

She took a breath, swirled the liquid once before she nodded and brought the goblet to her pink lips.

I saw the fire ignite, watched as it flit across the seam of her mouth and coated her tongue as it poked out to lick at a drop left behind.

I wanted to drink the flames from her.

My mouth went dry, and I spun around, turning from her to try to get my bearings.

Bella was attractive enough, certainly, but I knew that it was her magic more than anything that was calling to me. Magic was forcing me to notice her. Magic was the reason my cock was growing hard just thinking about her full mouth.

I needed to shift my focus, start a conversation or something, anything to distract me from the path my thoughts were wandering down.

I cleared my throat and took another long sip of my drink. I hadn't poured enough moonsmoke in, so I couldn't feel the effects of it at all.

"Tomorrow I will send a messenger to your work establishment," I told her, not quite turning to face her. "Your employer will know of your immediate resignation."

"Absolutely not—"

"Further, your items will be collected from your home and brought here. We'll set you up in a room in the south wing so you are out of the way but accessible. From here, we will be able to draft a plan to find Ananka if such a place exists." I let out a breath. "If it doesn't, we will devise a new plan."

I heard the air move behind me, and then less than a second later, a throw pillow hit me square in the back of the head. I stumbled forward, shocked, and whipped around to see Bella glaring daggers at me, the pillow clutched between angry fists.

"You are the most obnoxious person in the world," she snarled. "I'm not quitting my job. I'm not moving in here. You cannot make me do anything. I'm not a fucking toy. Do you understand me?"

I was so stunned about the blow to the back of my head that I could hardly respond. Bella's eyes were narrowed slits, her nostrils flaring, her lips curled into a snarl over her teeth. She looked positively feral.

"I wonder what would happen if we bound our magic by fucking." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them, and I saw Bella's eyes widen, her posture changing so that she was stepping back, surprised and uneasy. I didn't regret saying it. It was very much a thought on my mind.

I'd heard tales of humans binding through the touch of hands or arms. It was often described that the parts of those bound that touched first were more sensitive, more aware of the other's magic. I didn't know if this was true, and I still wasn't entirely certain we would bind given that I was fae, but it seemed worth the thought exercise at the very least.

What would it be like to be bound by fucking?

"You are a pig," Bella said, but it carried less heat, and I wondered if I'd finally proposed a plan she approved of.

It surely had my attention.
Bella cleared her throat. "I need sleep," she said finally, shaking her head. Briefly, my eyes flickered to the adjoining room where my large four poster bed lay. I saw Bella's eyes move in that direction too. I wondered if she could see my bed from her angle.

Finally, she looked at me, her mouth set in a mutinous scowl.

"If you are uninterested in sharing my bed," I said, making her scowl grow even deeper. "Someone will show you to your own room."

Bella glared at me. "Only for tonight," she warned.

I didn't bother to respond. There were ways of forcing her to stay if I wanted. She couldn't escape me so easily.

"Bree!" I called. The door to the room opened and one of my maids appeared, her eyes downcast. "Please escort Bella to a room she will be comfortable in."

Bree dipped into a curtsy before motioning for Bella to follow her. Bella gave me one last glare before she stalked out of the room.

As soon as she was gone, I pulled out my flask of moonsmoke and downed the contents in a single gulp. Immediately, I felt my body thrumming to life, my blood pulsing in my veins as the elixir worked its way through me.

Groaning, I stretched my neck and shook out my arms. It had been a long day, and unfortunately, I was facing another one tomorrow. My skin felt taut, as if it had been pulled to stretch over my bones. What I really needed was a good fuck to wear me out so I could get some sleep.

Unbidden images of Bella flashed through my mind as I imagined every conceivable way of finally making her shut up and submit. She'd make me work for it, but oh, the challenge she presented.

I groaned and shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts. They were unproductive at best. I needed an expert, someone who could tell me exactly what was going on between Bella and me. If by some small chance we were actually binding, we needed to find a way to end it.

Because one thing was clear to me—I could not spend the rest of my life tied to this woman.

…

I eventually found sleep, but only after putting the fire wine away and downing a bottle of glowing green absinthe. I slept like the dead, like I usually did, and when I woke I felt worse than death. Unfortunately, that could not be blamed on the alcohol, though my heavy tongue and clouded mind could.

I was naked and sprawled across my bed, empty glass bottles on the floor beside me. On the nightstand sat a blackwood pipe that I had inherited from my grandfather. It was coated in the remnants of moonsmoke, sticky and charred black from the flame. I'd resorted to smoking rather than drinking it last night, and that had finally been the piece to send me into unconsciousness.

I rolled onto my back, trying to take an assessment of my being. I felt depleted, but that was nothing new. I couldn't remember the last time I woke up feeling refreshed.

Apart from a weariness hanging about my soul, my body seemed to be in working order.

Sunlight was just starting to fight through a crack in my curtains, cutting a slice of blinding light across my body. I brought a hand up to my chest, where the pendant of Bella's blood still hung around my neck. I lifted the vial up, letting the sunlight catch the ruby blood. I wasn't sure if I imagined the scent of honey and spice or not.

Today I would take Bella to see the high scholars, and we would find out if it was possible for us to truly be bound. If not, then I'd offer her a celebratory fuck, hopefully to get her out of my system for good.

If we were binding…

Well, I'd cross that bridge if I came to it.

Sighing, I dropped the vial against my chest and pulled myself up into a seated position. I gave myself another minute to pull myself together before I stood and pulled on silk pajama pants and a long silk robe. I left the robe untied as I made my way out of my room. First things first, I'd wake Bella up and tell her the plan for the day. Maybe I'd even try to get to know her over breakfast if she could find it in herself to be civil to me for one fucking second.

At the thought of her flagrant disobedience, I couldn't help the smile that crept over my mouth. I sort of liked how obstinate she was. It was unpredictable in ways not a lot of things in my life were.

I left my rooms, moving down the hall to the only guest room with its door shut. I stopped myself from walking in, hesitating before knocking with the back of my knuckles.

There was no response and I frowned, knocking louder.

Did she sleep like the dead?

I moved my hand to the doorknob, relieved when I felt it give way under my touch. I pushed the door open but stopped when I found the curtains spread wide and the room completely empty. Was she not in this room after all?

Frowning, I turned and headed out of the room, catching the first maid to walk past me. "Where is Bella's room?" I asked her.

The maid's eyes widened as she pointed to the room behind me. "There, Your Highness," she squeaked.

"She's not in there," I protested, my voice growing loud.

The maid's eyes widened. "She bade me give you a message," she said, terror now clear on her face.

I looked at the maid in confusion. The girl was new to my staff, or else didn't work when I was around because I didn't know her name.

"Yes?" I asked, feeling impatient.

The maid blinked. "She begs my lord's apologies—"

"What were her actual words?" I demanded, not wanting to hear the sanitized version.

The maid looked as if she would faint. "'Tell that prick he does not own me and cannot control me,'" the maid repeated, looking as if she was worried I'd execute her on the spot for treason.

I let out a shaking breath, my fingers curling into fists. "Thank you," I said, trying to be as calm as possible. "Did she say where she was going?"

The maid shook her head and I nodded, dismissing her. She practically sprinted from me.

If Bella wanted to do things the hard way, then fine. We'd do things the fucking hard way.

Game on.