Healed by the Fae

By Jessica Wayne

My fear cost me the man I love.

Haunted by his past, Fearghas's attempt to shield us from the wrath of his enemy has backfired-horribly. Now, the stoic warrior who once wanted me as a mate is steadily unraveling, turning into the very

• Language: English
• Publisher: B.A.D. Publishing
• Release date: May 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9781952490958

Book preview

Chapter 1

Eira

Goodbye, Eira.

The ceiling fan above me whirls at a low speed, the blades going round and round. It’s perfectly predictable, and yet, it ruffles the world around it. The air moves as the blades rotate, attached to the same round host.

Predictable until it’s not.

Like Fearghas. Sheelin. Like this entire fucked up situation. A tear rolls down my cheek, and I close my eyes, pain pulsating through me—unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Never, in my entire life, have I ever felt so alone.

So broken.

Not even when I was held captive at the bottom of an empty well. When I was brutalized for my body, my magic. Because then, I hadn’t known love like the kind Fearghas has shown me over the last few centuries.

My bedroom door opens, and someone slips inside. She moves toward me slowly, her racing heart giving away who she is. You need to drink something, Eira.

Bronywyn offers me a cup, so I begrudgingly sit up. I know she’s right. After all, there won’t be any saving Fearghas if I’m dehydrated.

Thank you. I drink deeply, the cool water slipping down my throat, and yet, it still doesn’t quench my thirst. Nothing will; not until Fearghas is home and I feel whole again. It’s honestly surprising, the way I feel so lost not knowing where he is, what he’s doing, or even whether or not he’s himself.

Dark magic changes you. But dark energy? There’s no telling what it will do to him.

The mattress dips with Bronywyn’s weight. How are you doing?

I nearly died two hours ago in the parking lot of a club that was supposed to be safe, only to be rescued—and then left—by the man I love.

At least, you’re admitting it now, she says, softly. The words sting, and I don’t know if she meant them to or not, but it’s the least that I deserve.

They’re all thinking what I am: that this was my fault. And they are absolutely right. While I might not have driven him to the dark energy, I might as well have handed him a damned map.

He’d begged me to see him. To give him a chance. And I might as well have spit in his face.

The blonde witch reaches over and turns on the lamp. Light illuminates the room—yet another reminder that things have changed. For the first time since I had it built, my house is not welcoming to me. Not when it’s where Fearghas said goodbye. Bronywyn’s floral-printed guest room is a far cry from my safe haven, but it’s necessary until she can ward my house.

Everyone is here. We need to come up with a plan, figure out how we’re going to— She stops and closes her eyes, then takes a deep breath before leveling her emerald gaze on me.

How we’re going to save him?

How we’re going to stop him, she corrects as she stands. See you downstairs in five?

I nod, the lump in my throat making it impossible to speak. As soon as I’m alone again, I draw my knees up to my chest and bury my face between them. Fearghas’s handsome face pops into my mind.

His smile.

Laugh.

The way he’d watch me as though I was the only person in the room, no matter how crowded it was.

Losing him will destroy me. I get to my feet and cross the room, prepared for the onslaught of angry glares sure to come my way. They all blame me; each and every one of them knowing just what I did to cause this.

And with every step I take down toward the living room, my heart hardens against the guilt. Not because I don’t think I should feel it but because it’s a worthless emotion. At least, until we find a way to save him.

The moment I reach the bottom of the stairs, I hear them. The quiet murmurs, whispers of worry.

If Fearghas has turned against us—

Shut the hell up, Drexel, Cole scolds.

Someone sniffles—Delaney, perhaps?

Come in, Eira. At Elijah’s voice, I round the corner and come face-to-face with a group of people who are more like family after everything they’ve been through. I’ve been there, too, of course, helping as I could.

But not like them. To them, I’m an outsider. An outsider who broke their friend.

How are you feeling? Delaney asks from the couch as she wipes her fingertips beneath her wet eyes. Meanwhile, Cole glares at me from where he stands beside her.

I’ve been better, I tell her. He healed the worst of it before leaving.

She nods.

I spare a glance at Rainey, seated in a chair. She’s yet to speak—something unusual for the typically outspoken hunter. Her eyes are bloodshot as she stares across the room at a spot on the wall. Shoulders slumped, she looks like little more than a shell of herself, and who can blame her?

Being forced to kill yourself is not something one can easily recover from. And despite the fact that Fearghas was able to save her before she’d carried out Sheelin’s barbaric order, I imagine it will stick with her.

Nightmares that come to life tend to do that. They linger, thumbs digging down into the wound they caused. And if you can’t find the light, the festering will end you.

Elijah stands beside her, his face practically stone. Willa is on his other side, the pack alpha looking more somber than ever.

Drexel and Magnolia, the young hunter and witch saved by Delaney last year, stand side-by-side in the corner, neither of them speaking. Though, Magnolia does offer me a soft smile before I let my gaze wander over to Rainey’s partner, Walker. He stands on her other side, flanking her where Elijah is not.

Tarnley is in the far corner, Bronywyn beside him.

Look…I—

We don’t need to revisit what brought us here, Willa states, taking charge like the alpha she is. Bottom line is we now have two dark fae loose in Billings.

Fearghas is not a dark fae. I clench my hands into fists as her somber gaze levels on me.

He is, she replies, flatly. Pretending that he’s not won’t change a damned thing. All it’s going to do is blind you to what he’s capable of.

I recognize the truth in her words, but they still piss me off. Fearghas has saved every single one of our asses at one time or another. We are not just going to put him down.

I never said we would, she snaps. But we need to plan for it just in case. He knows way too much about my pack. I won’t risk them.

This is so much bigger than your pack, I growl as magic permeates the air around me. I’m on the edge of snapping, that much I know. And if I do, things are going to get really fucking wet.

No one is saying we need to put him down, Bronywyn says, stepping forward. She holds her hand out, back to Tarnley, and he places a leather satchel in her palm. These will shield us from the dark energy, but it’s not a permanent fix, she adds with a sad glance back at Rainey, who has yet to remove her gaze from the wall. Hide it from view, and don’t let anyone know you have it. Willa moves forward and takes one, and as much as I hate it—as much as it makes my skin crawl—I also retrieve a leather cord boasting a small amulet.

As soon as all of us are outfitted with the protection, Bronywyn tosses the bag to the couch and turns to Walker. Any update with Jillian?

The psychic shakes his head. She’s doing what she can to keep the humans from panicking, but things are getting out of hand. We have at least three more dead supernatural families, making for fifteen murdered in their own homes.

And still no leads?

Other than the ones Rainey, Elijah, and Fearghas took out? No. He casts a glance at Rainey, who doesn’t even act like she heard him.

Great.

Ridley appears in the living room, Rachel at his side. Mouths set in twin grim lines, there’s no need to ask if they found him. He’s not home or at the club, he says as he leans back against the wall.

We also checked your place, Rachel adds to me.

You said you could fix him.

All of us turn to Rainey as she speaks for the first time since we gathered here.

On the phone, she adds, getting to her feet and crossing her arms. You said you knew how to help him.

I have a hunch.

Then what is it?

We need to find your brother, I say, shifting my attention to Ridley.

Rafferty?

Yes.

Why the hell do you need him?

Because he is the only other fae who managed to take on dark fae matter and not lose it, Rainey answers. Fearghas told me that.

Rafferty has his own fucking problems, Ridley snaps at her.

Elijah growls. Watch your fucking tone.

Why? Because you don’t want me to offend your wife? Ridley pushes off the wall. In case you’ve forgotten, she’s part of the reason we’re in this position!

Sheelin was coming for us! Rainey yells back, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. She nearly killed Delaney! We had to do something!

Sheelin was manageable! But two dark fae? Do you have any idea what you’ve just unleashed onto this world? Onto my world? If they manage to get to Faerie— He shakes his head. You fucked up, and I won’t sit around and say otherwise. You sure as hell wouldn’t.

Elijah starts toward him. Keep talking, and I’ll cut your fucking tongue out—fae fucker or not, he snarls.

Rainey reaches out and grips his arm, her expression faltering. Then, she turns back to Ridley. You’re right, she says. I would have called anyone else out. I did what I thought was necessary, and it backfired—horribly. But Fearghas is not gone…not for good. He can’t be. I won’t accept it.

The more of that magic he uses, the further he slips away. Ridley shakes his head. Fucking moron.

If we can get to Rafferty—

Nothing will happen. My brother bleeds himself dry monthly to keep that magic from building in his system.

Then, that’s what we do. Hope floods through my system. If there’s a way—

What the hell are you going to do? Walk up to him and say, ‘Hey, Fearghas, I need to drain your blood so I can keep you from turning into a fucking psycho like your sister?’ He snorts. Yeah, that’s going to go over really well.

Fearghas is still reasonable, I argue back. If we can find him, we can convince him.

Then what the hell was the purpose of the magic? Ridley demands. He fought to get it. There’s no way in hell he’s giving it up. Especially since it gave him back the ability to dematerialize.

Is it not possible to only drain enough to help him keep an edge over it?

Ridley turns to Bronywyn. "You, of all people, know what it’s like to carry the weight of that type of power. The only difference is that what Fearghas carries now is about a thousand times more potent. Dark fae were banished from all the worlds because they posed a risk to everyone. Dark fae have no limits, no boundaries on their power. They can do whatever the hell they want and take anyone with them. All we can do now is fucking hope he takes Sheelin out so we only have to deal with one."

Fearghas could have done anything to me back at my house, I counter. And he didn’t. I choose to believe he has not completely lost it.

Then you’re living in a fairy tale, Siren. And don’t think for one fucking second any of us have forgotten you are likely what pushed him to the edge. He disappears.

He’s hurting, Rachel tells us. Because he’s seen what dark soul matter can do to a person.

Rafferty hung on, I tell her. So can Fearghas.

Ridley reappears and crumples to the ground, his breathing labored.

Ridley! Rachel rushes forward and grips his arm, helping him to his feet.

What the bloody hell happened? Elijah demands.

As much as it pains me to admit…we have a bigger fucking problem, he snarls.

What?

I can’t get to Faerie.

What the hell do you mean? Cole stands up, hands clenched into fists.

Someone warded the Veil closed. I can’t get to Faerie, he repeats.

You have got to be fucking kidding me, Elijah growls. First, the humans, then Fearghas, and now the Veil? When the fuck are we going to catch a break?

It has to all be connected, Walker interjects, crossing his arms. No way this is all random.

You haven’t had a single vision about any of this? Del questions, and he shakes his head.

Though if the Veil is down, that makes sense.

Why does that make sense? Drexel asks, his arm tightening around Magnolia’s shoulders.

Ridley clears his throat. The Veil exists without time. Past, present, future—it all resides there. Psychics have a mental tap into that Veil. If it’s shut down—

They might as well be normal, Magnolia finishes.

Delaney whirls on Walker. How long ago did your visions stop?

Completely? he asks, considering. A week—maybe more.

This night just keeps getting better and better, Ridley growls and spins, slamming his fist into the wall. Sheetrock crunches, and dust puffs into the air.

Everyone but Rachel jumps. She reaches up and rests a hand on her mate’s shoulder. It will be okay.

No. No, it won’t. If we don’t find out what happened and fix it—the Veil will collapse.

What happens then?

He turns to Cole. Everything in there comes out.

Chapter 2

Eira

"H ello," a masculine voice wraps around me, and the magic beneath my skin buzzes to life in response. I turn, taking in the sight of the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.

His golden-green gaze is trained on me, his white cotton shirt partially unlaced and tucked into dark trousers. Hello, I repeat. Can I help you?

You can tell me your name.

Heat rushes to my cheeks. Eira.

Eira. The way he says it—the softness in the tone—it makes me weak at the knees. I’m awestruck as the wind whips around us, the howling making it appear as though we’re the only two in our world. I’m Fearghas. He reaches forward, and I do the same. The moment our skin touches, a charge surges through my body with enough force to send me spiraling backward into the black.

I scream, grasping at everything, yet clinging to nothing.

Sweat beads upon my skin as I shoot out of bed. I’d made myself come back here last night, and as soon as I focus on the roaring of the waterfall in my bedroom, I say a silent thank you to my stubbornness. Pressing the heel of my palm against my chest, I rub, attempting to ease the pain. It burns as though someone drove a damned dagger through it.

Someone did, I remind myself, as the memories of my last encounter with Fearghas come rushing back.

Every attempt to calm myself is met with another image of him looming above me, and I scream, hurtling my pillow at the wall while violent sobs shake my shoulders. I’m still rational enough to know that I’m losing it.

Whatever connection we have, it’s kept me grounded, and without it—without him—I’m nothing but a mess of nerves and terrifying anxiety.

Easy, I whisper to myself. It’s okay. But my strangled voice is nothing but yet another reminder of how quickly I’m coming apart at the seams.

I throw the covers off of me and get to my feet, stripping as I head for the pool in the corner. The closer I get, the louder the sound, and soon it’s all I can hear. Even the heavy thundering of my heart is drowned out.

Naked, I jump into the pool and let the water completely surround me. It’s warm, heated to a perfect seventy-two degrees. I swim straight to the bottom, the pressure like a heavy blanket on me. Using my power to further immerse myself, I shove the water out to the sides, creating a pocket where I can sit, surrounded by a liquid shield.

But even down here, he reaches me.

Tears stream down my face, and I rest my cheek on the top of my knees. Maybe it would be easier if I just confronted Sheelin myself. I’m powerful enough to do it, that much I know, and if I were to go down, I have every confidence I could take her with me.

Fearghas is the only reason I’ve wanted to survive—the only reason I have for getting out of bed in the mornings, and now he’s—well—I don’t know what the fuck he is. How pathetic I am, right? My entire existence is dependent on one man.

A man I can’t even have.

The water around me surges and turns bright red, alarms letting me know someone is here. Water crashes down on me as I kick off with my feet, speeding through the liquid until it spits me out into my bedroom.

Quickly, I retrieve my robe and rush toward the front door. It’s barely dawn, the sun not even reaching the tips of the mountains. Fear claws at my chest even as, logically, I know whoever is on the other side is likely not an enemy. In my experience, enemies don’t ring a doorbell.

They simply pop into your life and destroy.

As soon as I see the woman on the other side of the security camera, my panic intensifies. Why is she here? I rip open the door and meet the concerned gaze of Rainey. What is it? Fearghas—

Who the hell knows. Can I come in?

Nodding, I move to the side so she can pass by.

She stops just inside the foyer and stares up at the curtain of water separating it from the rest of the house. I love your house. Have I ever told you that?

Thanks. The fact that she’s here, standing in my house when I know she’s currently battling with her own monsters, concerns me. Is everything okay?

I… Rainey trails off, something she doesn’t do. The hunter possesses no filter; she thinks something—she says it. It’s one of the reasons I respect the hell out of her. I am going to go blow off some steam, and I figured you could use the same. With everything going on—Fearghas being MIA, humans murdering supernaturals—it’s a lot.

It is, I agree. Coffee?

Sure.

Together, we make our way into the kitchen, and I put some beans into a grinder. A few seconds of loud noise pass by. Then the room falls near-silent again as I dump the fresh grounds into my mesh filter.

I know I shouldn’t pry, but given your history—did Fearghas hurt you?

I turn toward her. No. Intimidate? Yes. Terrify? Briefly. But he wouldn’t ever hurt me.

Rainey doesn’t answer, just nods. "What Sheelin made me do, the fact that I