Fae Magic: A Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance (Forsaking the Fae Book 1) Read online

  Fae Magic

  A.M. Hardin

  © A.M. Hardin, 2020

  All rights reserved.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Cover by Crimson Phoenix Creations

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Fae Magic (Forsaking the Fae, #1)

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  To my beautiful girls. I love you!

  Also by A.M. Hardin

  Mercy Ashby Series

  Mercy’s Protectors

  Mercy’s Destiny

  Mercy’s Battle

  Mercy’s Wrath

  Last Princess Series

  Marked

  Legacy

  Reign

  Evil in Love Series

  Trust the Dark

  Fear the Dead

  Forsaking the Fae

  Fae Magic

  Fae Heart (2020)

  Fae Soul (TBD)

  Scarlet Fire Pack Series

  Loner’s Allure (TBD)

  Chapter One

  Crystal

  "Hey, baby. What you drinkin'?"

  I roll my eyes at yet another guy who tries hitting on me. We’ve only been here for about an hour and I’ve had countless offers. Just as my friends have. Desperate guys prefer to come out in hordes apparently.

  "It doesn't really matter what I'm drinking," I inform him bluntly. "You're not buying me a drink."

  His mouth pulls down in a frown. "Why you gotta be such a bitch?" he slurs.

  I bark out a laugh. "Because I have absolutely no intention of sleeping with you and that's seriously the only reason you would be over here, trying to buy me a drink.” He rolls his eyes but still moves closer to me. I puff out a breath and shoot him another glare. "Seriously? Go."

  He rolls his eyes again, then waves my way, muttering under his breath, "Whatever, bitch. Don't know what you're missin'."

  Fairly sure the only thing I'm missing out on is a sloppy lay.

  No, thank you.

  I shake my head as I make my way back to my friends. Fortune is busy as hell tonight, and I'm seriously not wanting to be here.

  Halfway there, I bump into a man and meet his gaze. “Sorry,” I say quickly, biting my bottom lip as I take in his dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Hello. He’s fucking gorgeous.

  He smiles at me, damn near making me weak in the knees. “No problem.” He walks away and disappears into the crowd.

  Celeste and Jade are busy dancing in the middle of the club's dance floor with a couple guys wrapped around them. I smile as I walk, but the smile quickly fades as a chill slithers down my neck.

  I swear to the Gods that I'm being paranoid, but I keep thinking that someone's watching me. Every time I look, I don't see anything, so I've been chalking it up to paranoia and getting on with my day.

  I stop and scan the bodies in the club, ignoring the club music and shitty lighting as best as I can but I still can't see anyone looking at me deliberately. I sigh, give my head a quick shake and keep moving.

  Fucking paranoia.

  Jade grins when I make it to them. Her grin falls a little as she studies my face. "Hey, you doing okay?"

  I shrug, forcing a smile. "Yeah. I'm just tired. I'm honestly not feeling the club tonight. I think I'm just going to head on home."

  Celeste pouts playfully, pushing her bottom lip out just enough to make it look legit. I grin at her pout. "We haven't been here that long."

  "Yeah. I'm just not feeling it tonight. I'm ready to curl up and pass the fuck out."

  Celeste and Jade laugh. "I guess we'll see you tomorrow," Jade says.

  I give each of them a quick kiss on the cheek and a hug before waving goodbye as I walk back toward the bar to pay my tab.

  I lose my smile once I'm no longer in their sights, the feeling of being watched still there. I'm honestly getting sick of it. There's no one watching me. I should not be feeling like there is every five seconds.

  I step up to the bar and ask the bartender, Dave, for my coat as I pay my tab. Since he's a friend, he willingly keeps our coats and—if we bring them—our purses behind the bar for us when we're here. He hands me my coat with a wink, and I smile in thanks.

  I wave goodbye to Dave once I have the coat on and walk quickly through the throngs of people to get outside, shivering slightly once the cool air hits me.

  As soon as I walk a little way past the entrance, there's a group of guys smoking cigarettes and laughing against the building. One of them looks up at me, a grin stretching across his face. He's kind of cute, but I'm not in the mood right now.

  "Hey, baby. There's a party in my pants later, wanna come?" he calls to me, waggling his eyebrows.

  I snort and shake my head. "Thanks, but I'll pass. Maybe the next girl, honey."

  The guy laughs as his friends all laugh at him and start giving him shit for the corny ass line.

  A weary sigh escapes me as I make my way home. No, walking home from a nightclub at night isn't ever really a good idea, especially alone, but I didn't feel like taking my car. It was beautiful weather earlier, so I wasn't expecting it to get so cold tonight. I really should start checking the forecast because my inability to be dressed for proper weather is getting ridiculous.

  About a block away from my house in front of an alleyway someone moves quickly and blocks me from moving any further. I frown at the man in front of me as I study him. His eyes are wild, his hair is mussed, his movements are jerky, and he reeks of alcohol.

  “G-gimme yer money, b-bish,” he slurs. I sigh and attempt to move around him, but he blocks my path again, eyes blazing with fury. “Bish,” he spits, still slurring a little, “I said gimme yer money.”

  “I don’t have any,” I answer smoothly. “I’m just trying to get home.”

  He glares at me as he fumbles with his jacket for a few heartbeats. A moment later he thrusts the pointy end of a knife my way, his face twisted in anger. I step back, narrowly avoiding the knife.

  "Purty gurl wearing those nice clothes like you?" he says, disdain dripping from his voice. "I don't believe you. Gimme yer money," he snaps, taking
a step closer.

  I frown. "You don't want to do that," I warn him softly, keeping my eyes on his, still seeing his knife in my peripheral.

  He snorts. “Ain’t nothin’ a little gurl gonna do against this,” he says as he wiggles the knife in his hand. He stumbles forward, giving me a huge whiff of the alcohol on his breath—almost making me gag—while he thrusts his knife in my direction.

  I swat the knife out of my face, holding his arm in place away from me, before slapping my other hand against his forehead whispering, “Sleep.” The knife clatters to the ground as he staggers on his feet. His eyes roll in the back of his head as his knees give out, forcing him to fall forward. I sidestep the falling human and sigh in disgust at his still form.

  Humans have so many things going for them in this world, and so many waste their lives away. Most don’t have a choice, but that one touch to this particular human’s head showed me that he definitely had a choice. He chose wrong.

  I’m so glad that I managed to control that ability. For the most part—I didn’t actually mean to read this human. If someone’s shields are too weak or if I’m tired enough to lose the grip I have on the ability, I can’t shield myself properly. If I were to know everyone’s intentions and personalities just from them touching me, I’d be in overload mode. The human world is so much more touchy-feely compared to my home in Faerie. In our realm it’s frowned upon to use your magic on others unless it’s for good reason. Touching them in any way without permission is almost always construed as an insult. It means that you don’t respect their personal space and privacy.

  I reach down, grabbing the dropped knife and toss it into the dumpster in the alley before walking away. Maybe this guy was why I was feeling like I was being watched all night? Like he was watching and waiting for someone he thought was weak enough?

  I shake my head away from that train of thought because I don’t even really believe it. I do, however, draw that feeling up to paranoia. Again, it’s super annoying.

  I walk the rest of the way back to my apartment lost in thought about the feeling of being watched. I smile as I enter the building and see my elderly neighbor from across the hall checking her mail.

  She gives me a wicked smile. “Ah, looks like someone’s had a long night,” she says with a wink.

  I snicker and shake my head as I pull my keys out of my coat pocket. “Not the kind of night you’re thinking, Betty.”

  “You need to stop being so serious and start having more fun, Crystal.” She sighs wistfully as her eyes get a dazed look. “Oh, to be young again.”

  I chuckle. “I’ll keep that in mind,” I tell her as I move to my door. I unlock the door, and have it partially opened when Betty stops me.

  “Crystal, honey,” she says. Even though her tone is meant to be soothing, I tense. “I know you said that you have a strained relationship with your family, but really, dear, life is too short.” My chest clenches at the mention of my family, but I wait for her to finish instead of running into my home like I want to. “I’m sure enough time has passed that they would be willing to let go of past grievances. And I think that you need to mend that bridge before it’s too late.”

  I give the old woman a sad smile. “I wish that were even possible, Betty,” I tell her truthfully. “There are a lot of things standing between me and my family and not all of them are fixable.”

  She mirrors my sad expression. “I’m sorry to hear that, honey. This old crone will leave you be now,” she says forcing a bigger smile. “Go get some rest. You work too much.”

  I chuckle as I push my door open completely. “I’ll see you later, Betty.”

  “Good night, dear.”

  Walking into my house and shutting the door behind me I purse my lips as I take my coat off, moving slowly. Tossing the coat on the table near the door, I glance around my seemingly empty apartment. Turning the light on, I call out, “Might as well show yourselves. I know you’re there.”

  A deep, rumbling chuckle echoes down the hall as my old friend and royal guard, Levi, enters the living room. “I knew you would know we were here. I wasn’t sure how long it would take you, though,” he adds as two other fae I don’t recognize enter the room.

  Wait, I recognize one of them. It’s the guy that I ran into at the club. Awesome, so I wasn’t being paranoid.

  Chapter Two

  Crystal

  Levi struts further into the living room, his black hair carefully messy as he gazes at me with blue eyes glittering with a heat I’ve never seen in them before. The male I ran into at the club watches as I run my eyes over the three of them. The third male has brown hair so dark that it almost looks black and he watches me carefully with beautiful hazel eyes.

  Before I have a chance to say anything, Levi speaks. “It’s time to come home, princess.”

  I snort. Waving off his shocked expression as I move toward my kitchen, I completely disregard my intruders.

  “Yeah,” I drawl, “thanks but no thanks.”

  “Princess,” the guy from the club starts but stops when Levi holds a hand up.

  “Crystal,” Levi says, voice calm but with a hint of steel in it.

  I shrug as I grab a bottle of wine and the corkscrew to get the bitch open. So not interested in hearing this shit. Especially not fucking sober. “I’m not going. You can leave. Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on your way out,” I say with a wave toward the door as I reach into my cabinet and grab a glass.

  Levi stares at me for a moment while I pour my wine into the glass, nearly filling it. Might as well have drank from the bottle but I’m supposed to be a “princess.” Insert eye roll here. In name maybe . . . actually not even in name. Blood, sure. Otherwise, no. Definitely not a princess.

  “You’ve changed with your time in the human world,” he comments, looking weirdly pleased.

  A smirk plays at my lips. “I’m no longer a doormat, Levi,” I assure him. “A lot of things can change in six years.”

  “Are your friends to thank for that?” he asks, looking like he’s trying to fight a smile.

  I chuckle before taking a big drink. “Damn straight,” I tell him bluntly. The guard who tried speaking earlier has a small smile on his face as he watches us. The other just watches with a blank expression.

  “When did you start hanging out with dark fae?” Levi asks curiously.

  My mouth pulls up into a smirk. “We found each other shortly after I came here. They taught me what I needed to know,” I tell him vaguely.

  Levi frowns thoughtfully, as if he knows that I’m not giving him all the details. “We can’t leave here until you agree to come home,” he finally says.

  “Well, you’re wasting your time,” I respond casually, downing another gulp of wine. “I have no intentions of going back to Faerie. There’s nothing there for me.”

  “You’re our princess,” the one who was silenced earlier says quickly. “It’s your duty as our princess to come when summoned home. Just as it would be for any of us when we come here.”

  I raise an eyebrow at him as I set my glass down. Crossing my arms over my chest, I lean back against the counter. I study the guard who looks determined to drag me home. No, not home. Not anymore. “I’m gonna stop you there. I’m not a princess, not anymore. I gave up my crown. You’re just wasting my time and yours.”

  He frowns and opens his mouth, but Levi cuts him off, looking angry. “Are you fucking serious right now, Crystal?”

  I bristle and glare at him. “Damn straight I’m serious! I don’t belong there, Levi! I stopped being welcome the moment it became clear that I was the first in my family with my condition in centuries.” By condition, I mean me being a dark fae.

  His anger drains from his expression as his face softens. “Crystal-”

  “Don’t,” I hiss. “Don’t you dare try to tell me that it’s never mattered. It may not have mattered to you and a few others, but it’s definitely mattered to those that should have supported me and loved me no matter
what I was.”

  The quiet guard and the one who’s actually spoken to me frown and exchange looks.

  I chuckle darkly, shaking my head. “Unbelievable. I knew they kept my abilities a secret when I was still living there. I just didn’t think that they would keep that shit going after I left. Does anyone even know why I left?” I ask Levi, watching him flinch at the bite in my words.

  “No,” Levi murmurs. “They kept it as quiet as possible.”

  I snort. Fucking figures. I grab my glass and gulp down the rest of the wine before throwing the glass at my refrigerator, shattering the glass. I look at the glass on the floor, disgusted.

  I move my gaze to the two strangers after a minute and find them watching me warily. “What are your names?”

  “I’m Ezra,” the guard with dirty blonde hair says. “The quiet one is Maxwell.”

  “I wish I could say it’s nice to meet you,” I tell them honestly, “but the fact that you’re here doesn’t mean good things for me.”

  Ezra’s eyes narrow. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s not like that, Crystal,” Levi quickly states.

  I raise an eyebrow at him before ignoring him and turning back to the others. “Do you know anything about why I left? Suspicions or anything?” They shake their heads. I roll my eyes. “In short, my family is nothing but bullies in high school.” They stare blankly at me, making me sigh. Right. There isn’t a high school at home. “They put on pretty and sophisticated faces in front of outsiders but only those close to them know the truth. They’re heartless, uncaring bastards that loved tormenting the black sheep of the family. I was never treated as a princess unless we were in public or in front of untrusted fae.”

  Both guards look doubtful and a resigned smile shows on my face. “You don’t have to believe me. But if I go back and they assign you to me, you’ll see for yourselves that they aren’t the loving family they pretend to be.”

  “No family is perfect,” Ezra points out.

  “But loving families aren’t meant to be cruel to those that are born different,” I counter. “I left because they finally took things too far.” I notice Levi flinch, but I don’t elaborate more than that and decide to just get back to the matter at hand. “In any case, it doesn’t matter. I’m not going back. No one even truly wants me back there, anyway.”