the danger she was in. “There are only three of you left. A girl was killed almost a decade ago when she was sixteen. Two boys were killed a few years after that within the space of a year. All by Eirik. Another fae-borne wasn’t killed—she was turned into a werewolf by her mate.”
“Uh … what?”
He’d done more talking in the last few hours than he had in his entire life. Fuck, it was exhausting. Still, for the good of his revenge … “Her name is Thea. A werewolf with remarkable tracking abilities was engaged to hunt her, but when he found her, they discovered they shared the mating bond. Rumor has it she was stabbed in the heart by iron but as she was dying, her mate bit her, and she turned.”
“I could get bit by a wolf and I’d no longer be fae? I thought you said a werewolf bite can kill us?”
It was difficult to know how much to tell this woman that would secure her trust but wouldn’t make her knowledge a problem for him and others.
“Fionn?”
“She was being hunted by the Blackwoods. Her pack lied and said she’d always been wolf, but they suspected it was a lie. If I give you this knowledge and they find evidence of the truth, they’ll start a war with Thea again.”
“I wouldn’t put someone who’s the equivalent of my sister in danger.”
He frowned. “You think of them as such? As siblings?”
“We’re cast from the same spell, right?”
“Aye, but you’re not related.”
“We’re bound in a way that’s more powerful than mere DNA. Do you know where she is?”
“It’s too dangerous to go to her.” To distract her from that notion, he continued, “There are legends about the mating bond but now I’m the only one left who knows whether they’re true. And I’m about to trust you with that truth. Don’t betray my trust.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
Only time would tell. Fionn wouldn’t hold his breath.
It had been a long time since he’d trusted someone with information about the fae. He was only divulging it to Rose because he needed her to trust him. “The truth is a fae cannot turn from just any vampire or werewolf bite. That’s not how vamps and wolves were made in the first place. Their fae mates made them. It can only be returned by their mate.”
“Wait … are you saying that if I found my mate and he was a vampire or werewolf, his bite could turn me into what he is?”
“Exactly.” He cut her a dark look. “Be careful with this information, Rose. Not because it’s likely you’ll ever find your mate here on Earth but because of the danger it poses to Thea.” Fionn might be a bastard who was luring Rose to her death, but there was no need for Thea to be dragged back into this war now that she was free of it. He’d never met the fae turned wolf, but if the stories about her were true, she was a rare breed, worthy of respect and deserving of peace.
“How is it not likely?”
“Mating bonds aren’t something that occur here. It happened for Thea because she’s fae.”
“I’m fae.”
“Yes.” But the likelihood of you being around long enough to find your mate is slim. “It’s a miracle she and Alpha MacLennan met. I don’t want you getting your hopes up.”
She snorted. “My hopes up? If you knew anything about me, Fionn, you’d know I’m more of the love ’em and leave ’em type, anyway.”
An image of Rose naked and riding atop him filled his mind before he could stop it. Her eyes dark with lust and desire would be an extraordinary thing to see. Heat pooled in his loins, and he shoved the thought straight back out.
What the fuck was that?
“You said Niamh can’t be trusted. Why?”
Niamh. Niamh Farren.
The thought of her cooled his hot blood.
Discombobulated by his wayward thoughts, he concentrated on Niamh.
When he was human, his clan name had been Ó Faracháin, the modern equivalent of which was Farren. As soon as Rose told him the name, his suspicions took root.
While they’d waited at the coffee shop at the station, Fionn had sent the names to Bran to see what he could find—his gut was telling him that the fucking Faerie Queen had made sure one of the fae children was Fionn’s bloody descendant. It would make sense that Niamh was the one he’d been obsessed with following. Until he’d found Rose.