trunk of the Cadillac, Mrs. Cormier said, “I’ll call the police to retrieve them. Do you mind waiting?”
“I will wait,” Eli agreed, not lying by saying we “didn’t mind” because of course we minded. I was leaning on the car for support, and Eli was worrying over my injury. If he had his way, he’d have me at his home, resting and cared for, but I was lousy at that.
It was on the long list of reasons I couldn’t marry him. Some girls dreamed of a faery tale romance, a prince, pretty dresses. I dreamed of kicking ass. I’d be a lousy faery tale queen.
But I still had feelings for a faery prince—and no, I was not labeling them.
So rather head than home, I leaned on the side of the Cadillac, partly because it was that or sway in exhaustion. “I’ll stay with you.”
Once the widow went inside, Eli walked away and grabbed a first aid kit from his car. I swear he bought them in bulk lately. “Let me see your throat.”
“I’m fine.” Dried blood made me look a little garish, but I could feel that it wasn’t oozing much now.
Eli opened the kit, tore open a pouch of sani-wipes, and stared at me.
“Just tired. Sunlight.” I gestured at the bright ball of pain in the sky. Midwinter might be coming, but the sun was still too bright for my comfort.
“Geneviève . . .” He held up a wipe. “May I?”
I sighed and took off my jacket. “It’s not necessary.”
“I disagree.” He used sani-wipes to wipe away my blood as I leaned on the Cadillac, ignoring the looks we were getting from pedestrians. Maybe it was that he was cleaning up my blood, or that he was fae—or maybe it was that there were people yelling from the trunk.
Either way, I wasn’t going to look away from Eli. I couldn’t.
Obviously, I knew it should not be arousing to have him clean a cut in my neck from grave shards because someone was firing bullets at me, but . . . having his hands on me at all made my heart speed.
“Would you like to take the car and leave?” Eli was closer than he needed to be, hips close enough that it would be easier to pull him closer than push him away.
“And go where?”
He brushed my hair back, checking for more injuries. The result was that I could feel his breath on my neck. “Drive to my home and draw a bath or shower. I’ll stay here and . . .”
“Tempting,” I admitted with a laugh.
He had both a marble rainfall shower and the largest tub I’d ever seen. It came complete with a small waterfall. I admitted, “I’ve had fantasies about that waterfall.”
“As have I.”
I pressed myself against him, kissed his throat, and asked, “Ready to call off the engagement?”
He kissed me, hand tangled in my hair, holding me as if I would run.
I’d sell my own soul for an eternity of Eli’s kisses if I believed in such bargains, but I wouldn’t destroy him. Being with me wasn’t what was best for him.
When he pulled back from our kiss, he stated, “Geneviève . . .”
I kissed him softly. I could say more with my touch than with words. I paused and whispered, “You can have my body or this engagement. Not both.”
He sighed, but he stepped back. “You are impossible, Geneviève Crowe.”
I caught his hand. “It doesn’t have to be impossible. We’re safely out of Elphame now. We could just end the enga—”
“I am fae, love. I don’t lie. I don’t break my word.” He squeezed my hand gently. “I gave you my promise to wed. In front of my king and family. I cannot end this engagement.”
We stood in silence for several moments. Then he held out his keys, and I took them.
“Meet me at my place. Maybe we can spar,” I offered.
Eli pulled me in closer, kissed both of my cheeks, and said, “I will accept any excuse to get sweaty with you.”
“Same.” I hated that this was where we were, but I wasn’t able to change who or what I was. Neither was Eli. He had a future that I wanted no part of, and I felt a duty to my city and friends. We had no future option that would suit both of us. I’d be here, beheading draugr and trying not to become more of a monster, and he would return to his homeland. There was no good compromise.